diff --git a/src/api/client_server/account.rs b/src/api/client_server/account.rs
index 37e3f99b..152b82bd 100644
--- a/src/api/client_server/account.rs
+++ b/src/api/client_server/account.rs
@@ -64,7 +64,7 @@ pub async fn get_register_available_route(
     Ok(get_username_availability::v3::Response { available: true })
 }
 
-/// # `POST /_matrix/client/r0/register
+/// # `POST /_matrix/client/r0/register`
 ///
 /// Register an account on this homeserver.
 ///
@@ -301,11 +301,7 @@ pub async fn register_route(body: Ruma<register::v3::Request>) -> Result<registe
             if let Err(e) = join_room_by_id_helper(
                 Some(&user_id),
                 room_id,
-                    services()
-                        .globals
-                        .config
-                        .default_rooms_join_reason
-                        .as_deref()
+                services().globals.config.default_rooms.join_reason.clone(),
                 &servers,
                 None,
             )
diff --git a/src/config/mod.rs b/src/config/mod.rs
index d08756ca..71aa6176 100644
--- a/src/config/mod.rs
+++ b/src/config/mod.rs
@@ -57,13 +57,12 @@ pub struct Config {
     pub allow_room_creation: bool,
     #[serde(default = "true_fn")]
     pub allow_unstable_room_versions: bool,
-    #[serde(default = "Vec::new")]
-    pub default_rooms: Vec<OwnedRoomOrAliasId>,
-    pub default_rooms_join_reason: Option<String>,
     #[serde(default = "default_default_room_version")]
     pub default_room_version: RoomVersionId,
     #[serde(default)]
     pub well_known: WellKnownConfig,
+    #[serde(default)]
+    pub default_rooms: DefaultRoomsConfig,
     #[serde(default = "false_fn")]
     pub allow_jaeger: bool,
     #[serde(default = "false_fn")]
@@ -104,6 +103,12 @@ pub struct WellKnownConfig {
     pub server: Option<OwnedServerName>,
 }
 
+#[derive(Clone, Debug, Deserialize, Default)]
+pub struct DefaultRoomsConfig {
+    pub rooms: Vec<OwnedRoomOrAliasId>,
+    pub join_reason: Option<String>,
+}
+
 const DEPRECATED_KEYS: &[&str] = &["cache_capacity"];
 
 impl Config {
diff --git a/src/service/globals/mod.rs b/src/service/globals/mod.rs
index 367c4b4c..2ff2ff41 100644
--- a/src/service/globals/mod.rs
+++ b/src/service/globals/mod.rs
@@ -509,21 +509,22 @@ impl Service {
     pub async fn default_rooms(&self) -> Result<BTreeSet<OwnedRoomId>> {
         let mut default_rooms = BTreeSet::new();
 
-        for id_or_alias in &self.config.default_rooms {
-            // OwnedRoomOrAliasId always starts with a '#' or '!', presence of a ':' is not validated
-            let localpart = id_or_alias
-                .as_str()
-                .split_once(':')
-                .map(|(localpart, _)| localpart)
-                .unwrap_or(id_or_alias.as_str());
-            let server_name = id_or_alias
-                .server_name()
-                .map(ToOwned::to_owned)
-                .unwrap_or(self.config.server_name.clone());
+        for id_or_alias in &self.config.default_rooms.rooms {
+            // // `OwnedRoomOrAliasId` always starts with a '#' or '!', presence of a ':' is not validated
+            // let localpart = id_or_alias
+            //     .as_str()
+            //     .split_once(':')
+            //     .map(|(localpart, _)| localpart)
+            //     .unwrap_or(id_or_alias.as_str());
+            // let server_name = id_or_alias
+            //     .server_name()
+            //     .map(ToOwned::to_owned)
+            //     .unwrap_or(self.config.server_name.clone());
 
-            let room_id = match OwnedRoomOrAliasId::from_str(&format!("{localpart}:{server_name}"))
-                .expect("this should always be valid")
-                .try_into()
+            let room_id = match id_or_alias.try_into()
+                // OwnedRoomOrAliasId::from_str(&format!("{localpart}:{server_name}"))
+                // .expect("this should always be valid")
+                // .try_into()
             {
                 Ok(room_id) => room_id,
                 Err(room_alias) => get_alias_helper(room_alias).await.map(|res| res.room_id)?,