diff --git a/src/Avatar.ts b/src/Avatar.ts
index d218ae8b46..a6499c688e 100644
--- a/src/Avatar.ts
+++ b/src/Avatar.ts
@@ -20,6 +20,7 @@ import {Room} from "matrix-js-sdk/src/models/room";
 
 import DMRoomMap from './utils/DMRoomMap';
 import {mediaFromMxc} from "./customisations/Media";
+import SettingsStore from "./settings/SettingsStore";
 
 export type ResizeMethod = "crop" | "scale";
 
@@ -143,7 +144,7 @@ export function avatarUrlForRoom(room: Room, width: number, height: number, resi
     }
 
     // space rooms cannot be DMs so skip the rest
-    if (room.isSpaceRoom()) return null;
+    if (SettingsStore.getValue("feature_spaces") && room.isSpaceRoom()) return null;
 
     let otherMember = null;
     const otherUserId = DMRoomMap.shared().getUserIdForRoomId(room.roomId);
diff --git a/src/components/structures/MatrixChat.tsx b/src/components/structures/MatrixChat.tsx
index 078b296295..e330dc7d38 100644
--- a/src/components/structures/MatrixChat.tsx
+++ b/src/components/structures/MatrixChat.tsx
@@ -1094,7 +1094,7 @@ export default class MatrixChat extends React.PureComponent<IProps, IState> {
 
     private leaveRoomWarnings(roomId: string) {
         const roomToLeave = MatrixClientPeg.get().getRoom(roomId);
-        const isSpace = roomToLeave?.isSpaceRoom();
+        const isSpace = SettingsStore.getValue("feature_spaces") && roomToLeave?.isSpaceRoom();
         // Show a warning if there are additional complications.
         const warnings = [];
 
@@ -1133,7 +1133,7 @@ export default class MatrixChat extends React.PureComponent<IProps, IState> {
         const roomToLeave = MatrixClientPeg.get().getRoom(roomId);
         const warnings = this.leaveRoomWarnings(roomId);
 
-        const isSpace = roomToLeave?.isSpaceRoom();
+        const isSpace = SettingsStore.getValue("feature_spaces") && roomToLeave?.isSpaceRoom();
         Modal.createTrackedDialog(isSpace ? "Leave space" : "Leave room", '', QuestionDialog, {
             title: isSpace ? _t("Leave space") : _t("Leave room"),
             description: (
diff --git a/src/components/structures/RightPanel.js b/src/components/structures/RightPanel.js
index 5bcb3b2450..d8c763eabd 100644
--- a/src/components/structures/RightPanel.js
+++ b/src/components/structures/RightPanel.js
@@ -35,6 +35,7 @@ import {Action} from "../../dispatcher/actions";
 import RoomSummaryCard from "../views/right_panel/RoomSummaryCard";
 import WidgetCard from "../views/right_panel/WidgetCard";
 import {replaceableComponent} from "../../utils/replaceableComponent";
+import SettingsStore from "../../settings/SettingsStore";
 
 @replaceableComponent("structures.RightPanel")
 export default class RightPanel extends React.Component {
@@ -85,7 +86,9 @@ export default class RightPanel extends React.Component {
                 return RightPanelPhases.GroupMemberList;
             }
             return rps.groupPanelPhase;
-        } else if (this.props.room?.isSpaceRoom() && !RIGHT_PANEL_SPACE_PHASES.includes(rps.roomPanelPhase)) {
+        } else if (SettingsStore.getValue("feature_spaces") && this.props.room?.isSpaceRoom()
+            && !RIGHT_PANEL_SPACE_PHASES.includes(rps.roomPanelPhase)
+        ) {
             return RightPanelPhases.SpaceMemberList;
         } else if (userForPanel) {
             // XXX FIXME AAAAAARGH: What is going on with this class!? It takes some of its state
diff --git a/src/components/structures/RoomView.tsx b/src/components/structures/RoomView.tsx
index 5108643673..58a87e6641 100644
--- a/src/components/structures/RoomView.tsx
+++ b/src/components/structures/RoomView.tsx
@@ -1750,7 +1750,10 @@ export default class RoomView extends React.Component<IProps, IState> {
         }
 
