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-rw-r--r--synapse/_scripts/__init__.py0
-rw-r--r--synapse/_scripts/register_new_matrix_user.py215
-rw-r--r--synapse/api/filtering.py5
-rwxr-xr-xsynapse/app/homeserver.py37
-rw-r--r--synapse/app/pusher.py6
-rw-r--r--synapse/config/__main__.py2
-rw-r--r--synapse/config/_base.py121
-rw-r--r--synapse/config/emailconfig.py40
-rw-r--r--synapse/config/homeserver.py3
-rw-r--r--synapse/config/registration.py15
-rw-r--r--synapse/config/repository.py2
-rw-r--r--synapse/config/room_directory.py102
-rw-r--r--synapse/crypto/keyclient.py2
-rw-r--r--synapse/event_auth.py2
-rw-r--r--synapse/federation/federation_server.py18
-rw-r--r--synapse/handlers/auth.py18
-rw-r--r--synapse/handlers/deactivate_account.py4
-rw-r--r--synapse/handlers/directory.py86
-rw-r--r--synapse/handlers/federation.py34
-rw-r--r--synapse/handlers/groups_local.py18
-rw-r--r--synapse/handlers/initial_sync.py4
-rw-r--r--synapse/handlers/message.py22
-rw-r--r--synapse/handlers/pagination.py15
-rw-r--r--synapse/handlers/receipts.py2
-rw-r--r--synapse/handlers/register.py30
-rw-r--r--synapse/handlers/room.py27
-rw-r--r--synapse/handlers/sync.py97
-rw-r--r--synapse/handlers/user_directory.py14
-rw-r--r--synapse/http/matrixfederationclient.py12
-rw-r--r--synapse/push/emailpusher.py67
-rw-r--r--synapse/push/httppusher.py66
-rw-r--r--synapse/push/mailer.py8
-rw-r--r--synapse/push/pusherpool.py135
-rw-r--r--synapse/python_dependencies.py4
-rw-r--r--synapse/rest/client/v1/directory.py37
-rw-r--r--synapse/rest/client/v1/room.py3
-rw-r--r--synapse/rest/client/v2_alpha/auth.py2
-rw-r--r--synapse/rest/media/v1/media_repository.py24
-rw-r--r--synapse/rest/media/v1/media_storage.py8
-rw-r--r--synapse/rest/media/v1/preview_url_resource.py2
-rw-r--r--synapse/rest/media/v1/storage_provider.py6
-rw-r--r--synapse/server.py1
-rw-r--r--synapse/state/__init__.py97
-rw-r--r--synapse/state/v1.py2
-rw-r--r--synapse/state/v2.py544
-rw-r--r--synapse/storage/_base.py4
-rw-r--r--synapse/storage/directory.py2
-rw-r--r--synapse/storage/events.py47
-rw-r--r--synapse/storage/keys.py2
-rw-r--r--synapse/storage/monthly_active_users.py71
-rw-r--r--synapse/storage/pusher.py2
-rw-r--r--synapse/storage/registration.py37
-rw-r--r--synapse/storage/signatures.py2
-rw-r--r--synapse/storage/state.py845
-rw-r--r--synapse/storage/transactions.py2
-rw-r--r--synapse/util/__init__.py25
-rw-r--r--synapse/util/caches/stream_change_cache.py4
-rw-r--r--synapse/util/logcontext.py120
-rw-r--r--synapse/visibility.py15
59 files changed, 2189 insertions, 948 deletions
diff --git a/synapse/_scripts/__init__.py b/synapse/_scripts/__init__.py
new file mode 100644
index 0000000000..e69de29bb2
--- /dev/null
+++ b/synapse/_scripts/__init__.py
diff --git a/synapse/_scripts/register_new_matrix_user.py b/synapse/_scripts/register_new_matrix_user.py
new file mode 100644
index 0000000000..70cecde486
--- /dev/null
+++ b/synapse/_scripts/register_new_matrix_user.py
@@ -0,0 +1,215 @@
+# -*- coding: utf-8 -*-
+# Copyright 2015, 2016 OpenMarket Ltd
+# Copyright 2018 New Vector
+#
+# Licensed under the Apache License, Version 2.0 (the "License");
+# you may not use this file except in compliance with the License.
+# You may obtain a copy of the License at
+#
+#     http://www.apache.org/licenses/LICENSE-2.0
+#
+# Unless required by applicable law or agreed to in writing, software
+# distributed under the License is distributed on an "AS IS" BASIS,
+# WITHOUT WARRANTIES OR CONDITIONS OF ANY KIND, either express or implied.
+# See the License for the specific language governing permissions and
+# limitations under the License.
+
+from __future__ import print_function
+
+import argparse
+import getpass
+import hashlib
+import hmac
+import logging
+import sys
+
+from six.moves import input
+
+import requests as _requests
+import yaml
+
+
+def request_registration(
+    user,
+    password,
+    server_location,
+    shared_secret,
+    admin=False,
+    requests=_requests,
+    _print=print,
+    exit=sys.exit,
+):
+
+    url = "%s/_matrix/client/r0/admin/register" % (server_location,)
+
+    # Get the nonce
+    r = requests.get(url, verify=False)
+
+    if r.status_code is not 200:
+        _print("ERROR! Received %d %s" % (r.status_code, r.reason))
+        if 400 <= r.status_code < 500:
+            try:
+                _print(r.json()["error"])
+            except Exception:
+                pass
+        return exit(1)
+
+    nonce = r.json()["nonce"]
+
+    mac = hmac.new(key=shared_secret.encode('utf8'), digestmod=hashlib.sha1)
+
+    mac.update(nonce.encode('utf8'))
+    mac.update(b"\x00")
+    mac.update(user.encode('utf8'))
+    mac.update(b"\x00")
+    mac.update(password.encode('utf8'))
+    mac.update(b"\x00")
+    mac.update(b"admin" if admin else b"notadmin")
+
+    mac = mac.hexdigest()
+
+    data = {
+        "nonce": nonce,
+        "username": user,
+        "password": password,
+        "mac": mac,
+        "admin": admin,
+    }
+
+    _print("Sending registration request...")
+    r = requests.post(url, json=data, verify=False)
+
+    if r.status_code is not 200:
+        _print("ERROR! Received %d %s" % (r.status_code, r.reason))
+        if 400 <= r.status_code < 500:
+            try:
+                _print(r.json()["error"])
+            except Exception:
+                pass
+        return exit(1)
+
+    _print("Success!")
+
+
+def register_new_user(user, password, server_location, shared_secret, admin):
+    if not user:
+        try:
+            default_user = getpass.getuser()
+        except Exception:
+            default_user = None
+
+        if default_user:
+            user = input("New user localpart [%s]: " % (default_user,))
+            if not user:
+                user = default_user
+        else:
+            user = input("New user localpart: ")
+
+    if not user:
+        print("Invalid user name")
+        sys.exit(1)
+
+    if not password:
+        password = getpass.getpass("Password: ")
+
+        if not password:
+            print("Password cannot be blank.")
+            sys.exit(1)
+
+        confirm_password = getpass.getpass("Confirm password: ")
+
+        if password != confirm_password:
+            print("Passwords do not match")
+            sys.exit(1)
+
+    if admin is None:
+        admin = input("Make admin [no]: ")
+        if admin in ("y", "yes", "true"):
+            admin = True
+        else:
+            admin = False
+
+    request_registration(user, password, server_location, shared_secret, bool(admin))
+
+
+def main():
+
+    logging.captureWarnings(True)
+
+    parser = argparse.ArgumentParser(
+        description="Used to register new users with a given home server when"
+        " registration has been disabled. The home server must be"
+        " configured with the 'registration_shared_secret' option"
+        " set."
+    )
+    parser.add_argument(
+        "-u",
+        "--user",
+        default=None,
+        help="Local part of the new user. Will prompt if omitted.",
+    )
+    parser.add_argument(
+        "-p",
+        "--password",
+        default=None,
+        help="New password for user. Will prompt if omitted.",
+    )
+    admin_group = parser.add_mutually_exclusive_group()
+    admin_group.add_argument(
+        "-a",
+        "--admin",
+        action="store_true",
+        help=(
+            "Register new user as an admin. "
+            "Will prompt if --no-admin is not set either."
+        ),
+    )
+    admin_group.add_argument(
+        "--no-admin",
+        action="store_true",
+        help=(
+            "Register new user as a regular user. "
+            "Will prompt if --admin is not set either."
+        ),
+    )
+
+    group = parser.add_mutually_exclusive_group(required=True)
+    group.add_argument(
+        "-c",
+        "--config",
+        type=argparse.FileType('r'),
+        help="Path to server config file. Used to read in shared secret.",
+    )
+
+    group.add_argument(
+        "-k", "--shared-secret", help="Shared secret as defined in server config file."
+    )
+
+    parser.add_argument(
+        "server_url",
+        default="https://localhost:8448",
+        nargs='?',
+        help="URL to use to talk to the home server. Defaults to "
+        " 'https://localhost:8448'.",
+    )
+
+    args = parser.parse_args()
+
+    if "config" in args and args.config:
+        config = yaml.safe_load(args.config)
+        secret = config.get("registration_shared_secret", None)
+        if not secret:
+            print("No 'registration_shared_secret' defined in config.")
+            sys.exit(1)
+    else:
+        secret = args.shared_secret
+
+    admin = None
+    if args.admin or args.no_admin:
+        admin = args.admin
+
+    register_new_user(args.user, args.password, args.server_url, secret, admin)
+
+
+if __name__ == "__main__":
+    main()
diff --git a/synapse/api/filtering.py b/synapse/api/filtering.py
index eed8c67e6a..677c0bdd4c 100644
--- a/synapse/api/filtering.py
+++ b/synapse/api/filtering.py
@@ -172,7 +172,10 @@ USER_FILTER_SCHEMA = {
                 # events a lot easier as we can then use a negative lookbehind
                 # assertion to split '\.' If we allowed \\ then it would
                 # incorrectly split '\\.' See synapse.events.utils.serialize_event
-                "pattern": "^((?!\\\).)*$"
+                #
+                # Note that because this is a regular expression, we have to escape
+                # each backslash in the pattern.
+                "pattern": r"^((?!\\\\).)*$"
             }
         }
     },
diff --git a/synapse/app/homeserver.py b/synapse/app/homeserver.py
index e3f0d99a3f..593e1e75db 100755
--- a/synapse/app/homeserver.py
+++ b/synapse/app/homeserver.py
@@ -20,6 +20,7 @@ import sys
 
 from six import iteritems
 
+import psutil
 from prometheus_client import Gauge
 
 from twisted.application import service
@@ -502,7 +503,6 @@ def run(hs):
 
     def performance_stats_init():
         try:
-            import psutil
             process = psutil.Process()
             # Ensure we can fetch both, and make the initial request for cpu_percent
             # so the next request will use this as the initial point.
@@ -510,12 +510,9 @@ def run(hs):
             process.cpu_percent(interval=None)
             logger.info("report_stats can use psutil")
             stats_process.append(process)
-        except (ImportError, AttributeError):
-            logger.warn(
-                "report_stats enabled but psutil is not installed or incorrect version."
-                " Disabling reporting of memory/cpu stats."
-                " Ensuring psutil is available will help matrix.org track performance"
-                " changes across releases."
+        except (AttributeError):
+            logger.warning(
+                "Unable to read memory/cpu stats. Disabling reporting."
             )
 
     def generate_user_daily_visit_stats():
@@ -530,10 +527,13 @@ def run(hs):
     clock.looping_call(generate_user_daily_visit_stats, 5 * 60 * 1000)
 
     # monthly active user limiting functionality
-    clock.looping_call(
-        hs.get_datastore().reap_monthly_active_users, 1000 * 60 * 60
-    )
-    hs.get_datastore().reap_monthly_active_users()
+    def reap_monthly_active_users():
+        return run_as_background_process(
+            "reap_monthly_active_users",
+            hs.get_datastore().reap_monthly_active_users,
+        )
+    clock.looping_call(reap_monthly_active_users, 1000 * 60 * 60)
+    reap_monthly_active_users()
 
     @defer.inlineCallbacks
     def generate_monthly_active_users():
@@ -547,12 +547,15 @@ def run(hs):
         registered_reserved_users_mau_gauge.set(float(reserved_count))
         max_mau_gauge.set(float(hs.config.max_mau_value))
 
-    hs.get_datastore().initialise_reserved_users(
-        hs.config.mau_limits_reserved_threepids
-    )
-    generate_monthly_active_users()
+    def start_generate_monthly_active_users():
+        return run_as_background_process(
+            "generate_monthly_active_users",
+            generate_monthly_active_users,
+        )
+
+    start_generate_monthly_active_users()
     if hs.config.limit_usage_by_mau:
-        clock.looping_call(generate_monthly_active_users, 5 * 60 * 1000)
+        clock.looping_call(start_generate_monthly_active_users, 5 * 60 * 1000)
     # End of monthly active user settings
 
     if hs.config.report_stats:
@@ -568,7 +571,7 @@ def run(hs):
         clock.call_later(5 * 60, start_phone_stats_home)
 
     if hs.config.daemonize and hs.config.print_pidfile:
-        print (hs.config.pid_file)
+        print(hs.config.pid_file)
 
     _base.start_reactor(
         "synapse-homeserver",
diff --git a/synapse/app/pusher.py b/synapse/app/pusher.py
index 0f9f8e19f6..83b0863f00 100644
--- a/synapse/app/pusher.py
+++ b/synapse/app/pusher.py
@@ -161,11 +161,11 @@ class PusherReplicationHandler(ReplicationClientHandler):
                     else:
                         yield self.start_pusher(row.user_id, row.app_id, row.pushkey)
             elif stream_name == "events":
-                self.pusher_pool.on_new_notifications(
+                yield self.pusher_pool.on_new_notifications(
                     token, token,
                 )
             elif stream_name == "receipts":
-                self.pusher_pool.on_new_receipts(
+                yield self.pusher_pool.on_new_receipts(
                     token, token, set(row.room_id for row in rows)
                 )
         except Exception:
@@ -183,7 +183,7 @@ class PusherReplicationHandler(ReplicationClientHandler):
     def start_pusher(self, user_id, app_id, pushkey):
         key = "%s:%s" % (app_id, pushkey)
         logger.info("Starting pusher %r / %r", user_id, key)
-        return self.pusher_pool._refresh_pusher(app_id, pushkey, user_id)
+        return self.pusher_pool.start_pusher_by_id(app_id, pushkey, user_id)
 
 
 def start(config_options):
diff --git a/synapse/config/__main__.py b/synapse/config/__main__.py
index 8fccf573ee..79fe9c3dac 100644
--- a/synapse/config/__main__.py
+++ b/synapse/config/__main__.py
@@ -28,7 +28,7 @@ if __name__ == "__main__":
             sys.stderr.write("\n" + str(e) + "\n")
             sys.exit(1)
 
-        print (getattr(config, key))
+        print(getattr(config, key))
         sys.exit(0)
     else:
         sys.stderr.write("Unknown command %r\n" % (action,))
diff --git a/synapse/config/_base.py b/synapse/config/_base.py
index 3d2e90dd5b..14dae65ea0 100644
--- a/synapse/config/_base.py
+++ b/synapse/config/_base.py
@@ -106,10 +106,7 @@ class Config(object):
     @classmethod
     def check_file(cls, file_path, config_name):
         if file_path is None:
-            raise ConfigError(
-                "Missing config for %s."
-                % (config_name,)
-            )
+            raise ConfigError("Missing config for %s." % (config_name,))
         try:
             os.stat(file_path)
         except OSError as e:
@@ -128,9 +125,7 @@ class Config(object):
             if e.errno != errno.EEXIST:
                 raise
         if not os.path.isdir(dir_path):
-            raise ConfigError(
-                "%s is not a directory" % (dir_path,)
-            )
+            raise ConfigError("%s is not a directory" % (dir_path,))
         return dir_path
 
     @classmethod
@@ -156,21 +151,20 @@ class Config(object):
         return results
 
     def generate_config(
-            self,
-            config_dir_path,
-            server_name,
-            is_generating_file,
-            report_stats=None,
+        self, config_dir_path, server_name, is_generating_file, report_stats=None
     ):
         default_config = "# vim:ft=yaml\n"
 
-        default_config += "\n\n".join(dedent(conf) for conf in self.invoke_all(
-            "default_config",
-            config_dir_path=config_dir_path,
-            server_name=server_name,
-            is_generating_file=is_generating_file,
-            report_stats=report_stats,
-        ))
+        default_config += "\n\n".join(
+            dedent(conf)
+            for conf in self.invoke_all(
+                "default_config",
+                config_dir_path=config_dir_path,
+                server_name=server_name,
+                is_generating_file=is_generating_file,
+                report_stats=report_stats,
+            )
+        )
 
         config = yaml.load(default_config)
 
@@ -178,23 +172,22 @@ class Config(object):
 
     @classmethod
     def load_config(cls, description, argv):
-        config_parser = argparse.ArgumentParser(
-            description=description,
-        )
+        config_parser = argparse.ArgumentParser(description=description)
         config_parser.add_argument(
-            "-c", "--config-path",
+            "-c",
+            "--config-path",
             action="append",
             metavar="CONFIG_FILE",
             help="Specify config file. Can be given multiple times and"
-                 " may specify directories containing *.yaml files."
+            " may specify directories containing *.yaml files.",
         )
 
         config_parser.add_argument(
             "--keys-directory",
             metavar="DIRECTORY",
             help="Where files such as certs and signing keys are stored when"
-                 " their location is given explicitly in the config."
-                 " Defaults to the directory containing the last config file",
+            " their location is given explicitly in the config."
+            " Defaults to the directory containing the last config file",
         )
 
         config_args = config_parser.parse_args(argv)
@@ -203,9 +196,7 @@ class Config(object):
 
         obj = cls()
         obj.read_config_files(
-            config_files,
-            keys_directory=config_args.keys_directory,
-            generate_keys=False,
+            config_files, keys_directory=config_args.keys_directory, generate_keys=False
         )
         return obj
 
@@ -213,38 +204,38 @@ class Config(object):
     def load_or_generate_config(cls, description, argv):
         config_parser = argparse.ArgumentParser(add_help=False)
         config_parser.add_argument(
-            "-c", "--config-path",
+            "-c",
+            "--config-path",
             action="append",
             metavar="CONFIG_FILE",
             help="Specify config file. Can be given multiple times and"
-                 " may specify directories containing *.yaml files."
+            " may specify directories containing *.yaml files.",
         )
         config_parser.add_argument(
             "--generate-config",
             action="store_true",
-            help="Generate a config file for the server name"
+            help="Generate a config file for the server name",
         )
         config_parser.add_argument(
             "--report-stats",
             action="store",
             help="Whether the generated config reports anonymized usage statistics",
-            choices=["yes", "no"]
+            choices=["yes", "no"],
         )
         config_parser.add_argument(
             "--generate-keys",
             action="store_true",
-            help="Generate any missing key files then exit"
+            help="Generate any missing key files then exit",
         )
         config_parser.add_argument(
             "--keys-directory",
             metavar="DIRECTORY",
             help="Used with 'generate-*' options to specify where files such as"
-                 " certs and signing keys should be stored in, unless explicitly"
-                 " specified in the config."
+            " certs and signing keys should be stored in, unless explicitly"
+            " specified in the config.",
         )
         config_parser.add_argument(
-            "-H", "--server-name",
-            help="The server name to generate a config file for"
+            "-H", "--server-name", help="The server name to generate a config file for"
         )
         config_args, remaining_args = config_parser.parse_known_args(argv)
 
