diff --git a/src/utils/notifications.ts b/src/utils/notifications.ts
index 0064eaf2bc..32296d62e6 100644
--- a/src/utils/notifications.ts
+++ b/src/utils/notifications.ts
@@ -31,6 +31,9 @@ export function getLocalNotificationAccountDataEventType(deviceId: string): stri
 }
 
 export async function createLocalNotificationSettingsIfNeeded(cli: MatrixClient): Promise<void> {
+    if (cli.isGuest()) {
+        return;
+    }
     const eventType = getLocalNotificationAccountDataEventType(cli.deviceId);
     const event = cli.getAccountData(eventType);
     // New sessions will create an account data event to signify they support
diff --git a/test/utils/notifications-test.ts b/test/utils/notifications-test.ts
index c44b496608..9848d7e486 100644
--- a/test/utils/notifications-test.ts
+++ b/test/utils/notifications-test.ts
@@ -30,21 +30,23 @@ jest.mock("../../src/settings/SettingsStore");
 
 describe('notifications', () => {
     let accountDataStore = {};
-    const mockClient = getMockClientWithEventEmitter({
-        isGuest: jest.fn().mockReturnValue(false),
-        getAccountData: jest.fn().mockImplementation(eventType => accountDataStore[eventType]),
-        setAccountData: jest.fn().mockImplementation((eventType, content) => {
-            accountDataStore[eventType] = new MatrixEvent({
-                type: eventType,
-                content,
-            });
-        }),
-    });
-
-    const accountDataEventKey = getLocalNotificationAccountDataEventType(mockClient.deviceId);
+    let mockClient;
+    let accountDataEventKey;
 
     beforeEach(() => {
+        jest.clearAllMocks();
+        mockClient = getMockClientWithEventEmitter({
+            isGuest: jest.fn().mockReturnValue(false),
+            getAccountData: jest.fn().mockImplementation(eventType => accountDataStore[eventType]),
+            setAccountData: jest.fn().mockImplementation((eventType, content) => {
+                accountDataStore[eventType] = new MatrixEvent({
+                    type: eventType,
+                    content,
+                });
+            }),
+        });
         accountDataStore = {};
+        accountDataEventKey = getLocalNotificationAccountDataEventType(mockClient.deviceId);
         mocked(SettingsStore).getValue.mockReturnValue(false);
     });
 
@@ -55,6 +57,13 @@ describe('notifications', () => {
             expect(event?.getContent().is_silenced).toBe(true);
         });
 
+        it('does not do anything for guests', async () => {
+            mockClient.isGuest.mockReset().mockReturnValue(true);
+            await createLocalNotificationSettingsIfNeeded(mockClient);
+            const event = mockClient.getAccountData(accountDataEventKey);
+            expect(event).toBeFalsy();
+        });
+
         it.each(deviceNotificationSettingsKeys)(
             'unsilenced for existing sessions when %s setting is truthy',
             async (settingKey) => {