         const myMembership = this.state.room.getMyMembership();
-        if (myMembership === "invite" && !this.state.room.isSpaceRoom()) { // SpaceRoomView handles invites itself
+        if (myMembership === "invite"
+            // SpaceRoomView handles invites itself
+            && (!SettingsStore.getValue("feature_spaces") || !this.state.room.isSpaceRoom())
+        ) {
             if (this.state.joining || this.state.rejecting) {
                 return (
                     <ErrorBoundary>
@@ -1892,7 +1895,7 @@ export default class RoomView extends React.Component<IProps, IState> {
                     room={this.state.room}
                 />
             );
-            if (!this.state.canPeek && !this.state.room?.isSpaceRoom()) {
+            if (!this.state.canPeek && (!SettingsStore.getValue("feature_spaces") || !this.state.room?.isSpaceRoom())) {
                 return (
                     <div className="mx_RoomView">
                         { previewBar }
diff --git a/src/components/views/dialogs/InviteDialog.tsx b/src/components/views/dialogs/InviteDialog.tsx
index 2ebc84ec7c..ec9c71ccbe 100644
--- a/src/components/views/dialogs/InviteDialog.tsx
+++ b/src/components/views/dialogs/InviteDialog.tsx
@@ -1312,7 +1312,7 @@ export default class InviteDialog extends React.PureComponent<IInviteDialogProps
             goButtonFn = this._startDm;
         } else if (this.props.kind === KIND_INVITE) {
             const room = MatrixClientPeg.get()?.getRoom(this.props.roomId);
-            const isSpace = room?.isSpaceRoom();
+            const isSpace = SettingsStore.getValue("feature_spaces") && room?.isSpaceRoom();
             title = isSpace
                 ? _t("Invite to %(spaceName)s", {
                     spaceName: room.name || _t("Unnamed Space"),
diff --git a/src/components/views/right_panel/UserInfo.tsx b/src/components/views/right_panel/UserInfo.tsx
index be152d91bd..2fa5fd89d3 100644
--- a/src/components/views/right_panel/UserInfo.tsx
+++ b/src/components/views/right_panel/UserInfo.tsx
@@ -440,7 +440,7 @@ const UserOptionsSection: React.FC<{
     );
 };
 
-const warnSelfDemote = async (isSpace) => {
+const warnSelfDemote = async (isSpace: boolean) => {
     const {finished} = Modal.createTrackedDialog('Demoting Self', '', QuestionDialog, {
         title: _t("Demote yourself?"),
         description:
@@ -727,7 +727,7 @@ const MuteToggleButton: React.FC<IBaseRoomProps> = ({member, room, powerLevels,
         // if muting self, warn as it may be irreversible
         if (target === cli.getUserId()) {
             try {
-                if (!(await warnSelfDemote(room?.isSpaceRoom()))) return;
+                if (!(await warnSelfDemote(SettingsStore.getValue("feature_spaces") && room?.isSpaceRoom()))) return;
             } catch (e) {
                 console.error("Failed to warn about self demotion: ", e);
                 return;
@@ -816,7 +816,7 @@ const RoomAdminToolsContainer: React.FC<IBaseRoomProps> = ({
     if (canAffectUser && me.powerLevel >= kickPowerLevel) {
         kickButton = <RoomKickButton member={member} startUpdating={startUpdating} stopUpdating={stopUpdating} />;
     }
-    if (me.powerLevel >= redactPowerLevel && !room.isSpaceRoom()) {
+    if (me.powerLevel >= redactPowerLevel && (!SettingsStore.getValue("feature_spaces") || !room.isSpaceRoom())) {
         redactButton = (
             <RedactMessagesButton member={member} startUpdating={startUpdating} stopUpdating={stopUpdating} />
         );
@@ -1095,7 +1095,7 @@ const PowerLevelEditor: React.FC<{
         } else if (myUserId === target) {
             // If we are changing our own PL it can only ever be decreasing, which we cannot reverse.
             try {
-                if (!(await warnSelfDemote(room?.isSpaceRoom()))) return;
+                if (!(await warnSelfDemote(SettingsStore.getValue("feature_spaces") && room?.isSpaceRoom()))) return;
             } catch (e) {
                 console.error("Failed to warn about self demotion: ", e);
             }
@@ -1325,10 +1325,10 @@ const BasicUserInfo: React.FC<{
     if (!isRoomEncrypted) {
         if (!cryptoEnabled) {
             text = _t("This client does not support end-to-end encryption.");
-        } else if (room && !room.isSpaceRoom()) {
+        } else if (room && (!SettingsStore.getValue("feature_spaces") || !room.isSpaceRoom())) {
             text = _t("Messages in this room are not end-to-end encrypted.");
         }
-    } else if (!room.isSpaceRoom()) {
+    } else if (!SettingsStore.getValue("feature_spaces") || !room.isSpaceRoom()) {
         text = _t("Messages in this room are end-to-end encrypted.");
     }
 