@@ -257,8 +248,8 @@ class Config(object):
         if config_args.generate_config:
             if config_args.report_stats is None:
                 config_parser.error(
-                    "Please specify either --report-stats=yes or --report-stats=no\n\n" +
-                    MISSING_REPORT_STATS_SPIEL
+                    "Please specify either --report-stats=yes or --report-stats=no\n\n"
+                    + MISSING_REPORT_STATS_SPIEL
                 )
             if not config_files:
                 config_parser.error(
@@ -287,26 +278,32 @@ class Config(object):
                         config_dir_path=config_dir_path,
                         server_name=server_name,
                         report_stats=(config_args.report_stats == "yes"),
-                        is_generating_file=True
+                        is_generating_file=True,
                     )
                     obj.invoke_all("generate_files", config)
                     config_file.write(config_str)
-                print((
-                    "A config file has been generated in %r for server name"
-                    " %r with corresponding SSL keys and self-signed"
-                    " certificates. Please review this file and customise it"
-                    " to your needs."
-                ) % (config_path, server_name))
+                print(
+                    (
+                        "A config file has been generated in %r for server name"
+                        " %r with corresponding SSL keys and self-signed"
+                        " certificates. Please review this file and customise it"
+                        " to your needs."
+                    )
+                    % (config_path, server_name)
+                )
                 print(
                     "If this server name is incorrect, you will need to"
                     " regenerate the SSL certificates"
                 )
                 return
             else:
-                print((
-                    "Config file %r already exists. Generating any missing key"
-                    " files."
-                ) % (config_path,))
+                print(
+                    (
+                        "Config file %r already exists. Generating any missing key"
+                        " files."
+                    )
+                    % (config_path,)
+                )
                 generate_keys = True
 
         parser = argparse.ArgumentParser(
@@ -338,8 +335,7 @@ class Config(object):
 
         return obj
 
-    def read_config_files(self, config_files, keys_directory=None,
-                          generate_keys=False):
+    def read_config_files(self, config_files, keys_directory=None, generate_keys=False):
         if not keys_directory:
             keys_directory = os.path.dirname(config_files[-1])
 
@@ -364,8 +360,9 @@ class Config(object):
 
         if "report_stats" not in config:
             raise ConfigError(
-                MISSING_REPORT_STATS_CONFIG_INSTRUCTIONS + "\n" +
-                MISSING_REPORT_STATS_SPIEL
+                MISSING_REPORT_STATS_CONFIG_INSTRUCTIONS
+                + "\n"
+                + MISSING_REPORT_STATS_SPIEL
             )
 
         if generate_keys:
@@ -399,16 +396,16 @@ def find_config_files(search_paths):
                 for entry in os.listdir(config_path):
                     entry_path = os.path.join(config_path, entry)
                     if not os.path.isfile(entry_path):
-                        print (
-                            "Found subdirectory in config directory: %r. IGNORING."
-                        ) % (entry_path, )
+                        err = "Found subdirectory in config directory: %r. IGNORING."
+                        print(err % (entry_path,))
                         continue
 
                     if not entry.endswith(".yaml"):
-                        print (
-                            "Found file in config directory that does not"
-                            " end in '.yaml': %r. IGNORING."
-                        ) % (entry_path, )
+                        err = (
+                            "Found file in config directory that does not end in "
+                            "'.yaml': %r. IGNORING."
+                        )
+                        print(err % (entry_path,))
                         continue
 
                     files.append(entry_path)
diff --git a/synapse/config/emailconfig.py b/synapse/config/emailconfig.py
index e2582cfecc..93d70cff14 100644
--- a/synapse/config/emailconfig.py
+++ b/synapse/config/emailconfig.py
@@ -19,18 +19,12 @@ from __future__ import print_function
 import email.utils
 import logging
 import os
-import sys
-import textwrap
 
-from ._base import Config
+import pkg_resources
 
-logger = logging.getLogger(__name__)
+from ._base import Config, ConfigError
 
-TEMPLATE_DIR_WARNING = """\
-WARNING: The email notifier is configured to look for templates in '%(template_dir)s',
-but no templates could be found there. We will fall back to using the example templates;
-to get rid of this warning, leave 'email.template_dir' unset.
-"""
+logger = logging.getLogger(__name__)
 
 
 class EmailConfig(Config):
@@ -78,20 +72,22 @@ class EmailConfig(Config):
             self.email_notif_template_html = email_config["notif_template_html"]
             self.email_notif_template_text = email_config["notif_template_text"]
 
-            self.email_template_dir = email_config.get("template_dir")
-
-            # backwards-compatibility hack
-            if (
-                self.email_template_dir == "res/templates"
-                and not os.path.isfile(
-                    os.path.join(self.email_template_dir, self.email_notif_template_text)
+            template_dir = email_config.get("template_dir")
+            # we need an absolute path, because we change directory after starting (and
+            # we don't yet know what auxilliary templates like mail.css we will need).
+            # (Note that loading as package_resources with jinja.PackageLoader doesn't
+            # work for the same reason.)
+            if not template_dir:
+                template_dir = pkg_resources.resource_filename(
+                    'synapse', 'res/templates'
                 )
-            ):
-                t = TEMPLATE_DIR_WARNING % {
-                    "template_dir": self.email_template_dir,
-                }
-                print(textwrap.fill(t, width=80) + "\n", file=sys.stderr)
-                self.email_template_dir = None
+            template_dir = os.path.abspath(template_dir)
+
+            for f in self.email_notif_template_text, self.email_notif_template_html:
+                p = os.path.join(template_dir, f)
+                if not os.path.isfile(p):
+                    raise ConfigError("Unable to find email template file %s" % (p, ))
+            self.email_template_dir = template_dir
 
             self.email_notif_for_new_users = email_config.get(
                 "notif_for_new_users", True
diff --git a/synapse/config/homeserver.py b/synapse/config/homeserver.py
index b8d5690f2b..10dd40159f 100644
--- a/synapse/config/homeserver.py
+++ b/synapse/config/homeserver.py
@@ -31,6 +31,7 @@ from .push import PushConfig
 from .ratelimiting import RatelimitConfig
 from .registration import RegistrationConfig
 from .repository import ContentRepositoryConfig
+from .room_directory import RoomDirectoryConfig
 from .saml2 import SAML2Config
 from .server import ServerConfig
 from .server_notices_config import ServerNoticesConfig
@@ -49,7 +50,7 @@ class HomeServerConfig(TlsConfig, ServerConfig, DatabaseConfig, LoggingConfig,
                        WorkerConfig, PasswordAuthProviderConfig, PushConfig,
                        SpamCheckerConfig, GroupsConfig, UserDirectoryConfig,
                        ConsentConfig,
-                       ServerNoticesConfig,
+                       ServerNoticesConfig, RoomDirectoryConfig,
                        ):
     pass
 
diff --git a/synapse/config/registration.py b/synapse/config/registration.py
index 0fb964eb67..7480ed5145 100644
--- a/synapse/config/registration.py
+++ b/synapse/config/registration.py
@@ -15,10 +15,10 @@
 
 from distutils.util import strtobool
 
+from synapse.config._base import Config, ConfigError
+from synapse.types import RoomAlias
 from synapse.util.stringutils import random_string_with_symbols
 
-from ._base import Config
-
 
 class RegistrationConfig(Config):
 
@@ -44,6 +44,10 @@ class RegistrationConfig(Config):
         )
 
         self.auto_join_rooms = config.get("auto_join_rooms", [])
+        for room_alias in self.auto_join_rooms:
+            if not RoomAlias.is_valid(room_alias):
+                raise ConfigError('Invalid auto_join_rooms entry %s' % (room_alias,))
+        self.autocreate_auto_join_rooms = config.get("autocreate_auto_join_rooms", True)
 
     def default_config(self, **kwargs):
         registration_shared_secret = random_string_with_symbols(50)
@@ -98,6 +102,13 @@ class RegistrationConfig(Config):
         # to these rooms
         #auto_join_rooms:
         #    - "#example:example.com"
+
+        # Where auto_join_rooms are specified, setting this flag ensures that the
+        # the rooms exist by creating them when the first user on the
+        # homeserver registers.
+        # Setting to false means that if the rooms are not manually created,
+        # users cannot be auto-joined since they do not exist.
+        autocreate_auto_join_rooms: true
         """ % locals()
 
     def add_arguments(self, parser):
diff --git a/synapse/config/repository.py b/synapse/config/repository.py
index fc909c1fac..06c62ab62c 100644
--- a/synapse/config/repository.py
+++ b/synapse/config/repository.py
@@ -178,7 +178,7 @@ class ContentRepositoryConfig(Config):
     def default_config(self, **kwargs):
         media_store = self.default_path("media_store")
         uploads_path = self.default_path("uploads")
-        return """
+        return r"""
         # Directory where uploaded images and attachments are stored.
         media_store_path: "%(media_store)s"
 
diff --git a/synapse/config/room_directory.py b/synapse/config/room_directory.py
new file mode 100644
index 0000000000..9da13ab11b
--- /dev/null
+++ b/synapse/config/room_directory.py
@@ -0,0 +1,102 @@
+# -*- coding: utf-8 -*-
+# Copyright 2018 New Vector Ltd
+#
+# Licensed under the Apache License, Version 2.0 (the "License");
+# you may not use this file except in compliance with the License.
+# You may obtain a copy of the License at
+#
+#     http://www.apache.org/licenses/LICENSE-2.0
+#
+# Unless required by applicable law or agreed to in writing, software
+# distributed under the License is distributed on an "AS IS" BASIS,
+# WITHOUT WARRANTIES OR CONDITIONS OF ANY KIND, either express or implied.
+# See the License for the specific language governing permissions and
+# limitations under the License.
+
+from synapse.util import glob_to_regex
+
+from ._base import Config, ConfigError
+
+
+class RoomDirectoryConfig(Config):
+    def read_config(self, config):
+        alias_creation_rules = config["alias_creation_rules"]
+
+        self._alias_creation_rules = [
+            _AliasRule(rule)
+            for rule in alias_creation_rules
+        ]
+
+    def default_config(self, config_dir_path, server_name, **kwargs):
+        return """
+        # The `alias_creation` option controls who's allowed to create aliases
+        # on this server.
+        #
+        # The format of this option is a list of rules that contain globs that
+        # match against user_id and the new alias (fully qualified with server
+        # name). The action in the first rule that matches is taken, which can
+        # currently either be "allow" or "deny".
+        #
+        # If no rules match the request is denied.
+        alias_creation_rules:
+            - user_id: "*"
+              alias: "*"
+              action: allow
+        """
+
+    def is_alias_creation_allowed(self, user_id, alias):
+        """Checks if the given user is allowed to create the given alias
+
+        Args:
+            user_id (str)
+            alias (str)
+
+        Returns:
+            boolean: True if user is allowed to crate the alias
+        """
+        for rule in self._alias_creation_rules:
+            if rule.matches(user_id, alias):
+                return rule.action == "allow"
+
+        return False
+
+
+class _AliasRule(object):
+    def __init__(self, rule):
+        action = rule["action"]
+        user_id = rule["user_id"]
+        alias = rule["alias"]
+
+        if action in ("allow", "deny"):
+            self.action = action
+        else:
+            raise ConfigError(
+                "alias_creation_rules rules can only have action of 'allow'"
+                " or 'deny'"
+            )
+
+        try:
+            self._user_id_regex = glob_to_regex(user_id)
+            self._alias_regex = glob_to_regex(alias)
+        except Exception as e:
+            raise ConfigError("Failed to parse glob into regex: %s", e)
+
+    def matches(self, user_id, alias):
+        """Tests if this rule matches the given user_id and alias.
+
+        Args:
+            user_id (str)
+            alias (str)
+
+        Returns:
+            boolean
+        """
+
+        # Note: The regexes are anchored at both ends
+        if not self._user_id_regex.match(user_id):
+            return False
+
+        if not self._alias_regex.match(alias):
+            return False
+
+        return True
diff --git a/synapse/crypto/keyclient.py b/synapse/crypto/keyclient.py
index 57d4665e84..080c81f14b 100644
--- a/synapse/crypto/keyclient.py
+++ b/synapse/crypto/keyclient.py
@@ -55,7 +55,7 @@ def fetch_server_key(server_name, tls_client_options_factory, path=KEY_API_V1):
                 raise IOError("Cannot get key for %r" % server_name)
         except (ConnectError, DomainError) as e:
             logger.warn("Error getting key for %r: %s", server_name, e)
-        except Exception as e:
+        except Exception:
             logger.exception("Error getting key for %r", server_name)
     raise IOError("Cannot get key for %r" % server_name)
 
diff --git a/synapse/event_auth.py b/synapse/event_auth.py
index af3eee95b9..d4d4474847 100644
--- a/synapse/event_auth.py
+++ b/synapse/event_auth.py
@@ -690,7 +690,7 @@ def auth_types_for_event(event):
     auth_types = []
 
     auth_types.append((EventTypes.PowerLevels, "", ))
-    auth_types.append((EventTypes.Member, event.user_id, ))
+    auth_types.append((EventTypes.Member, event.sender, ))
     auth_types.append((EventTypes.Create, "", ))
 
     if event.type == EventTypes.Member:
diff --git a/synapse/federation/federation_server.py b/synapse/federation/federation_server.py
index 4efe95faa4..0f9302a6a8 100644
--- a/synapse/federation/federation_server.py
+++ b/synapse/federation/federation_server.py
@@ -14,7 +14,6 @@
 # See the License for the specific language governing permissions and
 # limitations under the License.
 import logging
-import re
 
 import six
 from six import iteritems
@@ -44,6 +43,7 @@ from synapse.replication.http.federation import (
     ReplicationGetQueryRestServlet,
 )
 from synapse.types import get_domain_from_id
+from synapse.util import glob_to_regex
 from synapse.util.async_helpers import Linearizer, concurrently_execute
 from synapse.util.caches.response_cache import ResponseCache
 from synapse.util.logcontext import nested_logging_context
@@ -729,22 +729,10 @@ def _acl_entry_matches(server_name, acl_entry):
     if not isinstance(acl_entry, six.string_types):
         logger.warn("Ignoring non-str ACL entry '%s' (is %s)", acl_entry, type(acl_entry))
         return False
-    regex = _glob_to_regex(acl_entry)
+    regex = glob_to_regex(acl_entry)
     return regex.match(server_name)
 
 
-def _glob_to_regex(glob):
-    res = ''
-    for c in glob:
-        if c == '*':
-            res = res + '.*'
-        elif c == '?':
-            res = res + '.'
-        else:
-            res = res + re.escape(c)
-    return re.compile(res + "\\Z", re.IGNORECASE)
-
-
 class FederationHandlerRegistry(object):
     """Allows classes to register themselves as handlers for a given EDU or
     query type for incoming federation traffic.
@@ -800,7 +788,7 @@ class FederationHandlerRegistry(object):
             yield handler(origin, content)
         except SynapseError as e:
             logger.info("Failed to handle edu %r: %r", edu_type, e)
-        except Exception as e:
+        except Exception:
             logger.exception("Failed to handle edu %r", edu_type)
 
     def on_query(self, query_type, args):
diff --git a/synapse/handlers/auth.py b/synapse/handlers/auth.py
index 2a5eab124f..329e3c7d71 100644
--- a/synapse/handlers/auth.py
+++ b/synapse/handlers/auth.py
@@ -22,7 +22,7 @@ import bcrypt
 import pymacaroons
 from canonicaljson import json
 
-from twisted.internet import defer, threads
+from twisted.internet import defer
 from twisted.web.client import PartialDownloadError
 
 import synapse.util.stringutils as stringutils
@@ -37,8 +37,8 @@ from synapse.api.errors import (
 )
 from synapse.module_api import ModuleApi
 from synapse.types import UserID
+from synapse.util import logcontext
 from synapse.util.caches.expiringcache import ExpiringCache
-from synapse.util.logcontext import make_deferred_yieldable
 
 from ._base import BaseHandler
 
@@ -884,11 +884,7 @@ class AuthHandler(BaseHandler):
                 bcrypt.gensalt(self.bcrypt_rounds),
             ).decode('ascii')
 
-        return make_deferred_yieldable(
-            threads.deferToThreadPool(
-                self.hs.get_reactor(), self.hs.get_reactor().getThreadPool(), _do_hash
-            ),
-        )
+        return logcontext.defer_to_thread(self.hs.get_reactor(), _do_hash)
 
     def validate_hash(self, password, stored_hash):
         """Validates that self.hash(password) == stored_hash.
@@ -913,13 +909,7 @@ class AuthHandler(BaseHandler):
             if not isinstance(stored_hash, bytes):
                 stored_hash = stored_hash.encode('ascii')
 
-            return make_deferred_yieldable(
-                threads.deferToThreadPool(
-                    self.hs.get_reactor(),
-                    self.hs.get_reactor().getThreadPool(),
-                    _do_validate_hash,
-                ),
-            )
+            return logcontext.defer_to_thread(self.hs.get_reactor(), _do_validate_hash)
         else:
             return defer.succeed(False)
 
diff --git a/synapse/handlers/deactivate_account.py b/synapse/handlers/deactivate_account.py
index b078df4a76..75fe50c42c 100644
--- a/synapse/handlers/deactivate_account.py
+++ b/synapse/handlers/deactivate_account.py
@@ -17,8 +17,8 @@ import logging
 from twisted.internet import defer
 
 from synapse.api.errors import SynapseError
+from synapse.metrics.background_process_metrics import run_as_background_process
 from synapse.types import UserID, create_requester
-from synapse.util.logcontext import run_in_background
 
 from ._base import BaseHandler
 
@@ -121,7 +121,7 @@ class DeactivateAccountHandler(BaseHandler):
             None
         """
         if not self._user_parter_running:
-            run_in_background(self._user_parter_loop)
+            run_as_background_process("user_parter_loop", self._user_parter_loop)
 
     @defer.inlineCallbacks
     def _user_parter_loop(self):
diff --git a/synapse/handlers/directory.py b/synapse/handlers/directory.py
index 18741c5fac..7d67bf803a 100644
--- a/synapse/handlers/directory.py
+++ b/synapse/handlers/directory.py
@@ -43,6 +43,7 @@ class DirectoryHandler(BaseHandler):
         self.state = hs.get_state_handler()
         self.appservice_handler = hs.get_application_service_handler()
         self.event_creation_handler = hs.get_event_creation_handler()
+        self.config = hs.config
 
         self.federation = hs.get_federation_client()
         hs.get_federation_registry().register_query_handler(
@@ -80,42 +81,68 @@ class DirectoryHandler(BaseHandler):
         )
 
     @defer.inlineCallbacks
-    def create_association(self, user_id, room_alias, room_id, servers=None):
-        # association creation for human users
-        # TODO(erikj): Do user auth.
+    def create_association(self, requester, room_alias, room_id, servers=None,
+                           send_event=True):
+        """Attempt to create a new alias
 
-        if not self.spam_checker.user_may_create_room_alias(user_id, room_alias):
-            raise SynapseError(
-                403, "This user is not permitted to create this alias",
-            )
+        Args:
+            requester (Requester)
+            room_alias (RoomAlias)
+            room_id (str)
+            servers (list[str]|None): List of servers that others servers
+                should try and join via
+            send_event (bool): Whether to send an updated m.room.aliases event
 
