diff --git a/synapse_antispam/mjolnir/antispam.py b/synapse_antispam/mjolnir/antispam.py
index 7bde80d..43c1294 100644
--- a/synapse_antispam/mjolnir/antispam.py
+++ b/synapse_antispam/mjolnir/antispam.py
@@ -162,7 +162,13 @@ class Module:
     async def check_event_for_spam(
         self, event: "synapse.events.EventBase"
     ) -> Union[bool, str]:
-        return self.antispam.check_event_for_spam(event) or self.message_max_length.check_event_for_spam(event)
+        if self.antispam.check_event_for_spam(event):
+            # The event was marked by a banlist rule.
+            return True
+        if self.message_max_length.check_event_for_spam(event):
+            # Message too long.
+            return True
+        return False # not spam.
 
     async def user_may_invite(
         self, inviter_user_id: str, invitee_user_id: str, room_id: str
diff --git a/synapse_antispam/mjolnir/message_max_length.py b/synapse_antispam/mjolnir/message_max_length.py
index 7f75478..a606f5e 100644
--- a/synapse_antispam/mjolnir/message_max_length.py
+++ b/synapse_antispam/mjolnir/message_max_length.py
@@ -30,13 +30,13 @@ class MessageMaxLength(object):
         self.remote_servers: bool = config.get("remote_servers", False)
         self.api = api
 
-    def check_event_for_spam(self, event):
+    def check_event_for_spam(self, event: "synapse.events.EventBase") -> bool:
         if self.threshold is None:
             return False # not spam, MessageMaxLength hasn't been configured to do anything.
 
         sender = UserID.from_string(event.get("sender", ""))
         # check if the event is from us or we if we are limiting message length from remote servers too.
-        if sender.domain == self.api.server_name or sender.domain in self.remote_servers:
+        if sender.domain == self.api.server_name or self.remote_servers:
             body = event.get("content", {}).get("body", "")
             if len(body) > self.threshold:
                 room_id = event.get("room_id", "")