diff --git a/synapse/handlers/room.py b/synapse/handlers/room.py
index 9858d1af50b820a4de94f642de0d9a8df0bb5dce..3551615228cc71fc48f9bf5e32ee3d870ac09d85 100644
--- a/synapse/handlers/room.py
+++ b/synapse/handlers/room.py
@@ -162,7 +162,6 @@ class RoomCreationHandler(BaseRoomHandler):
         creation_event = create(
             etype=RoomCreateEvent.TYPE,
             creator=creator.to_string(),
-            default=0,
         )
 
         power_levels_event = self.event_factory.create_event(