-        can_create = yield self.can_modify_alias(
-            room_alias,
-            user_id=user_id
-        )
-        if not can_create:
-            raise SynapseError(
-                400, "This alias is reserved by an application service.",
-                errcode=Codes.EXCLUSIVE
-            )
-        yield self._create_association(room_alias, room_id, servers, creator=user_id)
+        Returns:
+            Deferred
+        """
 
-    @defer.inlineCallbacks
-    def create_appservice_association(self, service, room_alias, room_id,
-                                      servers=None):
-        if not service.is_interested_in_alias(room_alias.to_string()):
-            raise SynapseError(
-                400, "This application service has not reserved"
-                " this kind of alias.", errcode=Codes.EXCLUSIVE
+        user_id = requester.user.to_string()
+
+        service = requester.app_service
+        if service:
+            if not service.is_interested_in_alias(room_alias.to_string()):
+                raise SynapseError(
+                    400, "This application service has not reserved"
+                    " this kind of alias.", errcode=Codes.EXCLUSIVE
+                )
+        else:
+            if not self.spam_checker.user_may_create_room_alias(user_id, room_alias):
+                raise AuthError(
+                    403, "This user is not permitted to create this alias",
+                )
+
+            if not self.config.is_alias_creation_allowed(user_id, room_alias.to_string()):
+                # Lets just return a generic message, as there may be all sorts of
+                # reasons why we said no. TODO: Allow configurable error messages
+                # per alias creation rule?
+                raise SynapseError(
+                    403, "Not allowed to create alias",
+                )
+
+            can_create = yield self.can_modify_alias(
+                room_alias,
+                user_id=user_id
             )
+            if not can_create:
+                raise AuthError(
+                    400, "This alias is reserved by an application service.",
+                    errcode=Codes.EXCLUSIVE
+                )
 
-        # association creation for app services
-        yield self._create_association(room_alias, room_id, servers)
+        yield self._create_association(room_alias, room_id, servers, creator=user_id)
+        if send_event:
+            yield self.send_room_alias_update_event(
+                requester,
+                room_id
+            )
 
     @defer.inlineCallbacks
-    def delete_association(self, requester, user_id, room_alias):
+    def delete_association(self, requester, room_alias):
         # association deletion for human users
 
+        user_id = requester.user.to_string()
+
         try:
             can_delete = yield self._user_can_delete_alias(room_alias, user_id)
         except StoreError as e:
@@ -143,7 +170,6 @@ class DirectoryHandler(BaseHandler):
         try:
             yield self.send_room_alias_update_event(
                 requester,
-                requester.user.to_string(),
                 room_id
             )
 
@@ -261,7 +287,7 @@ class DirectoryHandler(BaseHandler):
             )
 
     @defer.inlineCallbacks
-    def send_room_alias_update_event(self, requester, user_id, room_id):
+    def send_room_alias_update_event(self, requester, room_id):
         aliases = yield self.store.get_aliases_for_room(room_id)
 
         yield self.event_creation_handler.create_and_send_nonmember_event(
@@ -270,7 +296,7 @@ class DirectoryHandler(BaseHandler):
                 "type": EventTypes.Aliases,
                 "state_key": self.hs.hostname,
                 "room_id": room_id,
-                "sender": user_id,
+                "sender": requester.user.to_string(),
                 "content": {"aliases": aliases},
             },
             ratelimit=False
diff --git a/synapse/handlers/federation.py b/synapse/handlers/federation.py
index cab57a8849..cd5b9bbb19 100644
--- a/synapse/handlers/federation.py
+++ b/synapse/handlers/federation.py
@@ -53,7 +53,7 @@ from synapse.replication.http.federation import (
     ReplicationFederationSendEventsRestServlet,
 )
 from synapse.replication.http.membership import ReplicationUserJoinedLeftRoomRestServlet
-from synapse.state import resolve_events_with_factory
+from synapse.state import StateResolutionStore, resolve_events_with_store
 from synapse.types import UserID, get_domain_from_id
 from synapse.util import logcontext, unwrapFirstError
 from synapse.util.async_helpers import Linearizer
@@ -384,24 +384,24 @@ class FederationHandler(BaseHandler):
                             for x in remote_state:
                                 event_map[x.event_id] = x
 
-                    # Resolve any conflicting state
-                    @defer.inlineCallbacks
-                    def fetch(ev_ids):
-                        fetched = yield self.store.get_events(
-                            ev_ids, get_prev_content=False, check_redacted=False,
-                        )
-                        # add any events we fetch here to the `event_map` so that we
-                        # can use them to build the state event list below.
-                        event_map.update(fetched)
-                        defer.returnValue(fetched)
-
                     room_version = yield self.store.get_room_version(room_id)
-                    state_map = yield resolve_events_with_factory(
-                        room_version, state_maps, event_map, fetch,
+                    state_map = yield resolve_events_with_store(
+                        room_version, state_maps, event_map,
+                        state_res_store=StateResolutionStore(self.store),
                     )
 
-                    # we need to give _process_received_pdu the actual state events
+                    # We need to give _process_received_pdu the actual state events
                     # rather than event ids, so generate that now.
+
+                    # First though we need to fetch all the events that are in
+                    # state_map, so we can build up the state below.
+                    evs = yield self.store.get_events(
+                        list(state_map.values()),
+                        get_prev_content=False,
+                        check_redacted=False,
+                    )
+                    event_map.update(evs)
+
                     state = [
                         event_map[e] for e in six.itervalues(state_map)
                     ]
@@ -2520,7 +2520,7 @@ class FederationHandler(BaseHandler):
 
             if not backfilled:  # Never notify for backfilled events
                 for event, _ in event_and_contexts:
-                    self._notify_persisted_event(event, max_stream_id)
+                    yield self._notify_persisted_event(event, max_stream_id)
 
     def _notify_persisted_event(self, event, max_stream_id):
         """Checks to see if notifier/pushers should be notified about the
@@ -2553,7 +2553,7 @@ class FederationHandler(BaseHandler):
             extra_users=extra_users
         )
 
-        self.pusher_pool.on_new_notifications(
+        return self.pusher_pool.on_new_notifications(
             event_stream_id, max_stream_id,
         )
 
diff --git a/synapse/handlers/groups_local.py b/synapse/handlers/groups_local.py
index 53e5e2648b..173315af6c 100644
--- a/synapse/handlers/groups_local.py
+++ b/synapse/handlers/groups_local.py
@@ -20,7 +20,7 @@ from six import iteritems
 
 from twisted.internet import defer
 
-from synapse.api.errors import SynapseError
+from synapse.api.errors import HttpResponseException, SynapseError
 from synapse.types import get_domain_from_id
 
 logger = logging.getLogger(__name__)
@@ -37,9 +37,23 @@ def _create_rerouter(func_name):
             )
         else:
             destination = get_domain_from_id(group_id)
-            return getattr(self.transport_client, func_name)(
+            d = getattr(self.transport_client, func_name)(
                 destination, group_id, *args, **kwargs
             )
+
+            # Capture errors returned by the remote homeserver and
+            # re-throw specific errors as SynapseErrors. This is so
+            # when the remote end responds with things like 403 Not
+            # In Group, we can communicate that to the client instead
+            # of a 500.
+            def h(failure):
+                failure.trap(HttpResponseException)
+                e = failure.value
+                if e.code == 403:
+                    raise e.to_synapse_error()
+                return failure
+            d.addErrback(h)
+            return d
     return f
 
 
diff --git a/synapse/handlers/initial_sync.py b/synapse/handlers/initial_sync.py
index e009395207..563bb3cea3 100644
--- a/synapse/handlers/initial_sync.py
+++ b/synapse/handlers/initial_sync.py
@@ -156,7 +156,7 @@ class InitialSyncHandler(BaseHandler):
                     room_end_token = "s%d" % (event.stream_ordering,)
                     deferred_room_state = run_in_background(
                         self.store.get_state_for_events,
-                        [event.event_id], None,
+                        [event.event_id],
                     )
                     deferred_room_state.addCallback(
                         lambda states: states[event.event_id]
@@ -301,7 +301,7 @@ class InitialSyncHandler(BaseHandler):
     def _room_initial_sync_parted(self, user_id, room_id, pagin_config,
                                   membership, member_event_id, is_peeking):
         room_state = yield self.store.get_state_for_events(
-            [member_event_id], None
+            [member_event_id],
         )
 
         room_state = room_state[member_event_id]
diff --git a/synapse/handlers/message.py b/synapse/handlers/message.py
index 4954b23a0d..969e588e73 100644
--- a/synapse/handlers/message.py
+++ b/synapse/handlers/message.py
@@ -35,6 +35,7 @@ from synapse.crypto.event_signing import add_hashes_and_signatures
 from synapse.events.utils import serialize_event
 from synapse.events.validator import EventValidator
 from synapse.replication.http.send_event import ReplicationSendEventRestServlet
+from synapse.storage.state import StateFilter
 from synapse.types import RoomAlias, UserID
 from synapse.util.async_helpers import Linearizer
 from synapse.util.frozenutils import frozendict_json_encoder
@@ -80,7 +81,7 @@ class MessageHandler(object):
         elif membership == Membership.LEAVE:
             key = (event_type, state_key)
             room_state = yield self.store.get_state_for_events(
-                [membership_event_id], [key]
+                [membership_event_id], StateFilter.from_types([key])
             )
             data = room_state[membership_event_id].get(key)
 
@@ -88,7 +89,7 @@ class MessageHandler(object):
 
     @defer.inlineCallbacks
     def get_state_events(
-        self, user_id, room_id, types=None, filtered_types=None,
+        self, user_id, room_id, state_filter=StateFilter.all(),
         at_token=None, is_guest=False,
     ):
         """Retrieve all state events for a given room. If the user is
@@ -100,13 +101,8 @@ class MessageHandler(object):
         Args:
             user_id(str): The user requesting state events.
             room_id(str): The room ID to get all state events from.
-            types(list[(str, str|None)]|None): List of (type, state_key) tuples
-                which are used to filter the state fetched. If `state_key` is None,
-                all events are returned of the given type.
-                May be None, which matches any key.
-            filtered_types(list[str]|None): Only apply filtering via `types` to this
-                list of event types.  Other types of events are returned unfiltered.
-                If None, `types` filtering is applied to all events.
+            state_filter (StateFilter): The state filter used to fetch state
+                from the database.
             at_token(StreamToken|None): the stream token of the at which we are requesting
                 the stats. If the user is not allowed to view the state as of that
                 stream token, we raise a 403 SynapseError. If None, returns the current
@@ -139,7 +135,7 @@ class MessageHandler(object):
             event = last_events[0]
             if visible_events:
                 room_state = yield self.store.get_state_for_events(
-                    [event.event_id], types, filtered_types=filtered_types,
+                    [event.event_id], state_filter=state_filter,
                 )
                 room_state = room_state[event.event_id]
             else:
@@ -158,12 +154,12 @@ class MessageHandler(object):
 
             if membership == Membership.JOIN:
                 state_ids = yield self.store.get_filtered_current_state_ids(
-                    room_id, types, filtered_types=filtered_types,
+                    room_id, state_filter=state_filter,
                 )
                 room_state = yield self.store.get_events(state_ids.values())
             elif membership == Membership.LEAVE:
                 room_state = yield self.store.get_state_for_events(
-                    [membership_event_id], types, filtered_types=filtered_types,
+                    [membership_event_id], state_filter=state_filter,
                 )
                 room_state = room_state[membership_event_id]
 
@@ -779,7 +775,7 @@ class EventCreationHandler(object):
             event, context=context
         )
 
-        self.pusher_pool.on_new_notifications(
+        yield self.pusher_pool.on_new_notifications(
             event_stream_id, max_stream_id,
         )
 
diff --git a/synapse/handlers/pagination.py b/synapse/handlers/pagination.py
index a155b6e938..43f81bd607 100644
--- a/synapse/handlers/pagination.py
+++ b/synapse/handlers/pagination.py
@@ -21,6 +21,7 @@ from twisted.python.failure import Failure
 from synapse.api.constants import EventTypes, Membership
 from synapse.api.errors import SynapseError
 from synapse.events.utils import serialize_event
+from synapse.storage.state import StateFilter
 from synapse.types import RoomStreamToken
 from synapse.util.async_helpers import ReadWriteLock
 from synapse.util.logcontext import run_in_background
@@ -255,16 +256,14 @@ class PaginationHandler(object):
         if event_filter and event_filter.lazy_load_members():
             # TODO: remove redundant members
 
-            types = [
-                (EventTypes.Member, state_key)
-                for state_key in set(
-                    event.sender  # FIXME: we also care about invite targets etc.
-                    for event in events
-                )
-            ]
+            # FIXME: we also care about invite targets etc.
+            state_filter = StateFilter.from_types(
+                (EventTypes.Member, event.sender)
+                for event in events
+            )
 
             state_ids = yield self.store.get_state_ids_for_event(
-                events[0].event_id, types=types,
+                events[0].event_id, state_filter=state_filter,
             )
 
             if state_ids:
diff --git a/synapse/handlers/receipts.py b/synapse/handlers/receipts.py
index a6f3181f09..4c2690ba26 100644
--- a/synapse/handlers/receipts.py
+++ b/synapse/handlers/receipts.py
@@ -119,7 +119,7 @@ class ReceiptsHandler(BaseHandler):
             "receipt_key", max_batch_id, rooms=affected_room_ids
         )
         # Note that the min here shouldn't be relied upon to be accurate.
-        self.hs.get_pusherpool().on_new_receipts(
+        yield self.hs.get_pusherpool().on_new_receipts(
             min_batch_id, max_batch_id, affected_room_ids,
         )
 
diff --git a/synapse/handlers/register.py b/synapse/handlers/register.py
index da914c46ff..e9d7b25a36 100644
--- a/synapse/handlers/register.py
+++ b/synapse/handlers/register.py
@@ -50,6 +50,7 @@ class RegistrationHandler(BaseHandler):
         self._auth_handler = hs.get_auth_handler()
         self.profile_handler = hs.get_profile_handler()
         self.user_directory_handler = hs.get_user_directory_handler()
+        self.room_creation_handler = self.hs.get_room_creation_handler()
         self.captcha_client = CaptchaServerHttpClient(hs)
 
         self._next_generated_user_id = None
@@ -220,9 +221,36 @@ class RegistrationHandler(BaseHandler):
 
         # auto-join the user to any rooms we're supposed to dump them into
         fake_requester = create_requester(user_id)
+
+        # try to create the room if we're the first user on the server
+        should_auto_create_rooms = False
+        if self.hs.config.autocreate_auto_join_rooms:
+            count = yield self.store.count_all_users()
+            should_auto_create_rooms = count == 1
+
         for r in self.hs.config.auto_join_rooms:
             try:
-                yield self._join_user_to_room(fake_requester, r)
+                if should_auto_create_rooms:
+                    room_alias = RoomAlias.from_string(r)
+                    if self.hs.hostname != room_alias.domain:
+                        logger.warning(
+                            'Cannot create room alias %s, '
+                            'it does not match server domain',
+                            r,
+                        )
+                    else:
+                        # create room expects the localpart of the room alias
+                        room_alias_localpart = room_alias.localpart
+                        yield self.room_creation_handler.create_room(
+                            fake_requester,
+                            config={
+                                "preset": "public_chat",
+                                "room_alias_name": room_alias_localpart
+                            },
+                            ratelimit=False,
+                        )
+                else:
+                    yield self._join_user_to_room(fake_requester, r)
             except Exception as e:
                 logger.error("Failed to join new user to %r: %r", r, e)
 
diff --git a/synapse/handlers/room.py b/synapse/handlers/room.py
index c3f820b975..3ba92bdb4c 100644
--- a/synapse/handlers/room.py
+++ b/synapse/handlers/room.py
@@ -33,6 +33,7 @@ from synapse.api.constants import (
     RoomCreationPreset,
 )
 from synapse.api.errors import AuthError, Codes, StoreError, SynapseError
+from synapse.storage.state import StateFilter
 from synapse.types import RoomAlias, RoomID, RoomStreamToken, StreamToken, UserID
 from synapse.util import stringutils
 from synapse.visibility import filter_events_for_client
@@ -190,10 +191,11 @@ class RoomCreationHandler(BaseHandler):
         if room_alias:
             directory_handler = self.hs.get_handlers().directory_handler
             yield directory_handler.create_association(
-                user_id=user_id,
+                requester=requester,
                 room_id=room_id,
                 room_alias=room_alias,
                 servers=[self.hs.hostname],
+                send_event=False,
             )
 
         preset_config = config.get(
@@ -289,7 +291,7 @@ class RoomCreationHandler(BaseHandler):
         if room_alias:
             result["room_alias"] = room_alias.to_string()
             yield directory_handler.send_room_alias_update_event(
-                requester, user_id, room_id
+                requester, room_id
             )
 
         defer.returnValue(result)
@@ -488,23 +490,24 @@ class RoomContextHandler(object):
         else:
             last_event_id = event_id
 
-        types = None
-        filtered_types = None
         if event_filter and event_filter.lazy_load_members():
-            members = set(ev.sender for ev in itertools.chain(
-                results["events_before"],
-                (results["event"],),
-                results["events_after"],
-            ))
-            filtered_types = [EventTypes.Member]
-            types = [(EventTypes.Member, member) for member in members]
+            state_filter = StateFilter.from_lazy_load_member_list(
+                ev.sender
+                for ev in itertools.chain(
+                    results["events_before"],
+                    (results["event"],),
+                    results["events_after"],
+                )
+            )
+        else:
+            state_filter = StateFilter.all()
 
         # XXX: why do we return the state as of the last event rather than the
         # first? Shouldn't we be consistent with /sync?
         # https://github.com/matrix-org/matrix-doc/issues/687
 
         state = yield self.store.get_state_for_events(
-            [last_event_id], types, filtered_types=filtered_types,
+            [last_event_id], state_filter=state_filter,
         )
         results["state"] = list(state[last_event_id].values())
 
diff --git a/synapse/handlers/sync.py b/synapse/handlers/sync.py
index 351892a94f..09739f2862 100644
--- a/synapse/handlers/sync.py
+++ b/synapse/handlers/sync.py
@@ -27,6 +27,7 @@ from twisted.internet import defer
 from synapse.api.constants import EventTypes, Membership
 from synapse.push.clientformat import format_push_rules_for_user
 from synapse.storage.roommember import MemberSummary
+from synapse.storage.state import StateFilter
 from synapse.types import RoomStreamToken
 from synapse.util.async_helpers import concurrently_execute
 from synapse.util.caches.expiringcache import ExpiringCache
@@ -469,25 +470,20 @@ class SyncHandler(object):
         ))
 
     @defer.inlineCallbacks
-    def get_state_after_event(self, event, types=None, filtered_types=None):
+    def get_state_after_event(self, event, state_filter=StateFilter.all()):
         """
         Get the room state after the given event
 
         Args:
             event(synapse.events.EventBase): event of interest
-            types(list[(str, str|None)]|None): List of (type, state_key) tuples
-                which are used to filter the state fetched. If `state_key` is None,
-                all events are returned of the given type.
-                May be None, which matches any key.
-            filtered_types(list[str]|None): Only apply filtering via `types` to this
-                list of event types.  Other types of events are returned unfiltered.
-                If None, `types` filtering is applied to all events.
+            state_filter (StateFilter): The state filter used to fetch state
+                from the database.
 