@@ -1405,7 +1405,7 @@ const BasicUserInfo: React.FC<{
             canInvite={roomPermissions.canInvite}
             isIgnored={isIgnored}
             member={member}
-            isSpace={room?.isSpaceRoom()}
+            isSpace={SettingsStore.getValue("feature_spaces") && room?.isSpaceRoom()}
         />
 
         { adminToolsContainer }
@@ -1567,7 +1567,7 @@ const UserInfo: React.FC<Props> = ({
         previousPhase = RightPanelPhases.RoomMemberInfo;
         refireParams = {member: member};
     } else if (room) {
-        previousPhase = previousPhase = room.isSpaceRoom()
+        previousPhase = previousPhase = SettingsStore.getValue("feature_spaces") && room.isSpaceRoom()
             ? RightPanelPhases.SpaceMemberList
             : RightPanelPhases.RoomMemberList;
     }
@@ -1616,7 +1616,7 @@ const UserInfo: React.FC<Props> = ({
     }
 
     let scopeHeader;
-    if (room?.isSpaceRoom()) {
+    if (SettingsStore.getValue("feature_spaces") && room?.isSpaceRoom()) {
         scopeHeader = <div className="mx_RightPanel_scopeHeader">
             <RoomAvatar room={room} height={32} width={32} />
             <RoomName room={room} />
diff --git a/src/components/views/rooms/MemberList.js b/src/components/views/rooms/MemberList.js
index 593132a283..fbc0e477a1 100644
--- a/src/components/views/rooms/MemberList.js
+++ b/src/components/views/rooms/MemberList.js
@@ -30,6 +30,7 @@ import {RightPanelPhases} from "../../../stores/RightPanelStorePhases";
 import RoomAvatar from "../avatars/RoomAvatar";
 import RoomName from "../elements/RoomName";
 import {replaceableComponent} from "../../../utils/replaceableComponent";
+import SettingsStore from "../../../settings/SettingsStore";
 
 const INITIAL_LOAD_NUM_MEMBERS = 30;
 const INITIAL_LOAD_NUM_INVITED = 5;
@@ -460,7 +461,7 @@ export default class MemberList extends React.Component {
             const chat = CommunityPrototypeStore.instance.getSelectedCommunityGeneralChat();
             if (chat && chat.roomId === this.props.roomId) {
                 inviteButtonText = _t("Invite to this community");
-            } else if (room.isSpaceRoom()) {
+            } else if (SettingsStore.getValue("feature_spaces") && room.isSpaceRoom()) {
                 inviteButtonText = _t("Invite to this space");
             }
 
