diff --git a/lib/DataStore.js b/lib/DataStore.js
index e85733ac5..63d070769 100644
--- a/lib/DataStore.js
+++ b/lib/DataStore.js
@@ -245,7 +245,7 @@ DataStore.prototype.getMatrixRoomsForChannel = function(server, channel) {
     );
 };
 
-DataStore.prototype.getMappingsForChannelByOrigin = function(server, channel, origin) {
+DataStore.prototype.getMappingsForChannelByOrigin = function(server, channel, origin, allowUnset) {
     log.debug(
         "getMatrixRoomsForChannelByOrigin " + channel + ", origin: " + JSON.stringify(origin)
     );
@@ -256,12 +256,17 @@ DataStore.prototype.getMappingsForChannelByOrigin = function(server, channel, or
         throw new Error("origin must be string or array of strings");
     }
     let remoteId = IrcRoom.createId(server, channel);
-
-    return this._roomStore.getEntriesByLinkData({
-        origin: {$in : origin}
-    }).then((entries) => {
+    return this._roomStore.getEntriesByLinkData({}).then((entries) => {
         return entries.filter((e) => {
-            return e.remote.getId() === remoteId
+            if (!e.remote || e.remote.getId() !== remoteId) {
+                return false;
+            }
+            if (allowUnset) {
+                if (!e.data || !e.data.origin) {
+                    return true;
+                }
+            }
+            return e.data && origin.indexOf(e.data.origin) !== -1;
         });
     });
 };
diff --git a/lib/bridge/IrcHandler.js b/lib/bridge/IrcHandler.js
index d73f7d629..3d72f40d6 100644
--- a/lib/bridge/IrcHandler.js
+++ b/lib/bridge/IrcHandler.js
@@ -250,7 +250,7 @@ IrcHandler.prototype.onTopic = Promise.coroutine(function*(req, server, fromUser
     // Only bridge topics for rooms created by the bridge, via !join or an alias
     let origins = ["join", "alias"];
     let entries = yield this.ircBridge.getStore().getMappingsForChannelByOrigin(
-        server, channel, origins
+        server, channel, origins, true
     );
     if (entries.length === 0) {
         req.log.info(