         Returns:
             A Deferred map from ((type, state_key)->Event)
         """
         state_ids = yield self.store.get_state_ids_for_event(
-            event.event_id, types, filtered_types=filtered_types,
+            event.event_id, state_filter=state_filter,
         )
         if event.is_state():
             state_ids = state_ids.copy()
@@ -495,18 +491,14 @@ class SyncHandler(object):
         defer.returnValue(state_ids)
 
     @defer.inlineCallbacks
-    def get_state_at(self, room_id, stream_position, types=None, filtered_types=None):
+    def get_state_at(self, room_id, stream_position, state_filter=StateFilter.all()):
         """ Get the room state at a particular stream position
 
         Args:
             room_id(str): room for which to get state
             stream_position(StreamToken): point at which to get state
-            types(list[(str, str|None)]|None): List of (type, state_key) tuples
-                which are used to filter the state fetched. If `state_key` is None,
-                all events are returned of the given type.
-            filtered_types(list[str]|None): Only apply filtering via `types` to this
-                list of event types.  Other types of events are returned unfiltered.
-                If None, `types` filtering is applied to all events.
+            state_filter (StateFilter): The state filter used to fetch state
+                from the database.
 
         Returns:
             A Deferred map from ((type, state_key)->Event)
@@ -522,7 +514,7 @@ class SyncHandler(object):
         if last_events:
             last_event = last_events[-1]
             state = yield self.get_state_after_event(
-                last_event, types, filtered_types=filtered_types,
+                last_event, state_filter=state_filter,
             )
 
         else:
@@ -563,10 +555,11 @@ class SyncHandler(object):
 
         last_event = last_events[-1]
         state_ids = yield self.store.get_state_ids_for_event(
-            last_event.event_id, [
+            last_event.event_id,
+            state_filter=StateFilter.from_types([
                 (EventTypes.Name, ''),
                 (EventTypes.CanonicalAlias, ''),
-            ]
+            ]),
         )
 
         # this is heavily cached, thus: fast.
@@ -717,8 +710,7 @@ class SyncHandler(object):
 
         with Measure(self.clock, "compute_state_delta"):
 
-            types = None
-            filtered_types = None
+            members_to_fetch = None
 
             lazy_load_members = sync_config.filter_collection.lazy_load_members()
             include_redundant_members = (
@@ -729,16 +721,21 @@ class SyncHandler(object):
                 # We only request state for the members needed to display the
                 # timeline:
 
-                types = [
-                    (EventTypes.Member, state_key)
-                    for state_key in set(
-                        event.sender  # FIXME: we also care about invite targets etc.
-                        for event in batch.events
-                    )
-                ]
+                members_to_fetch = set(
+                    event.sender  # FIXME: we also care about invite targets etc.
+                    for event in batch.events
+                )
+
+                if full_state:
+                    # always make sure we LL ourselves so we know we're in the room
+                    # (if we are) to fix https://github.com/vector-im/riot-web/issues/7209
+                    # We only need apply this on full state syncs given we disabled
+                    # LL for incr syncs in #3840.
+                    members_to_fetch.add(sync_config.user.to_string())
 
-                # only apply the filtering to room members
-                filtered_types = [EventTypes.Member]
+                state_filter = StateFilter.from_lazy_load_member_list(members_to_fetch)
+            else:
+                state_filter = StateFilter.all()
 
             timeline_state = {
                 (event.type, event.state_key): event.event_id
@@ -746,28 +743,19 @@ class SyncHandler(object):
             }
 
             if full_state:
-                if lazy_load_members:
-                    # always make sure we LL ourselves so we know we're in the room
-                    # (if we are) to fix https://github.com/vector-im/riot-web/issues/7209
-                    # We only need apply this on full state syncs given we disabled
-                    # LL for incr syncs in #3840.
-                    types.append((EventTypes.Member, sync_config.user.to_string()))
-
                 if batch:
                     current_state_ids = yield self.store.get_state_ids_for_event(
-                        batch.events[-1].event_id, types=types,
-                        filtered_types=filtered_types,
+                        batch.events[-1].event_id, state_filter=state_filter,
                     )
 
                     state_ids = yield self.store.get_state_ids_for_event(
-                        batch.events[0].event_id, types=types,
-                        filtered_types=filtered_types,
+                        batch.events[0].event_id, state_filter=state_filter,
                     )
 
                 else:
                     current_state_ids = yield self.get_state_at(
-                        room_id, stream_position=now_token, types=types,
-                        filtered_types=filtered_types,
+                        room_id, stream_position=now_token,
+                        state_filter=state_filter,
                     )
 
                     state_ids = current_state_ids
@@ -781,8 +769,7 @@ class SyncHandler(object):
                 )
             elif batch.limited:
                 state_at_timeline_start = yield self.store.get_state_ids_for_event(
-                    batch.events[0].event_id, types=types,
-                    filtered_types=filtered_types,
+                    batch.events[0].event_id, state_filter=state_filter,
                 )
 
                 # for now, we disable LL for gappy syncs - see
@@ -797,17 +784,15 @@ class SyncHandler(object):
                 # members to just be ones which were timeline senders, which then ensures
                 # all of the rest get included in the state block (if we need to know
                 # about them).
-                types = None
-                filtered_types = None
+                state_filter = StateFilter.all()
 
                 state_at_previous_sync = yield self.get_state_at(
-                    room_id, stream_position=since_token, types=types,
-                    filtered_types=filtered_types,
+                    room_id, stream_position=since_token,
+                    state_filter=state_filter,
                 )
 
                 current_state_ids = yield self.store.get_state_ids_for_event(
-                    batch.events[-1].event_id, types=types,
-                    filtered_types=filtered_types,
+                    batch.events[-1].event_id, state_filter=state_filter,
                 )
 
                 state_ids = _calculate_state(
@@ -821,7 +806,7 @@ class SyncHandler(object):
             else:
                 state_ids = {}
                 if lazy_load_members:
-                    if types and batch.events:
+                    if members_to_fetch and batch.events:
                         # We're returning an incremental sync, with no
                         # "gap" since the previous sync, so normally there would be
                         # no state to return.
@@ -831,8 +816,12 @@ class SyncHandler(object):
                         # timeline here, and then dedupe any redundant ones below.
 
                         state_ids = yield self.store.get_state_ids_for_event(
-                            batch.events[0].event_id, types=types,
-                            filtered_types=None,  # we only want members!
+                            batch.events[0].event_id,
+                            # we only want members!
+                            state_filter=StateFilter.from_types(
+                                (EventTypes.Member, member)
+                                for member in members_to_fetch
+                            ),
                         )
 
             if lazy_load_members and not include_redundant_members:
diff --git a/synapse/handlers/user_directory.py b/synapse/handlers/user_directory.py
index d8413d6aa7..f11b430126 100644
--- a/synapse/handlers/user_directory.py
+++ b/synapse/handlers/user_directory.py
@@ -20,6 +20,7 @@ from six import iteritems
 from twisted.internet import defer
 
 from synapse.api.constants import EventTypes, JoinRules, Membership
+from synapse.metrics.background_process_metrics import run_as_background_process
 from synapse.storage.roommember import ProfileInfo
 from synapse.types import get_localpart_from_id
 from synapse.util.metrics import Measure
@@ -98,7 +99,6 @@ class UserDirectoryHandler(object):
         """
         return self.store.search_user_dir(user_id, search_term, limit)
 
-    @defer.inlineCallbacks
     def notify_new_event(self):
         """Called when there may be more deltas to process
         """
@@ -108,11 +108,15 @@ class UserDirectoryHandler(object):
         if self._is_processing:
             return
 
+        @defer.inlineCallbacks
+        def process():
+            try:
+                yield self._unsafe_process()
+            finally:
+                self._is_processing = False
+
         self._is_processing = True
-        try:
-            yield self._unsafe_process()
-        finally:
-            self._is_processing = False
+        run_as_background_process("user_directory.notify_new_event", process)
 
     @defer.inlineCallbacks
     def handle_local_profile_change(self, user_id, profile):
diff --git a/synapse/http/matrixfederationclient.py b/synapse/http/matrixfederationclient.py
index fcc02fc77d..24b6110c20 100644
--- a/synapse/http/matrixfederationclient.py
+++ b/synapse/http/matrixfederationclient.py
@@ -230,7 +230,7 @@ class MatrixFederationHttpClient(object):
         Returns:
             Deferred: resolves with the http response object on success.
 
-            Fails with ``HTTPRequestException``: if we get an HTTP response
+            Fails with ``HttpResponseException``: if we get an HTTP response
                 code >= 300.
 
             Fails with ``NotRetryingDestination`` if we are not yet ready
@@ -480,7 +480,7 @@ class MatrixFederationHttpClient(object):
             Deferred: Succeeds when we get a 2xx HTTP response. The result
             will be the decoded JSON body.
 
-            Fails with ``HTTPRequestException`` if we get an HTTP response
+            Fails with ``HttpResponseException`` if we get an HTTP response
             code >= 300.
 
             Fails with ``NotRetryingDestination`` if we are not yet ready
@@ -534,7 +534,7 @@ class MatrixFederationHttpClient(object):
             Deferred: Succeeds when we get a 2xx HTTP response. The result
             will be the decoded JSON body.
 
-            Fails with ``HTTPRequestException`` if we get an HTTP response
+            Fails with ``HttpResponseException`` if we get an HTTP response
             code >= 300.
 
             Fails with ``NotRetryingDestination`` if we are not yet ready
@@ -589,7 +589,7 @@ class MatrixFederationHttpClient(object):
             Deferred: Succeeds when we get a 2xx HTTP response. The result
             will be the decoded JSON body.
 
-            Fails with ``HTTPRequestException`` if we get an HTTP response
+            Fails with ``HttpResponseException`` if we get an HTTP response
             code >= 300.
 
             Fails with ``NotRetryingDestination`` if we are not yet ready
@@ -640,7 +640,7 @@ class MatrixFederationHttpClient(object):
             Deferred: Succeeds when we get a 2xx HTTP response. The result
             will be the decoded JSON body.
 
-            Fails with ``HTTPRequestException`` if we get an HTTP response
+            Fails with ``HttpResponseException`` if we get an HTTP response
             code >= 300.
 
             Fails with ``NotRetryingDestination`` if we are not yet ready
@@ -684,7 +684,7 @@ class MatrixFederationHttpClient(object):
             Deferred: resolves with an (int,dict) tuple of the file length and
             a dict of the response headers.
 
-            Fails with ``HTTPRequestException`` if we get an HTTP response code
+            Fails with ``HttpResponseException`` if we get an HTTP response code
             >= 300
 
             Fails with ``NotRetryingDestination`` if we are not yet ready
diff --git a/synapse/push/emailpusher.py b/synapse/push/emailpusher.py
index d746371420..f369124258 100644
--- a/synapse/push/emailpusher.py
+++ b/synapse/push/emailpusher.py
@@ -18,8 +18,7 @@ import logging
 from twisted.internet import defer
 from twisted.internet.error import AlreadyCalled, AlreadyCancelled
 
-from synapse.util.logcontext import LoggingContext
-from synapse.util.metrics import Measure
+from synapse.metrics.background_process_metrics import run_as_background_process
 
 logger = logging.getLogger(__name__)
 
@@ -71,18 +70,11 @@ class EmailPusher(object):
         # See httppusher
         self.max_stream_ordering = None
 
-        self.processing = False
+        self._is_processing = False
 
-    @defer.inlineCallbacks
     def on_started(self):
         if self.mailer is not None:
-            try:
-                self.throttle_params = yield self.store.get_throttle_params_by_room(
-                    self.pusher_id
-                )
-                yield self._process()
-            except Exception:
-                logger.exception("Error starting email pusher")
+            self._start_processing()
 
     def on_stop(self):
         if self.timed_call:
@@ -92,43 +84,52 @@ class EmailPusher(object):
                 pass
             self.timed_call = None
 
-    @defer.inlineCallbacks
     def on_new_notifications(self, min_stream_ordering, max_stream_ordering):
         self.max_stream_ordering = max(max_stream_ordering, self.max_stream_ordering)
-        yield self._process()
+        self._start_processing()
 
     def on_new_receipts(self, min_stream_id, max_stream_id):
         # We could wake up and cancel the timer but there tend to be quite a
         # lot of read receipts so it's probably less work to just let the
         # timer fire
-        return defer.succeed(None)
+        pass
 
-    @defer.inlineCallbacks
     def on_timer(self):
         self.timed_call = None
-        yield self._process()
+        self._start_processing()
+
+    def _start_processing(self):
+        if self._is_processing:
+            return
+
+        run_as_background_process("emailpush.process", self._process)
 
     @defer.inlineCallbacks
     def _process(self):
-        if self.processing:
-            return
+        # we should never get here if we are already processing
+        assert not self._is_processing
+
+        try:
+            self._is_processing = True
+
+            if self.throttle_params is None:
+                # this is our first loop: load up the throttle params
+                self.throttle_params = yield self.store.get_throttle_params_by_room(
+                    self.pusher_id
+                )
 
-        with LoggingContext("emailpush._process"):
-            with Measure(self.clock, "emailpush._process"):
+            # if the max ordering changes while we're running _unsafe_process,
+            # call it again, and so on until we've caught up.
+            while True:
+                starting_max_ordering = self.max_stream_ordering
                 try:
-                    self.processing = True
-                    # if the max ordering changes while we're running _unsafe_process,
-                    # call it again, and so on until we've caught up.
-                    while True:
-                        starting_max_ordering = self.max_stream_ordering
-                        try:
-                            yield self._unsafe_process()
-                        except Exception:
-                            logger.exception("Exception processing notifs")
-                        if self.max_stream_ordering == starting_max_ordering:
-                            break
-                finally:
-                    self.processing = False
+                    yield self._unsafe_process()
+                except Exception:
+                    logger.exception("Exception processing notifs")
+                if self.max_stream_ordering == starting_max_ordering:
+                    break
+        finally:
+            self._is_processing = False
 
     @defer.inlineCallbacks
     def _unsafe_process(self):
diff --git a/synapse/push/httppusher.py b/synapse/push/httppusher.py
index 48abd5e4d6..6bd703632d 100644
--- a/synapse/push/httppusher.py
+++ b/synapse/push/httppusher.py
@@ -22,9 +22,8 @@ from prometheus_client import Counter
 from twisted.internet import defer
 from twisted.internet.error import AlreadyCalled, AlreadyCancelled
 
+from synapse.metrics.background_process_metrics import run_as_background_process
 from synapse.push import PusherConfigException
-from synapse.util.logcontext import LoggingContext
-from synapse.util.metrics import Measure
 
 from . import push_rule_evaluator, push_tools
 
@@ -61,7 +60,7 @@ class HttpPusher(object):
         self.backoff_delay = HttpPusher.INITIAL_BACKOFF_SEC
         self.failing_since = pusherdict['failing_since']
         self.timed_call = None
-        self.processing = False
+        self._is_processing = False
 
         # This is the highest stream ordering we know it's safe to process.
         # When new events arrive, we'll be given a window of new events: we
@@ -92,34 +91,27 @@ class HttpPusher(object):
         self.data_minus_url.update(self.data)
         del self.data_minus_url['url']
 
-    @defer.inlineCallbacks
     def on_started(self):
-        try:
-            yield self._process()
-        except Exception:
-            logger.exception("Error starting http pusher")
+        self._start_processing()
 
-    @defer.inlineCallbacks
     def on_new_notifications(self, min_stream_ordering, max_stream_ordering):
         self.max_stream_ordering = max(max_stream_ordering, self.max_stream_ordering or 0)
-        yield self._process()
+        self._start_processing()
 
-    @defer.inlineCallbacks
     def on_new_receipts(self, min_stream_id, max_stream_id):
         # Note that the min here shouldn't be relied upon to be accurate.
 
         # We could check the receipts are actually m.read receipts here,
         # but currently that's the only type of receipt anyway...
-        with LoggingContext("push.on_new_receipts"):
-            with Measure(self.clock, "push.on_new_receipts"):
-                badge = yield push_tools.get_badge_count(
-                    self.hs.get_datastore(), self.user_id
-                )
-            yield self._send_badge(badge)
+        run_as_background_process("http_pusher.on_new_receipts", self._update_badge)
 
     @defer.inlineCallbacks
+    def _update_badge(self):
+        badge = yield push_tools.get_badge_count(self.hs.get_datastore(), self.user_id)
+        yield self._send_badge(badge)
+
     def on_timer(self):
-        yield self._process()
+        self._start_processing()
 
     def on_stop(self):
         if self.timed_call:
@@ -129,27 +121,31 @@ class HttpPusher(object):
                 pass
             self.timed_call = None
 
+    def _start_processing(self):
+        if self._is_processing:
+            return
+
+        run_as_background_process("httppush.process", self._process)
+
     @defer.inlineCallbacks
     def _process(self):
-        if self.processing:
-            return
+        # we should never get here if we are already processing
+        assert not self._is_processing
 
-        with LoggingContext("push._process"):
-            with Measure(self.clock, "push._process"):
+        try:
+            self._is_processing = True
+            # if the max ordering changes while we're running _unsafe_process,
+            # call it again, and so on until we've caught up.
+            while True:
+                starting_max_ordering = self.max_stream_ordering
                 try:
-                    self.processing = True
-                    # if the max ordering changes while we're running _unsafe_process,
-                    # call it again, and so on until we've caught up.
-                    while True:
-                        starting_max_ordering = self.max_stream_ordering
-                        try:
-                            yield self._unsafe_process()
-                        except Exception:
-                            logger.exception("Exception processing notifs")
-                        if self.max_stream_ordering == starting_max_ordering:
-                            break
-                finally:
-                    self.processing = False
+                    yield self._unsafe_process()
+                except Exception:
+                    logger.exception("Exception processing notifs")
+                if self.max_stream_ordering == starting_max_ordering:
+                    break
+        finally:
+            self._is_processing = False
 
     @defer.inlineCallbacks
     def _unsafe_process(self):
diff --git a/synapse/push/mailer.py b/synapse/push/mailer.py
index b9dcfee740..16fb5e8471 100644
--- a/synapse/push/mailer.py
+++ b/synapse/push/mailer.py
@@ -526,12 +526,8 @@ def load_jinja2_templates(config):
     Returns:
         (notif_template_html, notif_template_text)
     """
-    logger.info("loading jinja2")
-
-    if config.email_template_dir:
-        loader = jinja2.FileSystemLoader(config.email_template_dir)
-    else:
-        loader = jinja2.PackageLoader('synapse', 'res/templates')
+    logger.info("loading email templates from '%s'", config.email_template_dir)
+    loader = jinja2.FileSystemLoader(config.email_template_dir)
     env = jinja2.Environment(loader=loader)
     env.filters["format_ts"] = format_ts_filter
     env.filters["mxc_to_http"] = _create_mxc_to_http_filter(config)
diff --git a/synapse/push/pusherpool.py b/synapse/push/pusherpool.py
index 9f7d5ef217..5a4e73ccd6 100644
--- a/synapse/push/pusherpool.py
+++ b/synapse/push/pusherpool.py
@@ -20,24 +20,39 @@ from twisted.internet import defer
 
 from synapse.metrics.background_process_metrics import run_as_background_process
 from synapse.push.pusher import PusherFactory
-from synapse.util.logcontext import make_deferred_yieldable, run_in_background
 
 logger = logging.getLogger(__name__)
 
 
 class PusherPool:
+    """
+    The pusher pool. This is responsible for dispatching notifications of new events to
+    the http and email pushers.
+
+    It provides three methods which are designed to be called by the rest of the
+    application: `start`, `on_new_notifications`, and `on_new_receipts`: each of these
+    delegates to each of the relevant pushers.
+
+    Note that it is expected that each pusher will have its own 'processing' loop which
+    will send out the notifications in the background, rather than blocking until the
+    notifications are sent; accordingly Pusher.on_started, Pusher.on_new_notifications and
+    Pusher.on_new_receipts are not expected to return deferreds.
+    """
     def __init__(self, _hs):
         self.hs = _hs
         self.pusher_factory = PusherFactory(_hs)
-        self.start_pushers = _hs.config.start_pushers
+        self._should_start_pushers = _hs.config.start_pushers
         self.store = self.hs.get_datastore()
         self.clock = self.hs.get_clock()
         self.pushers = {}
 
