diff --git a/synapse/storage/databases/main/room.py b/synapse/storage/databases/main/room.py
index 17060f05a35..a3f094a968c 100644
--- a/synapse/storage/databases/main/room.py
+++ b/synapse/storage/databases/main/room.py
@@ -653,7 +653,7 @@ async def get_rooms_paginate(
             ]
         if filter_public_rooms is not None:
             filter_arg = "1" if filter_public_rooms else "0"
-            filter_.append(f"rooms.is_public = {filter_arg}")
+            filter_.append(f"rooms.is_public = '{filter_arg}'")
 
         if filter_empty_rooms is not None:
             if filter_empty_rooms:
diff --git a/tests/rest/admin/test_room.py b/tests/rest/admin/test_room.py
index 96b455ea831..5559ccccdc1 100644
--- a/tests/rest/admin/test_room.py
+++ b/tests/rest/admin/test_room.py
@@ -1833,6 +1833,45 @@ def test_filter_public_rooms(self) -> None:
         self.assertEqual(1, response.json_body["total_rooms"])
         self.assertEqual(1, len(response.json_body["rooms"]))
 
+    def test_filter_empty_rooms(self) -> None:
+        self.helper.create_room_as(
+            self.admin_user, tok=self.admin_user_tok, is_public=True
+        )
+        self.helper.create_room_as(
+            self.admin_user, tok=self.admin_user_tok, is_public=True
+        )
+        room_id = self.helper.create_room_as(
+            self.admin_user, tok=self.admin_user_tok, is_public=False
+        )
+        self.helper.leave(room_id, self.admin_user, tok=self.admin_user_tok)
+
+        response = self.make_request(
+            "GET",
+            "/_synapse/admin/v1/rooms",
+            access_token=self.admin_user_tok,
+        )
+        self.assertEqual(200, response.code, msg=response.json_body)
+        self.assertEqual(3, response.json_body["total_rooms"])
+        self.assertEqual(3, len(response.json_body["rooms"]))
+
+        response = self.make_request(
+            "GET",
+            "/_synapse/admin/v1/rooms?filter_empty_rooms=false",
+            access_token=self.admin_user_tok,
+        )
+        self.assertEqual(200, response.code, msg=response.json_body)
+        self.assertEqual(2, response.json_body["total_rooms"])
+        self.assertEqual(2, len(response.json_body["rooms"]))
+
+        response = self.make_request(
+            "GET",
+            "/_synapse/admin/v1/rooms?filter_empty_rooms=true",
+            access_token=self.admin_user_tok,
+        )
+        self.assertEqual(200, response.code, msg=response.json_body)
+        self.assertEqual(1, response.json_body["total_rooms"])
+        self.assertEqual(1, len(response.json_body["rooms"]))
+
     def test_single_room(self) -> None:
         """Test that a single room can be requested correctly"""
         # Create two test rooms