2 files changed, 2 insertions, 1 deletions
diff --git a/changelog.d/15725.misc b/changelog.d/15725.misc
new file mode 100644
index 0000000000..6c7a8a41d8
--- /dev/null
+++ b/changelog.d/15725.misc
@@ -0,0 +1 @@
+Update federation error to more plainly explain we can only authorize our own membership events.
diff --git a/synapse/federation/federation_server.py b/synapse/federation/federation_server.py
index 149351dda0..9425b32507 100644
--- a/synapse/federation/federation_server.py
+++ b/synapse/federation/federation_server.py
@@ -944,7 +944,7 @@ class FederationServer(FederationBase):
             if not self._is_mine_server_name(authorising_server):
                 raise SynapseError(
                     400,
-                    f"Cannot authorise request from resident server: {authorising_server}",
+                    f"Cannot authorise membership event for {authorising_server}. We can only authorise requests from our own homeserver",
                 )
 
             event.signatures.update(