@@ -492,7 +493,7 @@ export default class MemberList extends React.Component {
         let previousPhase = RightPanelPhases.RoomSummary;
         // We have no previousPhase for when viewing a MemberList from a Space
         let scopeHeader;
-        if (room?.isSpaceRoom()) {
+        if (SettingsStore.getValue("feature_spaces") && room?.isSpaceRoom()) {
             previousPhase = undefined;
             scopeHeader = <div className="mx_RightPanel_scopeHeader">
                 <RoomAvatar room={room} height={32} width={32} />
diff --git a/src/components/views/rooms/ThirdPartyMemberInfo.tsx b/src/components/views/rooms/ThirdPartyMemberInfo.tsx
index 78fdc8b404..792e6ac8f7 100644
--- a/src/components/views/rooms/ThirdPartyMemberInfo.tsx
+++ b/src/components/views/rooms/ThirdPartyMemberInfo.tsx
@@ -26,6 +26,7 @@ import {isValid3pidInvite} from "../../../RoomInvite";
 import RoomAvatar from "../avatars/RoomAvatar";
 import RoomName from "../elements/RoomName";
 import {replaceableComponent} from "../../../utils/replaceableComponent";
+import SettingsStore from "../../../settings/SettingsStore";
 
 interface IProps {
     event: MatrixEvent;
@@ -135,7 +136,7 @@ export default class ThirdPartyMemberInfo extends React.Component<IProps, IState
         }
 
         let scopeHeader;
-        if (this.room.isSpaceRoom()) {
+        if (SettingsStore.getValue("feature_spaces") && this.room.isSpaceRoom()) {
             scopeHeader = <div className="mx_RightPanel_scopeHeader">
                 <RoomAvatar room={this.room} height={32} width={32} />
                 <RoomName room={this.room} />
diff --git a/src/stores/BreadcrumbsStore.ts b/src/stores/BreadcrumbsStore.ts
index 393f4f27a1..1a78a1b485 100644
--- a/src/stores/BreadcrumbsStore.ts
+++ b/src/stores/BreadcrumbsStore.ts
@@ -122,7 +122,7 @@ export class BreadcrumbsStore extends AsyncStoreWithClient<IState> {
     }
 
     private async appendRoom(room: Room) {
-        if (room.isSpaceRoom() && SettingsStore.getValue("feature_spaces")) return; // hide space rooms
+        if (SettingsStore.getValue("feature_spaces") && room.isSpaceRoom()) return; // hide space rooms
         let updated = false;
         const rooms = (this.state.rooms || []).slice(); // cheap clone
 
diff --git a/src/stores/room-list/algorithms/Algorithm.ts b/src/stores/room-list/algorithms/Algorithm.ts
index f3f0b178dd..024c484c41 100644
--- a/src/stores/room-list/algorithms/Algorithm.ts
+++ b/src/stores/room-list/algorithms/Algorithm.ts
@@ -199,8 +199,10 @@ export class Algorithm extends EventEmitter {
     }
 
     private async doUpdateStickyRoom(val: Room) {
-        // no-op sticky rooms for spaces - they're effectively virtual rooms
-        if (val?.isSpaceRoom() && val.getMyMembership() !== "invite") val = null;
+        if (SettingsStore.getValue("feature_spaces") && val?.isSpaceRoom() && val.getMyMembership() !== "invite") {
+            // no-op sticky rooms for spaces - they're effectively virtual rooms
+            val = null;
+        }
 
         // Note throughout: We need async so we can wait for handleRoomUpdate() to do its thing,
         // otherwise we risk duplicating rooms.
diff --git a/src/stores/room-list/filters/VisibilityProvider.ts b/src/stores/room-list/filters/VisibilityProvider.ts
index f212b1f9d9..c07c2b0b26 100644
--- a/src/stores/room-list/filters/VisibilityProvider.ts
+++ b/src/stores/room-list/filters/VisibilityProvider.ts
@@ -50,7 +50,7 @@ export class VisibilityProvider {
         }
 
         // hide space rooms as they'll be shown in the SpacePanel
-        if (room.isSpaceRoom() && SettingsStore.getValue("feature_spaces")) {
+        if (SettingsStore.getValue("feature_spaces") && room.isSpaceRoom()) {
             return false;
         }