-    @defer.inlineCallbacks
     def start(self):
-        pushers = yield self.store.get_all_pushers()
-        self._start_pushers(pushers)
+        """Starts the pushers off in a background process.
+        """
+        if not self._should_start_pushers:
+            logger.info("Not starting pushers because they are disabled in the config")
+            return
+        run_as_background_process("start_pushers", self._start_pushers)
 
     @defer.inlineCallbacks
     def add_pusher(self, user_id, access_token, kind, app_id,
@@ -86,7 +101,7 @@ class PusherPool:
             last_stream_ordering=last_stream_ordering,
             profile_tag=profile_tag,
         )
-        yield self._refresh_pusher(app_id, pushkey, user_id)
+        yield self.start_pusher_by_id(app_id, pushkey, user_id)
 
     @defer.inlineCallbacks
     def remove_pushers_by_app_id_and_pushkey_not_user(self, app_id, pushkey,
@@ -123,45 +138,23 @@ class PusherPool:
                     p['app_id'], p['pushkey'], p['user_name'],
                 )
 
-    def on_new_notifications(self, min_stream_id, max_stream_id):
-        run_as_background_process(
-            "on_new_notifications",
-            self._on_new_notifications, min_stream_id, max_stream_id,
-        )
-
     @defer.inlineCallbacks
-    def _on_new_notifications(self, min_stream_id, max_stream_id):
+    def on_new_notifications(self, min_stream_id, max_stream_id):
         try:
             users_affected = yield self.store.get_push_action_users_in_range(
                 min_stream_id, max_stream_id
             )
 
-            deferreds = []
-
             for u in users_affected:
                 if u in self.pushers:
                     for p in self.pushers[u].values():
-                        deferreds.append(
-                            run_in_background(
-                                p.on_new_notifications,
-                                min_stream_id, max_stream_id,
-                            )
-                        )
-
-            yield make_deferred_yieldable(
-                defer.gatherResults(deferreds, consumeErrors=True),
-            )
+                        p.on_new_notifications(min_stream_id, max_stream_id)
+
         except Exception:
             logger.exception("Exception in pusher on_new_notifications")
 
-    def on_new_receipts(self, min_stream_id, max_stream_id, affected_room_ids):
-        run_as_background_process(
-            "on_new_receipts",
-            self._on_new_receipts, min_stream_id, max_stream_id, affected_room_ids,
-        )
-
     @defer.inlineCallbacks
-    def _on_new_receipts(self, min_stream_id, max_stream_id, affected_room_ids):
+    def on_new_receipts(self, min_stream_id, max_stream_id, affected_room_ids):
         try:
             # Need to subtract 1 from the minimum because the lower bound here
             # is not inclusive
@@ -171,26 +164,20 @@ class PusherPool:
             # This returns a tuple, user_id is at index 3
             users_affected = set([r[3] for r in updated_receipts])
 
-            deferreds = []
-
             for u in users_affected:
                 if u in self.pushers:
                     for p in self.pushers[u].values():
-                        deferreds.append(
-                            run_in_background(
-                                p.on_new_receipts,
-                                min_stream_id, max_stream_id,
-                            )
-                        )
-
-            yield make_deferred_yieldable(
-                defer.gatherResults(deferreds, consumeErrors=True),
-            )
+                        p.on_new_receipts(min_stream_id, max_stream_id)
+
         except Exception:
             logger.exception("Exception in pusher on_new_receipts")
 
     @defer.inlineCallbacks
-    def _refresh_pusher(self, app_id, pushkey, user_id):
+    def start_pusher_by_id(self, app_id, pushkey, user_id):
+        """Look up the details for the given pusher, and start it"""
+        if not self._should_start_pushers:
+            return
+
         resultlist = yield self.store.get_pushers_by_app_id_and_pushkey(
             app_id, pushkey
         )
@@ -201,33 +188,49 @@ class PusherPool:
                 p = r
 
         if p:
+            self._start_pusher(p)
 
-            self._start_pushers([p])
+    @defer.inlineCallbacks
+    def _start_pushers(self):
+        """Start all the pushers
 
-    def _start_pushers(self, pushers):
-        if not self.start_pushers:
-            logger.info("Not starting pushers because they are disabled in the config")
-            return
+        Returns:
+            Deferred
+        """
+        pushers = yield self.store.get_all_pushers()
         logger.info("Starting %d pushers", len(pushers))
         for pusherdict in pushers:
-            try:
-                p = self.pusher_factory.create_pusher(pusherdict)
-            except Exception:
-                logger.exception("Couldn't start a pusher: caught Exception")
-                continue
-            if p:
-                appid_pushkey = "%s:%s" % (
-                    pusherdict['app_id'],
-                    pusherdict['pushkey'],
-                )
-                byuser = self.pushers.setdefault(pusherdict['user_name'], {})
+            self._start_pusher(pusherdict)
+        logger.info("Started pushers")
 
-                if appid_pushkey in byuser:
-                    byuser[appid_pushkey].on_stop()
-                byuser[appid_pushkey] = p
-                run_in_background(p.on_started)
+    def _start_pusher(self, pusherdict):
+        """Start the given pusher
 
-        logger.info("Started pushers")
+        Args:
+            pusherdict (dict):
+
+        Returns:
+            None
+        """
+        try:
+            p = self.pusher_factory.create_pusher(pusherdict)
+        except Exception:
+            logger.exception("Couldn't start a pusher: caught Exception")
+            return
+
+        if not p:
+            return
+
+        appid_pushkey = "%s:%s" % (
+            pusherdict['app_id'],
+            pusherdict['pushkey'],
+        )
+        byuser = self.pushers.setdefault(pusherdict['user_name'], {})
+
+        if appid_pushkey in byuser:
+            byuser[appid_pushkey].on_stop()
+        byuser[appid_pushkey] = p
+        p.on_started()
 
     @defer.inlineCallbacks
     def remove_pusher(self, app_id, pushkey, user_id):
diff --git a/synapse/python_dependencies.py b/synapse/python_dependencies.py
index f51184b50d..943876456b 100644
--- a/synapse/python_dependencies.py
+++ b/synapse/python_dependencies.py
@@ -53,6 +53,7 @@ REQUIREMENTS = {
     "pillow>=3.1.2": ["PIL"],
     "pydenticon>=0.2": ["pydenticon"],
     "sortedcontainers>=1.4.4": ["sortedcontainers"],
+    "psutil>=2.0.0": ["psutil>=2.0.0"],
     "pysaml2>=3.0.0": ["saml2"],
     "pymacaroons-pynacl>=0.9.3": ["pymacaroons"],
     "msgpack-python>=0.4.2": ["msgpack"],
@@ -79,9 +80,6 @@ CONDITIONAL_REQUIREMENTS = {
     "matrix-synapse-ldap3": {
         "matrix-synapse-ldap3>=0.1": ["ldap_auth_provider"],
     },
-    "psutil": {
-        "psutil>=2.0.0": ["psutil>=2.0.0"],
-    },
     "postgres": {
         "psycopg2>=2.6": ["psycopg2"]
     }
diff --git a/synapse/rest/client/v1/directory.py b/synapse/rest/client/v1/directory.py
index 97733f3026..0220acf644 100644
--- a/synapse/rest/client/v1/directory.py
+++ b/synapse/rest/client/v1/directory.py
@@ -74,38 +74,11 @@ class ClientDirectoryServer(ClientV1RestServlet):
         if room is None:
             raise SynapseError(400, "Room does not exist")
 
-        dir_handler = self.handlers.directory_handler
+        requester = yield self.auth.get_user_by_req(request)
 
-        try:
-            # try to auth as a user
-            requester = yield self.auth.get_user_by_req(request)
-            try:
-                user_id = requester.user.to_string()
-                yield dir_handler.create_association(
-                    user_id, room_alias, room_id, servers
-                )
-                yield dir_handler.send_room_alias_update_event(
-                    requester,
-                    user_id,
-                    room_id
-                )
-            except SynapseError as e:
-                raise e
-            except Exception:
-                logger.exception("Failed to create association")
-                raise
-        except AuthError:
-            # try to auth as an application service
-            service = yield self.auth.get_appservice_by_req(request)
-            yield dir_handler.create_appservice_association(
-                service, room_alias, room_id, servers
-            )
-            logger.info(
-                "Application service at %s created alias %s pointing to %s",
-                service.url,
-                room_alias.to_string(),
-                room_id
-            )
+        yield self.handlers.directory_handler.create_association(
+            requester, room_alias, room_id, servers
+        )
 
         defer.returnValue((200, {}))
 
@@ -135,7 +108,7 @@ class ClientDirectoryServer(ClientV1RestServlet):
         room_alias = RoomAlias.from_string(room_alias)
 
         yield dir_handler.delete_association(
-            requester, user.to_string(), room_alias
+            requester, room_alias
         )
 
         logger.info(
diff --git a/synapse/rest/client/v1/room.py b/synapse/rest/client/v1/room.py
index 663934efd0..fcfe7857f6 100644
--- a/synapse/rest/client/v1/room.py
+++ b/synapse/rest/client/v1/room.py
@@ -33,6 +33,7 @@ from synapse.http.servlet import (
     parse_json_object_from_request,
     parse_string,
 )
+from synapse.storage.state import StateFilter
 from synapse.streams.config import PaginationConfig
 from synapse.types import RoomAlias, RoomID, StreamToken, ThirdPartyInstanceID, UserID
 
@@ -409,7 +410,7 @@ class RoomMemberListRestServlet(ClientV1RestServlet):
             room_id=room_id,
             user_id=requester.user.to_string(),
             at_token=at_token,
-            types=[(EventTypes.Member, None)],
+            state_filter=StateFilter.from_types([(EventTypes.Member, None)]),
         )
 
         chunk = []
diff --git a/synapse/rest/client/v2_alpha/auth.py b/synapse/rest/client/v2_alpha/auth.py
index bd8b5f4afa..693b303881 100644
--- a/synapse/rest/client/v2_alpha/auth.py
+++ b/synapse/rest/client/v2_alpha/auth.py
@@ -99,7 +99,7 @@ class AuthRestServlet(RestServlet):
     cannot be handled in the normal flow (with requests to the same endpoint).
     Current use is for web fallback auth.
     """
-    PATTERNS = client_v2_patterns("/auth/(?P<stagetype>[\w\.]*)/fallback/web")
+    PATTERNS = client_v2_patterns(r"/auth/(?P<stagetype>[\w\.]*)/fallback/web")
 
     def __init__(self, hs):
         super(AuthRestServlet, self).__init__()
diff --git a/synapse/rest/media/v1/media_repository.py b/synapse/rest/media/v1/media_repository.py
index a828ff4438..08b1867fab 100644
--- a/synapse/rest/media/v1/media_repository.py
+++ b/synapse/rest/media/v1/media_repository.py
@@ -25,7 +25,7 @@ from six.moves.urllib import parse as urlparse
 
 import twisted.internet.error
 import twisted.web.http
-from twisted.internet import defer, threads
+from twisted.internet import defer
 from twisted.web.resource import Resource
 
 from synapse.api.errors import (
@@ -36,8 +36,8 @@ from synapse.api.errors import (
 )
 from synapse.http.matrixfederationclient import MatrixFederationHttpClient
 from synapse.metrics.background_process_metrics import run_as_background_process
+from synapse.util import logcontext
 from synapse.util.async_helpers import Linearizer
-from synapse.util.logcontext import make_deferred_yieldable
 from synapse.util.retryutils import NotRetryingDestination
 from synapse.util.stringutils import is_ascii, random_string
 
@@ -492,10 +492,11 @@ class MediaRepository(object):
         ))
 
         thumbnailer = Thumbnailer(input_path)
-        t_byte_source = yield make_deferred_yieldable(threads.deferToThread(
+        t_byte_source = yield logcontext.defer_to_thread(
+            self.hs.get_reactor(),
             self._generate_thumbnail,
             thumbnailer, t_width, t_height, t_method, t_type
-        ))
+        )
 
         if t_byte_source:
             try:
@@ -534,10 +535,11 @@ class MediaRepository(object):
         ))
 
         thumbnailer = Thumbnailer(input_path)
-        t_byte_source = yield make_deferred_yieldable(threads.deferToThread(
+        t_byte_source = yield logcontext.defer_to_thread(
+            self.hs.get_reactor(),
             self._generate_thumbnail,
             thumbnailer, t_width, t_height, t_method, t_type
-        ))
+        )
 
         if t_byte_source:
             try:
@@ -620,15 +622,17 @@ class MediaRepository(object):
         for (t_width, t_height, t_type), t_method in iteritems(thumbnails):
             # Generate the thumbnail
             if t_method == "crop":
-                t_byte_source = yield make_deferred_yieldable(threads.deferToThread(
+                t_byte_source = yield logcontext.defer_to_thread(
+                    self.hs.get_reactor(),
                     thumbnailer.crop,
                     t_width, t_height, t_type,
-                ))
+                )
             elif t_method == "scale":
-                t_byte_source = yield make_deferred_yieldable(threads.deferToThread(
+                t_byte_source = yield logcontext.defer_to_thread(
+                    self.hs.get_reactor(),
                     thumbnailer.scale,
                     t_width, t_height, t_type,
-                ))
+                )
             else:
                 logger.error("Unrecognized method: %r", t_method)
                 continue
diff --git a/synapse/rest/media/v1/media_storage.py b/synapse/rest/media/v1/media_storage.py
index a6189224ee..896078fe76 100644
--- a/synapse/rest/media/v1/media_storage.py
+++ b/synapse/rest/media/v1/media_storage.py
@@ -21,9 +21,10 @@ import sys
 
 import six
 
-from twisted.internet import defer, threads
+from twisted.internet import defer
 from twisted.protocols.basic import FileSender
 
+from synapse.util import logcontext
 from synapse.util.file_consumer import BackgroundFileConsumer
 from synapse.util.logcontext import make_deferred_yieldable
 
@@ -64,9 +65,10 @@ class MediaStorage(object):
 
         with self.store_into_file(file_info) as (f, fname, finish_cb):
             # Write to the main repository
-            yield make_deferred_yieldable(threads.deferToThread(
+            yield logcontext.defer_to_thread(
+                self.hs.get_reactor(),
                 _write_file_synchronously, source, f,
-            ))
+            )
             yield finish_cb()
 
         defer.returnValue(fname)
diff --git a/synapse/rest/media/v1/preview_url_resource.py b/synapse/rest/media/v1/preview_url_resource.py
index 8c892ff187..1a7bfd6b56 100644
--- a/synapse/rest/media/v1/preview_url_resource.py
+++ b/synapse/rest/media/v1/preview_url_resource.py
@@ -674,7 +674,7 @@ def summarize_paragraphs(text_nodes, min_size=200, max_size=500):
         # This splits the paragraph into words, but keeping the
         # (preceeding) whitespace intact so we can easily concat
         # words back together.
-        for match in re.finditer("\s*\S+", description):
+        for match in re.finditer(r"\s*\S+", description):
             word = match.group()
 
             # Keep adding words while the total length is less than
diff --git a/synapse/rest/media/v1/storage_provider.py b/synapse/rest/media/v1/storage_provider.py
index 7b9f8b4d79..5aa03031f6 100644
--- a/synapse/rest/media/v1/storage_provider.py
+++ b/synapse/rest/media/v1/storage_provider.py
@@ -17,9 +17,10 @@ import logging
 import os
 import shutil
 
-from twisted.internet import defer, threads
+from twisted.internet import defer
 
 from synapse.config._base import Config
+from synapse.util import logcontext
 from synapse.util.logcontext import run_in_background
 
 from .media_storage import FileResponder
@@ -120,7 +121,8 @@ class FileStorageProviderBackend(StorageProvider):
         if not os.path.exists(dirname):
             os.makedirs(dirname)
 
-        return threads.deferToThread(
+        return logcontext.defer_to_thread(
+            self.hs.get_reactor(),
             shutil.copyfile, primary_fname, backup_fname,
         )
 
diff --git a/synapse/server.py b/synapse/server.py
index 3e9d3d8256..cf6b872cbd 100644
--- a/synapse/server.py
+++ b/synapse/server.py
@@ -207,6 +207,7 @@ class HomeServer(object):
         logger.info("Setting up.")
         with self.get_db_conn() as conn:
             self.datastore = self.DATASTORE_CLASS(conn, self)
+            conn.commit()
         logger.info("Finished setting up.")
 
     def get_reactor(self):
diff --git a/synapse/state/__init__.py b/synapse/state/__init__.py
index b22495c1f9..9b40b18d5b 100644
--- a/synapse/state/__init__.py
+++ b/synapse/state/__init__.py
@@ -19,13 +19,14 @@ from collections import namedtuple
 
 from six import iteritems, itervalues
 
+import attr
 from frozendict import frozendict
 
 from twisted.internet import defer
 
 from synapse.api.constants import EventTypes, RoomVersions
 from synapse.events.snapshot import EventContext
-from synapse.state import v1
+from synapse.state import v1, v2
 from synapse.util.async_helpers import Linearizer
 from synapse.util.caches import get_cache_factor_for
 from synapse.util.caches.expiringcache import ExpiringCache
@@ -372,15 +373,10 @@ class StateHandler(object):
 
         result = yield self._state_resolution_handler.resolve_state_groups(
             room_id, room_version, state_groups_ids, None,
-            self._state_map_factory,
+            state_res_store=StateResolutionStore(self.store),
         )
         defer.returnValue(result)
 
-    def _state_map_factory(self, ev_ids):
-        return self.store.get_events(
-            ev_ids, get_prev_content=False, check_redacted=False,
-        )
-
     @defer.inlineCallbacks
     def resolve_events(self, room_version, state_sets, event):
         logger.info(
@@ -398,10 +394,10 @@ class StateHandler(object):
         }
 
         with Measure(self.clock, "state._resolve_events"):
-            new_state = yield resolve_events_with_factory(
+            new_state = yield resolve_events_with_store(
                 room_version, state_set_ids,
                 event_map=state_map,
-                state_map_factory=self._state_map_factory
+                state_res_store=StateResolutionStore(self.store),
             )
 
         new_state = {
@@ -436,7 +432,7 @@ class StateResolutionHandler(object):
     @defer.inlineCallbacks
     @log_function
     def resolve_state_groups(
-        self, room_id, room_version, state_groups_ids, event_map, state_map_factory,
+        self, room_id, room_version, state_groups_ids, event_map, state_res_store,
     ):
         """Resolves conflicts between a set of state groups
 
@@ -454,9 +450,11 @@ class StateResolutionHandler(object):
                 a dict from event_id to event, for any events that we happen to
                 have in flight (eg, those currently being persisted). This will be
                 used as a starting point fof finding the state we need; any missing
-                events will be requested via state_map_factory.
+                events will be requested via state_res_store.
+
+                If None, all events will be fetched via state_res_store.
 
