diff --git a/changelog.d/8948.feature b/changelog.d/8948.feature
new file mode 100644
index 000000000..3b06cbfa2
--- /dev/null
+++ b/changelog.d/8948.feature
@@ -0,0 +1 @@
+Update `/_synapse/admin/v1/users/<user_id>/joined_rooms` to work for both local and remote users.
diff --git a/docs/admin_api/user_admin_api.rst b/docs/admin_api/user_admin_api.rst
index e4d6f8203..3115951e1 100644
--- a/docs/admin_api/user_admin_api.rst
+++ b/docs/admin_api/user_admin_api.rst
@@ -337,6 +337,10 @@ A response body like the following is returned:
         "total": 2
     }
 
+The server returns the list of rooms of which the user and the server
+are member. If the user is local, all the rooms of which the user is
+member are returned.
+
 **Parameters**
 
 The following parameters should be set in the URL:
diff --git a/synapse/rest/admin/users.py b/synapse/rest/admin/users.py
index 6658c2da5..f8a73e7d9 100644
--- a/synapse/rest/admin/users.py
+++ b/synapse/rest/admin/users.py
@@ -714,13 +714,6 @@ class UserMembershipRestServlet(RestServlet):
     async def on_GET(self, request, user_id):
         await assert_requester_is_admin(self.auth, request)
 
-        if not self.is_mine(UserID.from_string(user_id)):
-            raise SynapseError(400, "Can only lookup local users")
-
-        user = await self.store.get_user_by_id(user_id)
-        if user is None:
-            raise NotFoundError("Unknown user")
-
         room_ids = await self.store.get_rooms_for_user(user_id)
         ret = {"joined_rooms": list(room_ids), "total": len(room_ids)}
         return 200, ret
diff --git a/tests/rest/admin/test_user.py b/tests/rest/admin/test_user.py
index 877fd2587..ad4588c1d 100644
--- a/tests/rest/admin/test_user.py
+++ b/tests/rest/admin/test_user.py
@@ -25,6 +25,7 @@ from mock import Mock
 import synapse.rest.admin
 from synapse.api.constants import UserTypes
 from synapse.api.errors import Codes, HttpResponseException, ResourceLimitError
+from synapse.api.room_versions import RoomVersions
 from synapse.rest.client.v1 import login, logout, profile, room
 from synapse.rest.client.v2_alpha import devices, sync
 
@@ -1234,24 +1235,26 @@ class UserMembershipRestTestCase(unittest.HomeserverTestCase):
 
     def test_user_does_not_exist(self):
         """
-        Tests that a lookup for a user that does not exist returns a 404
+        Tests that a lookup for a user that does not exist returns an empty list
         """
         url = "/_synapse/admin/v1/users/@unknown_person:test/joined_rooms"
         channel = self.make_request("GET", url, access_token=self.admin_user_tok,)
 
-        self.assertEqual(404, channel.code, msg=channel.json_body)
-        self.assertEqual(Codes.NOT_FOUND, channel.json_body["errcode"])
+        self.assertEqual(200, channel.code, msg=channel.json_body)
+        self.assertEqual(0, channel.json_body["total"])
+        self.assertEqual(0, len(channel.json_body["joined_rooms"]))
 
     def test_user_is_not_local(self):
         """
-        Tests that a lookup for a user that is not a local returns a 400
+        Tests that a lookup for a user that is not a local and participates in no conversation returns an empty list
         """
         url = "/_synapse/admin/v1/users/@unknown_person:unknown_domain/joined_rooms"
 
         channel = self.make_request("GET", url, access_token=self.admin_user_tok,)
 
-        self.assertEqual(400, channel.code, msg=channel.json_body)
-        self.assertEqual("Can only lookup local users", channel.json_body["error"])
+        self.assertEqual(200, channel.code, msg=channel.json_body)
+        self.assertEqual(0, channel.json_body["total"])
+        self.assertEqual(0, len(channel.json_body["joined_rooms"]))
 
     def test_no_memberships(self):
         """
@@ -1282,6 +1285,49 @@ class UserMembershipRestTestCase(unittest.HomeserverTestCase):
         self.assertEqual(number_rooms, channel.json_body["total"])
         self.assertEqual(number_rooms, len(channel.json_body["joined_rooms"]))
 
+    def test_get_rooms_with_nonlocal_user(self):
+        """
+        Tests that a normal lookup for rooms is successful with a non-local user
+        """
+
+        other_user_tok = self.login("user", "pass")
+        event_builder_factory = self.hs.get_event_builder_factory()
+        event_creation_handler = self.hs.get_event_creation_handler()
+        storage = self.hs.get_storage()
+
+        # Create two rooms, one with a local user only and one with both a local
+        # and remote user.
+        self.helper.create_room_as(self.other_user, tok=other_user_tok)
+        local_and_remote_room_id = self.helper.create_room_as(
+            self.other_user, tok=other_user_tok
+        )
+
+        # Add a remote user to the room.
+        builder = event_builder_factory.for_room_version(
+            RoomVersions.V1,
+            {
+                "type": "m.room.member",
+                "sender": "@joiner:remote_hs",
+                "state_key": "@joiner:remote_hs",
+                "room_id": local_and_remote_room_id,
+                "content": {"membership": "join"},
+            },
+        )
+
+        event, context = self.get_success(
+            event_creation_handler.create_new_client_event(builder)
+        )
+
+        self.get_success(storage.persistence.persist_event(event, context))
+
+        # Now get rooms
+        url = "/_synapse/admin/v1/users/@joiner:remote_hs/joined_rooms"
+        channel = self.make_request("GET", url, access_token=self.admin_user_tok,)
+
+        self.assertEqual(200, channel.code, msg=channel.json_body)
+        self.assertEqual(1, channel.json_body["total"])
+        self.assertEqual([local_and_remote_room_id], channel.json_body["joined_rooms"])
+
 
 class PushersRestTestCase(unittest.HomeserverTestCase):