diff --git a/apps/api/src/collectives/matrix-provisioner.test.ts b/apps/api/src/collectives/matrix-provisioner.test.ts
index 6f49f94..bcc4140 100644
--- a/apps/api/src/collectives/matrix-provisioner.test.ts
+++ b/apps/api/src/collectives/matrix-provisioner.test.ts
@@ -168,7 +168,6 @@ describe("MatrixProvisioner room set shape", () => {
       const pl = room.body.power_level_content_override as Record<string, unknown>;
       const users = pl.users as Record<string, number>;
       expect(users[founder]).toBe(FOUNDER_POWER_LEVEL);
-      expect(users["@provisioner:chat.example.com"]).toBe(FOUNDER_POWER_LEVEL);
       expect(pl.users_default).toBe(MEMBER_POWER_LEVEL);
       expect((pl.events as Record<string, number>)["m.room.message"]).toBe(MEMBER_POWER_LEVEL);
       expect(pl.state_default).toBe(FOUNDER_POWER_LEVEL);
@@ -188,7 +187,7 @@ describe("MatrixProvisioner room set shape", () => {
     expect(fake.invites).toHaveLength(0);
     for (const room of fake.rooms) {
       const users = (room.body.power_level_content_override as Record<string, unknown>).users as Record<string, number>;
-      expect(Object.keys(users)).toEqual(["@provisioner:chat.example.com"]);
+      expect(Object.keys(users)).not.toContain("@provisioner:chat.example.com");
     }
   });
 
diff --git a/apps/api/src/collectives/matrix-provisioner.ts b/apps/api/src/collectives/matrix-provisioner.ts
index 237b3c7..7b216b4 100644
--- a/apps/api/src/collectives/matrix-provisioner.ts
+++ b/apps/api/src/collectives/matrix-provisioner.ts
@@ -194,8 +194,10 @@ export class MatrixProvisioner implements ProvisionerPort {
 
   /** Founder pinned at PL 100; everyone else PL 0. Bot keeps 100 to administer its rooms. */
   private powerLevels(input: ProvisionCollectiveInput): Record<string, unknown> {
-    const users: Record<string, number> = { [this.botUserId]: FOUNDER_POWER_LEVEL };
-    if (input.founderMxid !== null) users[input.founderMxid] = FOUNDER_POWER_LEVEL;
+    // The room creator (the bot) already holds PL 100 as founder-of-record;
+    // the spec rejects creator IDs listed in `users`.
+    const users: Record<string, number> =
+      input.founderMxid !== null ? { [input.founderMxid]: FOUNDER_POWER_LEVEL } : {};
     return {
       users,
       users_default: MEMBER_POWER_LEVEL,