diff --git a/src/components/structures/MatrixChat.tsx b/src/components/structures/MatrixChat.tsx
index 4ad2d33f31..79bdf743ce 100644
--- a/src/components/structures/MatrixChat.tsx
+++ b/src/components/structures/MatrixChat.tsx
@@ -18,7 +18,8 @@ limitations under the License.
 */
 
 import React, { createRef } from 'react';
-import { createClient } from "matrix-js-sdk/src";
+// @ts-ignore - XXX: no idea why this import fails
+import * as Matrix from "matrix-js-sdk";
 import { InvalidStoreError } from "matrix-js-sdk/src/errors";
 import { RoomMember } from "matrix-js-sdk/src/models/room-member";
 import { MatrixEvent } from "matrix-js-sdk/src/models/event";
@@ -1618,7 +1619,7 @@ export default class MatrixChat extends React.PureComponent<IProps, IState> {
             let cli = MatrixClientPeg.get();
             if (!cli) {
                 const {hsUrl, isUrl} = this.props.serverConfig;
-                cli = createClient({
+                cli = Matrix.createClient({
                     baseUrl: hsUrl,
                     idBaseUrl: isUrl,
                 });