-                If None, all events will be fetched via state_map_factory.
+            state_res_store (StateResolutionStore)
 
         Returns:
             Deferred[_StateCacheEntry]: resolved state
@@ -480,10 +478,10 @@ class StateResolutionHandler(object):
 
             # start by assuming we won't have any conflicted state, and build up the new
             # state map by iterating through the state groups. If we discover a conflict,
-            # we give up and instead use `resolve_events_with_factory`.
+            # we give up and instead use `resolve_events_with_store`.
             #
             # XXX: is this actually worthwhile, or should we just let
-            # resolve_events_with_factory do it?
+            # resolve_events_with_store do it?
             new_state = {}
             conflicted_state = False
             for st in itervalues(state_groups_ids):
@@ -498,11 +496,11 @@ class StateResolutionHandler(object):
             if conflicted_state:
                 logger.info("Resolving conflicted state for %r", room_id)
                 with Measure(self.clock, "state._resolve_events"):
-                    new_state = yield resolve_events_with_factory(
+                    new_state = yield resolve_events_with_store(
                         room_version,
                         list(itervalues(state_groups_ids)),
                         event_map=event_map,
-                        state_map_factory=state_map_factory,
+                        state_res_store=state_res_store,
                     )
 
             # if the new state matches any of the input state groups, we can
@@ -583,7 +581,7 @@ def _make_state_cache_entry(
     )
 
 
-def resolve_events_with_factory(room_version, state_sets, event_map, state_map_factory):
+def resolve_events_with_store(room_version, state_sets, event_map, state_res_store):
     """
     Args:
         room_version(str): Version of the room
@@ -599,17 +597,19 @@ def resolve_events_with_factory(room_version, state_sets, event_map, state_map_f
 
             If None, all events will be fetched via state_map_factory.
 
-        state_map_factory(func): will be called
-            with a list of event_ids that are needed, and should return with
-            a Deferred of dict of event_id to event.
+        state_res_store (StateResolutionStore)
 
     Returns
         Deferred[dict[(str, str), str]]:
             a map from (type, state_key) to event_id.
     """
-    if room_version in (RoomVersions.V1, RoomVersions.VDH_TEST,):
-        return v1.resolve_events_with_factory(
-            state_sets, event_map, state_map_factory,
+    if room_version == RoomVersions.V1:
+        return v1.resolve_events_with_store(
+            state_sets, event_map, state_res_store.get_events,
+        )
+    elif room_version == RoomVersions.VDH_TEST:
+        return v2.resolve_events_with_store(
+            state_sets, event_map, state_res_store,
         )
     else:
         # This should only happen if we added a version but forgot to add it to
@@ -617,3 +617,54 @@ def resolve_events_with_factory(room_version, state_sets, event_map, state_map_f
         raise Exception(
             "No state resolution algorithm defined for version %r" % (room_version,)
         )
+
+
+@attr.s
+class StateResolutionStore(object):
+    """Interface that allows state resolution algorithms to access the database
+    in well defined way.
+
+    Args:
+        store (DataStore)
+    """
+
+    store = attr.ib()
+
+    def get_events(self, event_ids, allow_rejected=False):
+        """Get events from the database
+
+        Args:
+            event_ids (list): The event_ids of the events to fetch
+            allow_rejected (bool): If True return rejected events.
+
+        Returns:
+            Deferred[dict[str, FrozenEvent]]: Dict from event_id to event.
+        """
+
+        return self.store.get_events(
+            event_ids,
+            check_redacted=False,
+            get_prev_content=False,
+            allow_rejected=allow_rejected,
+        )
+
+    def get_auth_chain(self, event_ids):
+        """Gets the full auth chain for a set of events (including rejected
+        events).
+
+        Includes the given event IDs in the result.
+
+        Note that:
+            1. All events must be state events.
+            2. For v1 rooms this may not have the full auth chain in the
+               presence of rejected events
+
+        Args:
+            event_ids (list): The event IDs of the events to fetch the auth
+                chain for. Must be state events.
+
+        Returns:
+            Deferred[list[str]]: List of event IDs of the auth chain.
+        """
+
+        return self.store.get_auth_chain_ids(event_ids, include_given=True)
diff --git a/synapse/state/v1.py b/synapse/state/v1.py
index 7a7157b352..70a981f4a2 100644
--- a/synapse/state/v1.py
+++ b/synapse/state/v1.py
@@ -31,7 +31,7 @@ POWER_KEY = (EventTypes.PowerLevels, "")
 
 
 @defer.inlineCallbacks
-def resolve_events_with_factory(state_sets, event_map, state_map_factory):
+def resolve_events_with_store(state_sets, event_map, state_map_factory):
     """
     Args:
         state_sets(list): List of dicts of (type, state_key) -> event_id,
diff --git a/synapse/state/v2.py b/synapse/state/v2.py
new file mode 100644
index 0000000000..5d06f7e928
--- /dev/null
+++ b/synapse/state/v2.py
@@ -0,0 +1,544 @@
+# -*- coding: utf-8 -*-
+# Copyright 2018 New Vector Ltd
+#
+# Licensed under the Apache License, Version 2.0 (the "License");
+# you may not use this file except in compliance with the License.
+# You may obtain a copy of the License at
+#
+#     http://www.apache.org/licenses/LICENSE-2.0
+#
+# Unless required by applicable law or agreed to in writing, software
+# distributed under the License is distributed on an "AS IS" BASIS,
+# WITHOUT WARRANTIES OR CONDITIONS OF ANY KIND, either express or implied.
+# See the License for the specific language governing permissions and
+# limitations under the License.
+
+import heapq
+import itertools
+import logging
+
+from six import iteritems, itervalues
+
+from twisted.internet import defer
+
+from synapse import event_auth
+from synapse.api.constants import EventTypes
+from synapse.api.errors import AuthError
+
+logger = logging.getLogger(__name__)
+
+
+@defer.inlineCallbacks
+def resolve_events_with_store(state_sets, event_map, state_res_store):
+    """Resolves the state using the v2 state resolution algorithm
+
+    Args:
+        state_sets(list): List of dicts of (type, state_key) -> event_id,
+            which are the different state groups to resolve.
+
+        event_map(dict[str,FrozenEvent]|None):
+            a dict from event_id to event, for any events that we happen to
+            have in flight (eg, those currently being persisted). This will be
+            used as a starting point fof finding the state we need; any missing
+            events will be requested via state_res_store.
+
+            If None, all events will be fetched via state_res_store.
+
+        state_res_store (StateResolutionStore)
+
+    Returns
+        Deferred[dict[(str, str), str]]:
+            a map from (type, state_key) to event_id.
+    """
+
+    logger.debug("Computing conflicted state")
+
+    # First split up the un/conflicted state
+    unconflicted_state, conflicted_state = _seperate(state_sets)
+
+    if not conflicted_state:
+        defer.returnValue(unconflicted_state)
+
+    logger.debug("%d conflicted state entries", len(conflicted_state))
+    logger.debug("Calculating auth chain difference")
+
+    # Also fetch all auth events that appear in only some of the state sets'
+    # auth chains.
+    auth_diff = yield _get_auth_chain_difference(
+        state_sets, event_map, state_res_store,
+    )
+
+    full_conflicted_set = set(itertools.chain(
+        itertools.chain.from_iterable(itervalues(conflicted_state)),
+        auth_diff,
+    ))
+
+    events = yield state_res_store.get_events([
+        eid for eid in full_conflicted_set
+        if eid not in event_map
+    ], allow_rejected=True)
+    event_map.update(events)
+
+    full_conflicted_set = set(eid for eid in full_conflicted_set if eid in event_map)
+
+    logger.debug("%d full_conflicted_set entries", len(full_conflicted_set))
+
+    # Get and sort all the power events (kicks/bans/etc)
+    power_events = (
+        eid for eid in full_conflicted_set
+        if _is_power_event(event_map[eid])
+    )
+
+    sorted_power_events = yield _reverse_topological_power_sort(
+        power_events,
+        event_map,
+        state_res_store,
+        full_conflicted_set,
+    )
+
+    logger.debug("sorted %d power events", len(sorted_power_events))
+
+    # Now sequentially auth each one
+    resolved_state = yield _iterative_auth_checks(
+        sorted_power_events, unconflicted_state, event_map,
+        state_res_store,
+    )
+
+    logger.debug("resolved power events")
+
+    # OK, so we've now resolved the power events. Now sort the remaining
+    # events using the mainline of the resolved power level.
+
+    leftover_events = [
+        ev_id
+        for ev_id in full_conflicted_set
+        if ev_id not in sorted_power_events
+    ]
+
+    logger.debug("sorting %d remaining events", len(leftover_events))
+
+    pl = resolved_state.get((EventTypes.PowerLevels, ""), None)
+    leftover_events = yield _mainline_sort(
+        leftover_events, pl, event_map, state_res_store,
+    )
+
+    logger.debug("resolving remaining events")
+
+    resolved_state = yield _iterative_auth_checks(
+        leftover_events, resolved_state, event_map,
+        state_res_store,
+    )
+
+    logger.debug("resolved")
+
+    # We make sure that unconflicted state always still applies.
+    resolved_state.update(unconflicted_state)
+
+    logger.debug("done")
+
+    defer.returnValue(resolved_state)
+
+
+@defer.inlineCallbacks
+def _get_power_level_for_sender(event_id, event_map, state_res_store):
+    """Return the power level of the sender of the given event according to
+    their auth events.
+
+    Args:
+        event_id (str)
+        event_map (dict[str,FrozenEvent])
+        state_res_store (StateResolutionStore)
+
+    Returns:
+        Deferred[int]
+    """
+    event = yield _get_event(event_id, event_map, state_res_store)
+
+    pl = None
+    for aid, _ in event.auth_events:
+        aev = yield _get_event(aid, event_map, state_res_store)
+        if (aev.type, aev.state_key) == (EventTypes.PowerLevels, ""):
+            pl = aev
+            break
+
+    if pl is None:
+        # Couldn't find power level. Check if they're the creator of the room
+        for aid, _ in event.auth_events:
+            aev = yield _get_event(aid, event_map, state_res_store)
+            if (aev.type, aev.state_key) == (EventTypes.Create, ""):
+                if aev.content.get("creator") == event.sender:
+                    defer.returnValue(100)
+                break
+        defer.returnValue(0)
+
+    level = pl.content.get("users", {}).get(event.sender)
+    if level is None:
+        level = pl.content.get("users_default", 0)
+
+    if level is None:
+        defer.returnValue(0)
+    else:
+        defer.returnValue(int(level))
+
+
+@defer.inlineCallbacks
+def _get_auth_chain_difference(state_sets, event_map, state_res_store):
+    """Compare the auth chains of each state set and return the set of events
+    that only appear in some but not all of the auth chains.
+
+    Args:
+        state_sets (list)
+        event_map (dict[str,FrozenEvent])
+        state_res_store (StateResolutionStore)
+
+    Returns:
+        Deferred[set[str]]: Set of event IDs
+    """
+    common = set(itervalues(state_sets[0])).intersection(
+        *(itervalues(s) for s in state_sets[1:])
+    )
+
+    auth_sets = []
+    for state_set in state_sets:
+        auth_ids = set(
+            eid
+            for key, eid in iteritems(state_set)
+            if (key[0] in (
+                EventTypes.Member,
+                EventTypes.ThirdPartyInvite,
+            ) or key in (
+                (EventTypes.PowerLevels, ''),
+                (EventTypes.Create, ''),
+                (EventTypes.JoinRules, ''),
+            )) and eid not in common
+        )
+
+        auth_chain = yield state_res_store.get_auth_chain(auth_ids)
+        auth_ids.update(auth_chain)
+
+        auth_sets.append(auth_ids)
+
+    intersection = set(auth_sets[0]).intersection(*auth_sets[1:])
+    union = set().union(*auth_sets)
+
+    defer.returnValue(union - intersection)
+
+
+def _seperate(state_sets):
+    """Return the unconflicted and conflicted state. This is different than in
+    the original algorithm, as this defines a key to be conflicted if one of
+    the state sets doesn't have that key.
+
+    Args:
+        state_sets (list)
+
+    Returns:
+        tuple[dict, dict]: A tuple of unconflicted and conflicted state. The
+        conflicted state dict is a map from type/state_key to set of event IDs
+    """
+    unconflicted_state = {}
+    conflicted_state = {}
+
+    for key in set(itertools.chain.from_iterable(state_sets)):
+        event_ids = set(state_set.get(key) for state_set in state_sets)
+        if len(event_ids) == 1:
+            unconflicted_state[key] = event_ids.pop()
+        else:
+            event_ids.discard(None)
+            conflicted_state[key] = event_ids
+
+    return unconflicted_state, conflicted_state
+
+
+def _is_power_event(event):
+    """Return whether or not the event is a "power event", as defined by the
+    v2 state resolution algorithm
+
+    Args:
+        event (FrozenEvent)
+
+    Returns:
+        boolean
+    """
+    if (event.type, event.state_key) in (
+        (EventTypes.PowerLevels, ""),
+        (EventTypes.JoinRules, ""),
+        (EventTypes.Create, ""),
+    ):
+        return True
+
+    if event.type == EventTypes.Member:
+        if event.membership in ('leave', 'ban'):
+            return event.sender != event.state_key
+
+    return False
+
+
+@defer.inlineCallbacks
+def _add_event_and_auth_chain_to_graph(graph, event_id, event_map,
+                                       state_res_store, auth_diff):
+    """Helper function for _reverse_topological_power_sort that add the event
+    and its auth chain (that is in the auth diff) to the graph
+
+    Args:
+        graph (dict[str, set[str]]): A map from event ID to the events auth
+            event IDs
+        event_id (str): Event to add to the graph
+        event_map (dict[str,FrozenEvent])
+        state_res_store (StateResolutionStore)
+        auth_diff (set[str]): Set of event IDs that are in the auth difference.
+    """
+
+    state = [event_id]
+    while state:
+        eid = state.pop()
+        graph.setdefault(eid, set())
+
+        event = yield _get_event(eid, event_map, state_res_store)
+        for aid, _ in event.auth_events:
+            if aid in auth_diff:
+                if aid not in graph:
+                    state.append(aid)
+
+                graph.setdefault(eid, set()).add(aid)
+
+
+@defer.inlineCallbacks
+def _reverse_topological_power_sort(event_ids, event_map, state_res_store, auth_diff):
+    """Returns a list of the event_ids sorted by reverse topological ordering,
+    and then by power level and origin_server_ts
+
+    Args:
+        event_ids (list[str]): The events to sort
+        event_map (dict[str,FrozenEvent])
+        state_res_store (StateResolutionStore)
+        auth_diff (set[str]): Set of event IDs that are in the auth difference.
+
+    Returns:
+        Deferred[list[str]]: The sorted list
+    """
+
+    graph = {}
+    for event_id in event_ids:
+        yield _add_event_and_auth_chain_to_graph(
+            graph, event_id, event_map, state_res_store, auth_diff,
+        )
+
+    event_to_pl = {}
+    for event_id in graph:
+        pl = yield _get_power_level_for_sender(event_id, event_map, state_res_store)
+        event_to_pl[event_id] = pl
+
+    def _get_power_order(event_id):
+        ev = event_map[event_id]
+        pl = event_to_pl[event_id]
+
+        return -pl, ev.origin_server_ts, event_id
+
+    # Note: graph is modified during the sort
+    it = lexicographical_topological_sort(
+        graph,
+        key=_get_power_order,
+    )
+    sorted_events = list(it)
+
+    defer.returnValue(sorted_events)
+
+
+@defer.inlineCallbacks
+def _iterative_auth_checks(event_ids, base_state, event_map, state_res_store):
+    """Sequentially apply auth checks to each event in given list, updating the
+    state as it goes along.
+
+    Args:
+        event_ids (list[str]): Ordered list of events to apply auth checks to
+        base_state (dict[tuple[str, str], str]): The set of state to start with
+        event_map (dict[str,FrozenEvent])
+        state_res_store (StateResolutionStore)
+
+    Returns:
+        Deferred[dict[tuple[str, str], str]]: Returns the final updated state
+    """
+    resolved_state = base_state.copy()
+
+    for event_id in event_ids:
+        event = event_map[event_id]
+
+        auth_events = {}
+        for aid, _ in event.auth_events:
+            ev = yield _get_event(aid, event_map, state_res_store)
+
+            if ev.rejected_reason is None:
+                auth_events[(ev.type, ev.state_key)] = ev
+
+        for key in event_auth.auth_types_for_event(event):
+            if key in resolved_state:
+                ev_id = resolved_state[key]
+                ev = yield _get_event(ev_id, event_map, state_res_store)
+
+                if ev.rejected_reason is None:
+                    auth_events[key] = event_map[ev_id]
+
+        try:
+            event_auth.check(
+                event, auth_events,
+                do_sig_check=False,
+                do_size_check=False
+            )
+
+            resolved_state[(event.type, event.state_key)] = event_id
+        except AuthError:
+            pass
+
+    defer.returnValue(resolved_state)
+
+
+@defer.inlineCallbacks
+def _mainline_sort(event_ids, resolved_power_event_id, event_map,
+                   state_res_store):
+    """Returns a sorted list of event_ids sorted by mainline ordering based on
+    the given event resolved_power_event_id
+
+    Args:
+        event_ids (list[str]): Events to sort
+        resolved_power_event_id (str): The final resolved power level event ID
+        event_map (dict[str,FrozenEvent])
+        state_res_store (StateResolutionStore)
+
+    Returns:
+        Deferred[list[str]]: The sorted list
+    """
+    mainline = []
+    pl = resolved_power_event_id
+    while pl:
+        mainline.append(pl)
+        pl_ev = yield _get_event(pl, event_map, state_res_store)
+        auth_events = pl_ev.auth_events
+        pl = None
+        for aid, _ in auth_events:
+            ev = yield _get_event(aid, event_map, state_res_store)
+            if (ev.type, ev.state_key) == (EventTypes.PowerLevels, ""):
+                pl = aid
+                break
+
+    mainline_map = {ev_id: i + 1 for i, ev_id in enumerate(reversed(mainline))}
+
+    event_ids = list(event_ids)
+
+    order_map = {}
+    for ev_id in event_ids:
+        depth = yield _get_mainline_depth_for_event(
+            event_map[ev_id], mainline_map,
+            event_map, state_res_store,
+        )
+        order_map[ev_id] = (depth, event_map[ev_id].origin_server_ts, ev_id)
+
+    event_ids.sort(key=lambda ev_id: order_map[ev_id])
+
+    defer.returnValue(event_ids)
+
+
+@defer.inlineCallbacks
+def _get_mainline_depth_for_event(event, mainline_map, event_map, state_res_store):
+    """Get the mainline depths for the given event based on the mainline map
+
+    Args:
+        event (FrozenEvent)
+        mainline_map (dict[str, int]): Map from event_id to mainline depth for
+            events in the mainline.
+        event_map (dict[str,FrozenEvent])
+        state_res_store (StateResolutionStore)
+
+    Returns:
+        Deferred[int]
+    """
+
+    # We do an iterative search, replacing `event with the power level in its
+    # auth events (if any)
+    while event:
+        depth = mainline_map.get(event.event_id)
+        if depth is not None:
+            defer.returnValue(depth)
+
+        auth_events = event.auth_events
+        event = None
+
+        for aid, _ in auth_events:
+            aev = yield _get_event(aid, event_map, state_res_store)
+            if (aev.type, aev.state_key) == (EventTypes.PowerLevels, ""):
+                event = aev
+                break
+
+    # Didn't find a power level auth event, so we just return 0
+    defer.returnValue(0)
+
+
+@defer.inlineCallbacks
+def _get_event(event_id, event_map, state_res_store):
+    """Helper function to look up event in event_map, falling back to looking
+    it up in the store
+
+    Args:
+        event_id (str)
+        event_map (dict[str,FrozenEvent])
+        state_res_store (StateResolutionStore)
+
+    Returns:
+        Deferred[FrozenEvent]
+    """
+    if event_id not in event_map:
+        events = yield state_res_store.get_events([event_id], allow_rejected=True)
+        event_map.update(events)
+    defer.returnValue(event_map[event_id])
+
+
+def lexicographical_topological_sort(graph, key):
+    """Performs a lexicographic reverse topological sort on the graph.
+
+    This returns a reverse topological sort (i.e. if node A references B then B
+    appears before A in the sort), with ties broken lexicographically based on
+    return value of the `key` function.
+
+    NOTE: `graph` is modified during the sort.
+
+    Args:
+        graph (dict[str, set[str]]): A representation of the graph where each
+            node is a key in the dict and its value are the nodes edges.
+        key (func): A function that takes a node and returns a value that is
+            comparable and used to order nodes
+
+    Yields:
+        str: The next node in the topological sort
+    """
+
+    # Note, this is basically Kahn's algorithm except we look at nodes with no
+    # outgoing edges, c.f.
+    # https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Topological_sorting#Kahn's_algorithm
+    outdegree_map = graph
+    reverse_graph = {}
+
+    # Lists of nodes with zero out degree. Is actually a tuple of
+    # `(key(node), node)` so that sorting does the right thing
+    zero_outdegree = []
+
+    for node, edges in iteritems(graph):
+        if len(edges) == 0:
+            zero_outdegree.append((key(node), node))
+
+        reverse_graph.setdefault(node, set())
+        for edge in edges:
+            reverse_graph.setdefault(edge, set()).add(node)
+
+    # heapq is a built in implementation of a sorted queue.
+    heapq.heapify(zero_outdegree)
+
+    while zero_outdegree:
+        _, node = heapq.heappop(zero_outdegree)
+
+        for parent in reverse_graph[node]:
+            out = outdegree_map[parent]
+            out.discard(node)
+            if len(out) == 0:
+                heapq.heappush(zero_outdegree, (key(parent), parent))
+
+        yield node
diff --git a/synapse/storage/_base.py b/synapse/storage/_base.py
index be61147b9b..d9d0255d0b 100644
--- a/synapse/storage/_base.py
+++ b/synapse/storage/_base.py
@@ -18,7 +18,7 @@ import threading
 import time
 
 from six import PY2, iteritems, iterkeys, itervalues
-from six.moves import intern, range
+from six.moves import builtins, intern, range
 
 from canonicaljson import json
 from prometheus_client import Histogram
@@ -1233,7 +1233,7 @@ def db_to_json(db_content):
 
