diff --git a/lib/Db/CoreQueryBuilder.php b/lib/Db/CoreQueryBuilder.php
index 0b3ac9314..62e1d4c5d 100644
--- a/lib/Db/CoreQueryBuilder.php
+++ b/lib/Db/CoreQueryBuilder.php
@@ -798,9 +798,6 @@ public function leftJoinBasedOn(
 		if (!is_null($initiator)) {
 			$this->leftJoinInitiator($aliasBasedOn, $initiator);
 			$this->leftJoinOwner($aliasBasedOn);
-
-			$aliasInitiatorMemberships = $this->generateAlias($aliasBasedOn, self::MEMBERSHIPS);
-			$this->andWhere($expr->gt($aliasInitiatorMemberships . '.level', $this->createNamedParameter(0, self::PARAM_INT)));
 		}
 	}
 
diff --git a/lib/Db/MemberRequest.php b/lib/Db/MemberRequest.php
index 71f6f8872..78ab9fb92 100644
--- a/lib/Db/MemberRequest.php
+++ b/lib/Db/MemberRequest.php
@@ -222,6 +222,16 @@ public function getMembers(
 		if ($fullDetails) {
 			$qb->leftJoinCircle(CoreQueryBuilder::MEMBER, $initiator);
 			$qb->leftJoinInvitedBy(CoreQueryBuilder::MEMBER);
+		} elseif (!is_null($initiator)) {
+			// still need to confirm initiator level in relation to the circle
+			$aliasCircle = $qb->generateAlias(CoreQueryBuilder::MEMBER, CoreQueryBuilder::CIRCLE, $options);
+			$qb->leftJoin(
+				CoreQueryBuilder::MEMBER,
+				CoreRequestBuilder::TABLE_CIRCLE,
+				$aliasCircle,
+				$qb->expr()->eq($aliasCircle . '.unique_id', CoreQueryBuilder::MEMBER . '.circle_id')
+			);
+			$qb->limitToInitiator($aliasCircle, $initiator);
 		}
 
 		if ($probe->hasFilterRemoteInstance()) {