     # psycopg2 on Python 2 returns buffer objects, which we need to cast to
     # bytes to decode
-    if PY2 and isinstance(db_content, buffer):
+    if PY2 and isinstance(db_content, builtins.buffer):
         db_content = bytes(db_content)
 
     # Decode it to a Unicode string before feeding it to json.loads, so we
diff --git a/synapse/storage/directory.py b/synapse/storage/directory.py
index cfb687cb53..61a029a53c 100644
--- a/synapse/storage/directory.py
+++ b/synapse/storage/directory.py
@@ -90,7 +90,7 @@ class DirectoryWorkerStore(SQLBaseStore):
 class DirectoryStore(DirectoryWorkerStore):
     @defer.inlineCallbacks
     def create_room_alias_association(self, room_alias, room_id, servers, creator=None):
-        """ Creates an associatin between  a room alias and room_id/servers
+        """ Creates an association between a room alias and room_id/servers
 
         Args:
             room_alias (RoomAlias)
diff --git a/synapse/storage/events.py b/synapse/storage/events.py
index 379b5c514f..e791922733 100644
--- a/synapse/storage/events.py
+++ b/synapse/storage/events.py
@@ -34,6 +34,7 @@ from synapse.api.errors import SynapseError
 from synapse.events import EventBase  # noqa: F401
 from synapse.events.snapshot import EventContext  # noqa: F401
 from synapse.metrics.background_process_metrics import run_as_background_process
+from synapse.state import StateResolutionStore
 from synapse.storage.background_updates import BackgroundUpdateStore
 from synapse.storage.event_federation import EventFederationStore
 from synapse.storage.events_worker import EventsWorkerStore
@@ -733,11 +734,6 @@ class EventsStore(StateGroupWorkerStore, EventFederationStore, EventsWorkerStore
 
         # Ok, we need to defer to the state handler to resolve our state sets.
 
-        def get_events(ev_ids):
-            return self.get_events(
-                ev_ids, get_prev_content=False, check_redacted=False,
-            )
-
         state_groups = {
             sg: state_groups_map[sg] for sg in new_state_groups
         }
@@ -747,7 +743,8 @@ class EventsStore(StateGroupWorkerStore, EventFederationStore, EventsWorkerStore
 
         logger.debug("calling resolve_state_groups from preserve_events")
         res = yield self._state_resolution_handler.resolve_state_groups(
-            room_id, room_version, state_groups, events_map, get_events
+            room_id, room_version, state_groups, events_map,
+            state_res_store=StateResolutionStore(self)
         )
 
         defer.returnValue((res.state, None))
@@ -856,6 +853,27 @@ class EventsStore(StateGroupWorkerStore, EventFederationStore, EventsWorkerStore
         # Insert into event_to_state_groups.
         self._store_event_state_mappings_txn(txn, events_and_contexts)
 
+        # We want to store event_auth mappings for rejected events, as they're
+        # used in state res v2.
+        # This is only necessary if the rejected event appears in an accepted
+        # event's auth chain, but its easier for now just to store them (and
+        # it doesn't take much storage compared to storing the entire event
+        # anyway).
+        self._simple_insert_many_txn(
+            txn,
+            table="event_auth",
+            values=[
+                {
+                    "event_id": event.event_id,
+                    "room_id": event.room_id,
+                    "auth_id": auth_id,
+                }
+                for event, _ in events_and_contexts
+                for auth_id, _ in event.auth_events
+                if event.is_state()
+            ],
+        )
+
         # _store_rejected_events_txn filters out any events which were
         # rejected, and returns the filtered list.
         events_and_contexts = self._store_rejected_events_txn(
@@ -1331,21 +1349,6 @@ class EventsStore(StateGroupWorkerStore, EventFederationStore, EventsWorkerStore
                     txn, event.room_id, event.redacts
                 )
 
-        self._simple_insert_many_txn(
-            txn,
-            table="event_auth",
-            values=[
-                {
-                    "event_id": event.event_id,
-                    "room_id": event.room_id,
-                    "auth_id": auth_id,
-                }
-                for event, _ in events_and_contexts
-                for auth_id, _ in event.auth_events
-                if event.is_state()
-            ],
-        )
-
         # Update the event_forward_extremities, event_backward_extremities and
         # event_edges tables.
         self._handle_mult_prev_events(
@@ -2068,7 +2071,7 @@ class EventsStore(StateGroupWorkerStore, EventFederationStore, EventsWorkerStore
         for sg in remaining_state_groups:
             logger.info("[purge] de-delta-ing remaining state group %s", sg)
             curr_state = self._get_state_groups_from_groups_txn(
-                txn, [sg], types=None
+                txn, [sg],
             )
             curr_state = curr_state[sg]
 
diff --git a/synapse/storage/keys.py b/synapse/storage/keys.py
index a1331c1a61..8af17921e3 100644
--- a/synapse/storage/keys.py
+++ b/synapse/storage/keys.py
@@ -32,7 +32,7 @@ logger = logging.getLogger(__name__)
 # py2 sqlite has buffer hardcoded as only binary type, so we must use it,
 # despite being deprecated and removed in favor of memoryview
 if six.PY2:
-    db_binary_type = buffer
+    db_binary_type = six.moves.builtins.buffer
 else:
     db_binary_type = memoryview
 
diff --git a/synapse/storage/monthly_active_users.py b/synapse/storage/monthly_active_users.py
index 0fe8c8e24c..cf4104dc2e 100644
--- a/synapse/storage/monthly_active_users.py
+++ b/synapse/storage/monthly_active_users.py
@@ -33,19 +33,29 @@ class MonthlyActiveUsersStore(SQLBaseStore):
         self._clock = hs.get_clock()
         self.hs = hs
         self.reserved_users = ()
+        # Do not add more reserved users than the total allowable number
+        self._initialise_reserved_users(
+            dbconn.cursor(),
+            hs.config.mau_limits_reserved_threepids[:self.hs.config.max_mau_value],
+        )
 
-    @defer.inlineCallbacks
-    def initialise_reserved_users(self, threepids):
-        store = self.hs.get_datastore()
+    def _initialise_reserved_users(self, txn, threepids):
+        """Ensures that reserved threepids are accounted for in the MAU table, should
+        be called on start up.
+
+        Args:
+            txn (cursor):
+            threepids (list[dict]): List of threepid dicts to reserve
+        """
         reserved_user_list = []
 
-        # Do not add more reserved users than the total allowable number
-        for tp in threepids[:self.hs.config.max_mau_value]:
-            user_id = yield store.get_user_id_by_threepid(
+        for tp in threepids:
+            user_id = self.get_user_id_by_threepid_txn(
+                txn,
                 tp["medium"], tp["address"]
             )
             if user_id:
-                yield self.upsert_monthly_active_user(user_id)
+                self.upsert_monthly_active_user_txn(txn, user_id)
                 reserved_user_list.append(user_id)
             else:
                 logger.warning(
@@ -55,8 +65,7 @@ class MonthlyActiveUsersStore(SQLBaseStore):
 
     @defer.inlineCallbacks
     def reap_monthly_active_users(self):
-        """
-        Cleans out monthly active user table to ensure that no stale
+        """Cleans out monthly active user table to ensure that no stale
         entries exist.
 
         Returns:
@@ -165,19 +174,44 @@ class MonthlyActiveUsersStore(SQLBaseStore):
 
     @defer.inlineCallbacks
     def upsert_monthly_active_user(self, user_id):
+        """Updates or inserts the user into the monthly active user table, which
+        is used to track the current MAU usage of the server
+
+        Args:
+            user_id (str): user to add/update
         """
-            Updates or inserts monthly active user member
-            Arguments:
-                user_id (str): user to add/update
-            Deferred[bool]: True if a new entry was created, False if an
-                existing one was updated.
+        is_insert = yield self.runInteraction(
+            "upsert_monthly_active_user", self.upsert_monthly_active_user_txn,
+            user_id
+        )
+
+        if is_insert:
+            self.user_last_seen_monthly_active.invalidate((user_id,))
+            self.get_monthly_active_count.invalidate(())
+
+    def upsert_monthly_active_user_txn(self, txn, user_id):
+        """Updates or inserts monthly active user member
+
+        Note that, after calling this method, it will generally be necessary
+        to invalidate the caches on user_last_seen_monthly_active and
+        get_monthly_active_count. We can't do that here, because we are running
+        in a database thread rather than the main thread, and we can't call
+        txn.call_after because txn may not be a LoggingTransaction.
+
+        Args:
+            txn (cursor):
+            user_id (str): user to add/update
+
+        Returns:
+            bool: True if a new entry was created, False if an
+            existing one was updated.
         """
         # Am consciously deciding to lock the table on the basis that is ought
         # never be a big table and alternative approaches (batching multiple
         # upserts into a single txn) introduced a lot of extra complexity.
         # See https://github.com/matrix-org/synapse/issues/3854 for more
-        is_insert = yield self._simple_upsert(
-            desc="upsert_monthly_active_user",
+        is_insert = self._simple_upsert_txn(
+            txn,
             table="monthly_active_users",
             keyvalues={
                 "user_id": user_id,
@@ -186,9 +220,8 @@ class MonthlyActiveUsersStore(SQLBaseStore):
                 "timestamp": int(self._clock.time_msec()),
             },
         )
-        if is_insert:
-            self.user_last_seen_monthly_active.invalidate((user_id,))
-            self.get_monthly_active_count.invalidate(())
+
+        return is_insert
 
     @cached(num_args=1)
     def user_last_seen_monthly_active(self, user_id):
diff --git a/synapse/storage/pusher.py b/synapse/storage/pusher.py
index c7987bfcdd..2743b52bad 100644
--- a/synapse/storage/pusher.py
+++ b/synapse/storage/pusher.py
@@ -29,7 +29,7 @@ from ._base import SQLBaseStore
 logger = logging.getLogger(__name__)
 
 if six.PY2:
-    db_binary_type = buffer
+    db_binary_type = six.moves.builtins.buffer
 else:
     db_binary_type = memoryview
 
diff --git a/synapse/storage/registration.py b/synapse/storage/registration.py
index 26b429e307..80d76bf9d7 100644
--- a/synapse/storage/registration.py
+++ b/synapse/storage/registration.py
@@ -474,17 +474,44 @@ class RegistrationStore(RegistrationWorkerStore,
 
     @defer.inlineCallbacks
     def get_user_id_by_threepid(self, medium, address):
-        ret = yield self._simple_select_one(
+        """Returns user id from threepid
+
+        Args:
+            medium (str): threepid medium e.g. email
+            address (str): threepid address e.g. me@example.com
+
+        Returns:
+            Deferred[str|None]: user id or None if no user id/threepid mapping exists
+        """
+        user_id = yield self.runInteraction(
+            "get_user_id_by_threepid", self.get_user_id_by_threepid_txn,
+            medium, address
+        )
+        defer.returnValue(user_id)
+
+    def get_user_id_by_threepid_txn(self, txn, medium, address):
+        """Returns user id from threepid
+
+        Args:
+            txn (cursor):
+            medium (str): threepid medium e.g. email
+            address (str): threepid address e.g. me@example.com
+
+        Returns:
+            str|None: user id or None if no user id/threepid mapping exists
+        """
+        ret = self._simple_select_one_txn(
+            txn,
             "user_threepids",
             {
                 "medium": medium,
                 "address": address
             },
-            ['user_id'], True, 'get_user_id_by_threepid'
+            ['user_id'], True
         )
         if ret:
-            defer.returnValue(ret['user_id'])
-        defer.returnValue(None)
+            return ret['user_id']
+        return None
 
     def user_delete_threepid(self, user_id, medium, address):
         return self._simple_delete(
@@ -567,7 +594,7 @@ class RegistrationStore(RegistrationWorkerStore,
         def _find_next_generated_user_id(txn):
             txn.execute("SELECT name FROM users")
 
-            regex = re.compile("^@(\d+):")
+            regex = re.compile(r"^@(\d+):")
 
             found = set()
 
diff --git a/synapse/storage/signatures.py b/synapse/storage/signatures.py
index 5623391f6e..158e9dbe7b 100644
--- a/synapse/storage/signatures.py
+++ b/synapse/storage/signatures.py
@@ -27,7 +27,7 @@ from ._base import SQLBaseStore
 # py2 sqlite has buffer hardcoded as only binary type, so we must use it,
 # despite being deprecated and removed in favor of memoryview
 if six.PY2:
-    db_binary_type = buffer
+    db_binary_type = six.moves.builtins.buffer
 else:
     db_binary_type = memoryview
 
diff --git a/synapse/storage/state.py b/synapse/storage/state.py
index 0f86311ed4..59a50a5df9 100644
--- a/synapse/storage/state.py
+++ b/synapse/storage/state.py
@@ -19,6 +19,8 @@ from collections import namedtuple
 from six import iteritems, itervalues
 from six.moves import range
 
+import attr
+
 from twisted.internet import defer
 
 from synapse.api.constants import EventTypes
@@ -48,6 +50,318 @@ class _GetStateGroupDelta(namedtuple("_GetStateGroupDelta", ("prev_group", "delt
         return len(self.delta_ids) if self.delta_ids else 0
 
 
+@attr.s(slots=True)
+class StateFilter(object):
+    """A filter used when querying for state.
+
+    Attributes:
+        types (dict[str, set[str]|None]): Map from type to set of state keys (or
+            None). This specifies which state_keys for the given type to fetch
+            from the DB. If None then all events with that type are fetched. If
+            the set is empty then no events with that type are fetched.
+        include_others (bool): Whether to fetch events with types that do not
+            appear in `types`.
+    """
+
+    types = attr.ib()
+    include_others = attr.ib(default=False)
+
+    def __attrs_post_init__(self):
+        # If `include_others` is set we canonicalise the filter by removing
+        # wildcards from the types dictionary
+        if self.include_others:
+            self.types = {
+                k: v for k, v in iteritems(self.types)
+                if v is not None
+            }
+
+    @staticmethod
+    def all():
+        """Creates a filter that fetches everything.
+
+        Returns:
+            StateFilter
+        """
+        return StateFilter(types={}, include_others=True)
+
+    @staticmethod
+    def none():
+        """Creates a filter that fetches nothing.
+
+        Returns:
+            StateFilter
+        """
+        return StateFilter(types={}, include_others=False)
+
+    @staticmethod
+    def from_types(types):
+        """Creates a filter that only fetches the given types
+
+        Args:
+            types (Iterable[tuple[str, str|None]]): A list of type and state
+                keys to fetch. A state_key of None fetches everything for
+                that type
+
+        Returns:
+            StateFilter
+        """
+        type_dict = {}
+        for typ, s in types:
+            if typ in type_dict:
+                if type_dict[typ] is None:
+                    continue
+
+            if s is None:
+                type_dict[typ] = None
+                continue
+
+            type_dict.setdefault(typ, set()).add(s)
+
+        return StateFilter(types=type_dict)
+
+    @staticmethod
+    def from_lazy_load_member_list(members):
+        """Creates a filter that returns all non-member events, plus the member
+        events for the given users
+
+        Args:
+            members (iterable[str]): Set of user IDs
+
+        Returns:
+            StateFilter
+        """
+        return StateFilter(
+            types={EventTypes.Member: set(members)},
+            include_others=True,
+        )
+
+    def return_expanded(self):
+        """Creates a new StateFilter where type wild cards have been removed
+        (except for memberships). The returned filter is a superset of the
+        current one, i.e. anything that passes the current filter will pass
+        the returned filter.
+
+        This helps the caching as the DictionaryCache knows if it has *all* the
+        state, but does not know if it has all of the keys of a particular type,
+        which makes wildcard lookups expensive unless we have a complete cache.
+        Hence, if we are doing a wildcard lookup, populate the cache fully so
+        that we can do an efficient lookup next time.
+
+        Note that since we have two caches, one for membership events and one for
+        other events, we can be a bit more clever than simply returning
+        `StateFilter.all()` if `has_wildcards()` is True.
+
+        We return a StateFilter where:
+            1. the list of membership events to return is the same
+            2. if there is a wildcard that matches non-member events we
+               return all non-member events
+
+        Returns:
+            StateFilter
+        """
+
+        if self.is_full():
+            # If we're going to return everything then there's nothing to do
+            return self
+
+        if not self.has_wildcards():
+            # If there are no wild cards, there's nothing to do
+            return self
+
+        if EventTypes.Member in self.types:
+            get_all_members = self.types[EventTypes.Member] is None
+        else:
+            get_all_members = self.include_others
+
+        has_non_member_wildcard = self.include_others or any(
+            state_keys is None
+            for t, state_keys in iteritems(self.types)
+            if t != EventTypes.Member
+        )
+
+        if not has_non_member_wildcard:
+            # If there are no non-member wild cards we can just return ourselves
+            return self
+
+        if get_all_members:
+            # We want to return everything.
+            return StateFilter.all()
+        else:
+            # We want to return all non-members, but only particular
+            # memberships
+            return StateFilter(
+                types={EventTypes.Member: self.types[EventTypes.Member]},
+                include_others=True,
+            )
+
+    def make_sql_filter_clause(self):
+        """Converts the filter to an SQL clause.
+
+        For example:
+
+            f = StateFilter.from_types([("m.room.create", "")])
+            clause, args = f.make_sql_filter_clause()
+            clause == "(type = ? AND state_key = ?)"
+            args == ['m.room.create', '']
+
+
+        Returns:
+            tuple[str, list]: The SQL string (may be empty) and arguments. An
+            empty SQL string is returned when the filter matches everything
+            (i.e. is "full").
+        """
+
+        where_clause = ""
+        where_args = []
+
+        if self.is_full():
+            return where_clause, where_args
+
+        if not self.include_others and not self.types:
+            # i.e. this is an empty filter, so we need to return a clause that
+            # will match nothing
+            return "1 = 2", []
+
+        # First we build up a lost of clauses for each type/state_key combo
+        clauses = []
+        for etype, state_keys in iteritems(self.types):
+            if state_keys is None:
+                clauses.append("(type = ?)")
+                where_args.append(etype)
+                continue
+
+            for state_key in state_keys:
+                clauses.append("(type = ? AND state_key = ?)")
+                where_args.extend((etype, state_key))
+
+        # This will match anything that appears in `self.types`
+        where_clause = " OR ".join(clauses)
+
+        # If we want to include stuff that's not in the types dict then we add
+        # a `OR type NOT IN (...)` clause to the end.
+        if self.include_others:
+            if where_clause:
+                where_clause += " OR "
+
+            where_clause += "type NOT IN (%s)" % (
+                ",".join(["?"] * len(self.types)),
+            )
+            where_args.extend(self.types)
+
+        return where_clause, where_args
+
+    def max_entries_returned(self):
+        """Returns the maximum number of entries this filter will return if
+        known, otherwise returns None.
+
+        For example a simple state filter asking for `("m.room.create", "")`
+        will return 1, whereas the default state filter will return None.
+
+        This is used to bail out early if the right number of entries have been
+        fetched.
+        """
+        if self.has_wildcards():
+            return None
+
+        return len(self.concrete_types())
+
+    def filter_state(self, state_dict):
+        """Returns the state filtered with by this StateFilter
+
+        Args:
+            state (dict[tuple[str, str], Any]): The state map to filter
+
+        Returns:
+            dict[tuple[str, str], Any]: The filtered state map
+        """
+        if self.is_full():
+            return dict(state_dict)
+
+        filtered_state = {}
+        for k, v in iteritems(state_dict):
+            typ, state_key = k
+            if typ in self.types:
+                state_keys = self.types[typ]
+                if state_keys is None or state_key in state_keys:
+                    filtered_state[k] = v
+            elif self.include_others:
+                filtered_state[k] = v
+
+        return filtered_state
+
+    def is_full(self):
+        """Whether this filter fetches everything or not
+
+        Returns:
+            bool
+        """
+        return self.include_others and not self.types
+
+    def has_wildcards(self):
+        """Whether the filter includes wildcards or is attempting to fetch
+        specific state.
+
+        Returns:
+            bool
+        """
+
+        return (
+            self.include_others
+            or any(
+                state_keys is None
+                for state_keys in itervalues(self.types)
+            )
+        )
+
+    def concrete_types(self):
+        """Returns a list of concrete type/state_keys (i.e. not None) that
+        will be fetched. This will be a complete list if `has_wildcards`
+        returns False, but otherwise will be a subset (or even empty).
+
+        Returns:
+            list[tuple[str,str]]
+        """
+        return [
+            (t, s)
+            for t, state_keys in iteritems(self.types)
+            if state_keys is not None
+            for s in state_keys
+        ]
+
+    def get_member_split(self):
+        """Return the filter split into two: one which assumes it's exclusively
+        matching against member state, and one which assumes it's matching
+        against non member state.
+
+        This is useful due to the returned filters giving correct results for
+        `is_full()`, `has_wildcards()`, etc, when operating against maps that
+        either exclusively contain member events or only contain non-member
+        events. (Which is the case when dealing with the member vs non-member
+        state caches).
+
+        Returns:
+            tuple[StateFilter, StateFilter]: The member and non member filters
+        """
+
+        if EventTypes.Member in self.types:
+            state_keys = self.types[EventTypes.Member]
+            if state_keys is None:
+                member_filter = StateFilter.all()
+            else:
+                member_filter = StateFilter({EventTypes.Member: state_keys})
+        elif self.include_others:
+            member_filter = StateFilter.all()
+        else:
+            member_filter = StateFilter.none()
+
+        non_member_filter = StateFilter(
+            types={k: v for k, v in iteritems(self.types) if k != EventTypes.Member},
+            include_others=self.include_others,
+        )
+
+        return member_filter, non_member_filter
+
+
 # this inherits from EventsWorkerStore because it calls self.get_events
 class StateGroupWorkerStore(EventsWorkerStore, SQLBaseStore):
     """The parts of StateGroupStore that can be called from workers.
@@ -152,61 +466,41 @@ class StateGroupWorkerStore(EventsWorkerStore, SQLBaseStore):
         )
 
     # FIXME: how should this be cached?
-    def get_filtered_current_state_ids(self, room_id, types, filtered_types=None):
+    def get_filtered_current_state_ids(self, room_id, state_filter=StateFilter.all()):
         """Get the current state event of a given type for a room based on the
         current_state_events table.  This may not be as up-to-date as the result
         of doing a fresh state resolution as per state_handler.get_current_state
+
         Args:
             room_id (str)
-            types (list[(Str, (Str|None))]): List of (type, state_key) tuples
-                which are used to filter the state fetched. `state_key` may be
-                None, which matches any `state_key`
-            filtered_types (list[Str]|None): List of types to apply the above filter to.
+            state_filter (StateFilter): The state filter used to fetch state
+                from the database.
+
         Returns:
-            deferred: dict of (type, state_key) -> event
+            Deferred[dict[tuple[str, str], str]]: Map from type/state_key to
+            event ID.
         """
 
-        include_other_types = False if filtered_types is None else True
-
         def _get_filtered_current_state_ids_txn(txn):
             results = {}
-            sql = """SELECT type, state_key, event_id FROM current_state_events
-                     WHERE room_id = ? %s"""
-            # Turns out that postgres doesn't like doing a list of OR's and
-            # is about 1000x slower, so we just issue a query for each specific
-            # type seperately.
-            if types:
-                clause_to_args = [
-                    (
-                        "AND type = ? AND state_key = ?",
-                        (etype, state_key)
-                    ) if state_key is not None else (
-                        "AND type = ?",
-                        (etype,)
-                    )
-                    for etype, state_key in types
-                ]
-
-                if include_other_types:
-                    unique_types = set(filtered_types)
-                    clause_to_args.append(
-                        (
-                            "AND type <> ? " * len(unique_types),
-                            list(unique_types)
-                        )
-                    )
-            else:
-                # If types is None we fetch all the state, and so just use an
-                # empty where clause with no extra args.
-                clause_to_args = [("", [])]
-            for where_clause, where_args in clause_to_args:
-                args = [room_id]
-                args.extend(where_args)
-                txn.execute(sql % (where_clause,), args)
-                for row in txn:
-                    typ, state_key, event_id = row
-                    key = (intern_string(typ), intern_string(state_key))
-                    results[key] = event_id
+            sql = """
+                SELECT type, state_key, event_id FROM current_state_events
+                WHERE room_id = ?
+            """
+
+            where_clause, where_args = state_filter.make_sql_filter_clause()
+
+            if where_clause:
+                sql += " AND (%s)" % (where_clause,)
+
+            args = [room_id]
+            args.extend(where_args)
+            txn.execute(sql, args)
+            for row in txn:
+                typ, state_key, event_id = row
+                key = (intern_string(typ), intern_string(state_key))
+                results[key] = event_id
+
             return results
 
         return self.runInteraction(
@@ -322,20 +616,14 @@ class StateGroupWorkerStore(EventsWorkerStore, SQLBaseStore):
         })
 
     @defer.inlineCallbacks
-    def _get_state_groups_from_groups(self, groups, types, members=None):
+    def _get_state_groups_from_groups(self, groups, state_filter):
         """Returns the state groups for a given set of groups, filtering on
         types of state events.
 
         Args:
             groups(list[int]): list of state group IDs to query
-            types (Iterable[str, str|None]|None): list of 2-tuples of the form
-                (`type`, `state_key`), where a `state_key` of `None` matches all
-                state_keys for the `type`. If None, all types are returned.
-            members (bool|None): If not None, then, in addition to any filtering
-                implied by types, the results are also filtered to only include
-                member events (if True), or to exclude member events (if False)
-
-        Returns:
+            state_filter (StateFilter): The state filter used to fetch state
+                from the database.
         Returns:
             Deferred[dict[int, dict[tuple[str, str], str]]]:
                 dict of state_group_id -> (dict of (type, state_key) -> event id)
@@ -346,19 +634,23 @@ class StateGroupWorkerStore(EventsWorkerStore, SQLBaseStore):
         for chunk in chunks:
             res = yield self.runInteraction(
                 "_get_state_groups_from_groups",
-                self._get_state_groups_from_groups_txn, chunk, types, members,
+                self._get_state_groups_from_groups_txn, chunk, state_filter,
             )
             results.update(res)
 
         defer.returnValue(results)
 
     def _get_state_groups_from_groups_txn(
-        self, txn, groups, types=None, members=None,
+        self, txn, groups, state_filter=StateFilter.all(),
     ):
         results = {group: {} for group in groups}
 
-        if types is not None:
-            types = list(set(types))  # deduplicate types list
+        where_clause, where_args = state_filter.make_sql_filter_clause()
+
+        # Unless the filter clause is empty, we're going to append it after an
+        # existing where clause
+        if where_clause:
+            where_clause = " AND (%s)" % (where_clause,)
 
         if isinstance(self.database_engine, PostgresEngine):
             # Temporarily disable sequential scans in this transaction. This is
@@ -374,79 +666,33 @@ class StateGroupWorkerStore(EventsWorkerStore, SQLBaseStore):
             # group for the given type, state_key.
             # This may return multiple rows per (type, state_key), but last_value
             # should be the same.
-            sql = ("""
+            sql = """
                 WITH RECURSIVE state(state_group) AS (
                     VALUES(?::bigint)
                     UNION ALL
                     SELECT prev_state_group FROM state_group_edges e, state s
                     WHERE s.state_group = e.state_group
                 )
-                SELECT type, state_key, last_value(event_id) OVER (
+                SELECT DISTINCT type, state_key, last_value(event_id) OVER (
                     PARTITION BY type, state_key ORDER BY state_group ASC
                     ROWS BETWEEN UNBOUNDED PRECEDING AND UNBOUNDED FOLLOWING
                 ) AS event_id FROM state_groups_state
                 WHERE state_group IN (
                     SELECT state_group FROM state
                 )
-                %s
-            """)
-
-            if members is True:
-                sql += " AND type = '%s'" % (EventTypes.Member,)
-            elif members is False:
-                sql += " AND type <> '%s'" % (EventTypes.Member,)
-
-            # Turns out that postgres doesn't like doing a list of OR's and
-            # is about 1000x slower, so we just issue a query for each specific
-            # type seperately.
-            if types is not None:
-                clause_to_args = [
-                    (
-                        "AND type = ? AND state_key = ?",
-                        (etype, state_key)
-                    ) if state_key is not None else (
-                        "AND type = ?",
-                        (etype,)
-                    )
-                    for etype, state_key in types
-                ]
-            else:
-                # If types is None we fetch all the state, and so just use an
-                # empty where clause with no extra args.
-                clause_to_args = [("", [])]
+            """
 
-            for where_clause, where_args in clause_to_args:
-                for group in groups:
-                    args = [group]
-                    args.extend(where_args)
+            for group in groups:
+                args = [group]
+                args.extend(where_args)
 
-                    txn.execute(sql % (where_clause,), args)
-                    for row in txn:
-                        typ, state_key, event_id = row
-                        key = (typ, state_key)
-                        results[group][key] = event_id
+                txn.execute(sql + where_clause, args)
+                for row in txn:
+                    typ, state_key, event_id = row
+                    key = (typ, state_key)
+                    results[group][key] = event_id
         else:
-            where_args = []
-            where_clauses = []
-            wildcard_types = False
-            if types is not None:
-                for typ in types:
-                    if typ[1] is None:
-                        where_clauses.append("(type = ?)")
-                        where_args.append(typ[0])
-                        wildcard_types = True
-                    else:
-                        where_clauses.append("(type = ? AND state_key = ?)")
-                        where_args.extend([typ[0], typ[1]])
-
-                where_clause = "AND (%s)" % (" OR ".join(where_clauses))
-            else:
-                where_clause = ""
-
-            if members is True:
-                where_clause += " AND type = '%s'" % EventTypes.Member
-            elif members is False:
-                where_clause += " AND type <> '%s'" % EventTypes.Member
+            max_entries_returned = state_filter.max_entries_returned()
 
             # We don't use WITH RECURSIVE on sqlite3 as there are distributions
             # that ship with an sqlite3 version that doesn't support it (e.g. wheezy)
@@ -460,12 +706,11 @@ class StateGroupWorkerStore(EventsWorkerStore, SQLBaseStore):
                     # without the right indices (which we can't add until
                     # after we finish deduping state, which requires this func)
                     args = [next_group]
-                    if types:
-                        args.extend(where_args)
+                    args.extend(where_args)
 
                     txn.execute(
                         "SELECT type, state_key, event_id FROM state_groups_state"
-                        " WHERE state_group = ? %s" % (where_clause,),
+                        " WHERE state_group = ? " + where_clause,
                         args
                     )
                     results[group].update(
@@ -481,9 +726,8 @@ class StateGroupWorkerStore(EventsWorkerStore, SQLBaseStore):
                     # wildcards (i.e. Nones) in which case we have to do an exhaustive
                     # search
                     if (
-                        types is not None and
-                        not wildcard_types and
-                        len(results[group]) == len(types)
+                        max_entries_returned is not None and
+                        len(results[group]) == max_entries_returned
                     ):
                         break
 
@@ -498,20 +742,14 @@ class StateGroupWorkerStore(EventsWorkerStore, SQLBaseStore):
         return results
 
     @defer.inlineCallbacks
-    def get_state_for_events(self, event_ids, types, filtered_types=None):
+    def get_state_for_events(self, event_ids, state_filter=StateFilter.all()):
         """Given a list of event_ids and type tuples, return a list of state
-        dicts for each event. The state dicts will only have the type/state_keys
-        that are in the `types` list.
+        dicts for each event.
 
         Args:
             event_ids (list[string])
-            types (list[(str, str|None)]|None): List of (type, state_key) tuples
-                which are used to filter the state fetched. If `state_key` is None,
-                all events are returned of the given type.
-                May be None, which matches any key.
-            filtered_types(list[str]|None): Only apply filtering via `types` to this
-                list of event types.  Other types of events are returned unfiltered.
-                If None, `types` filtering is applied to all events.
+            state_filter (StateFilter): The state filter used to fetch state
+                from the database.
 
         Returns:
             deferred: A dict of (event_id) -> (type, state_key) -> [state_events]
@@ -521,7 +759,7 @@ class StateGroupWorkerStore(EventsWorkerStore, SQLBaseStore):
         )
 
         groups = set(itervalues(event_to_groups))
-        group_to_state = yield self._get_state_for_groups(groups, types, filtered_types)
+        group_to_state = yield self._get_state_for_groups(groups, state_filter)
 
         state_event_map = yield self.get_events(
             [ev_id for sd in itervalues(group_to_state) for ev_id in itervalues(sd)],
@@ -540,20 +778,15 @@ class StateGroupWorkerStore(EventsWorkerStore, SQLBaseStore):
         defer.returnValue({event: event_to_state[event] for event in event_ids})
 
     @defer.inlineCallbacks
-    def get_state_ids_for_events(self, event_ids, types=None, filtered_types=None):
+    def get_state_ids_for_events(self, event_ids, state_filter=StateFilter.all()):
         """
         Get the state dicts corresponding to a list of events, containing the event_ids
         of the state events (as opposed to the events themselves)
 
         Args:
             event_ids(list(str)): events whose state should be returned
-            types(list[(str, str|None)]|None): List of (type, state_key) tuples
-                which are used to filter the state fetched. If `state_key` is None,
-                all events are returned of the given type.
-                May be None, which matches any key.
-            filtered_types(list[str]|None): Only apply filtering via `types` to this
-                list of event types.  Other types of events are returned unfiltered.
-                If None, `types` filtering is applied to all events.
+            state_filter (StateFilter): The state filter used to fetch state
+                from the database.
 
         Returns:
             A deferred dict from event_id -> (type, state_key) -> event_id
@@ -563,7 +796,7 @@ class StateGroupWorkerStore(EventsWorkerStore, SQLBaseStore):
         )
 
         groups = set(itervalues(event_to_groups))
-        group_to_state = yield self._get_state_for_groups(groups, types, filtered_types)
+        group_to_state = yield self._get_state_for_groups(groups, state_filter)
 
         event_to_state = {
             event_id: group_to_state[group]
@@ -573,45 +806,35 @@ class StateGroupWorkerStore(EventsWorkerStore, SQLBaseStore):
         defer.returnValue({event: event_to_state[event] for event in event_ids})
 
     @defer.inlineCallbacks
-    def get_state_for_event(self, event_id, types=None, filtered_types=None):
+    def get_state_for_event(self, event_id, state_filter=StateFilter.all()):
         """
         Get the state dict corresponding to a particular event
 
         Args:
             event_id(str): event whose state should be returned
-            types(list[(str, str|None)]|None): List of (type, state_key) tuples
-                which are used to filter the state fetched. If `state_key` is None,
-                all events are returned of the given type.
-                May be None, which matches any key.
-            filtered_types(list[str]|None): Only apply filtering via `types` to this
-                list of event types.  Other types of events are returned unfiltered.
-                If None, `types` filtering is applied to all events.
+            state_filter (StateFilter): The state filter used to fetch state
+                from the database.
 
         Returns:
             A deferred dict from (type, state_key) -> state_event
         """
-        state_map = yield self.get_state_for_events([event_id], types, filtered_types)
+        state_map = yield self.get_state_for_events([event_id], state_filter)
         defer.returnValue(state_map[event_id])
 
     @defer.inlineCallbacks
-    def get_state_ids_for_event(self, event_id, types=None, filtered_types=None):
+    def get_state_ids_for_event(self, event_id, state_filter=StateFilter.all()):
         """
         Get the state dict corresponding to a particular event
 
         Args:
             event_id(str): event whose state should be returned
-            types(list[(str, str|None)]|None): List of (type, state_key) tuples
-                which are used to filter the state fetched. If `state_key` is None,
-                all events are returned of the given type.
-                May be None, which matches any key.
-            filtered_types(list[str]|None): Only apply filtering via `types` to this
-                list of event types.  Other types of events are returned unfiltered.
-                If None, `types` filtering is applied to all events.
+            state_filter (StateFilter): The state filter used to fetch state
+                from the database.
 
         Returns:
             A deferred dict from (type, state_key) -> state_event
         """
-        state_map = yield self.get_state_ids_for_events([event_id], types, filtered_types)
+        state_map = yield self.get_state_ids_for_events([event_id], state_filter)
         defer.returnValue(state_map[event_id])
 
     @cached(max_entries=50000)
@@ -642,18 +865,14 @@ class StateGroupWorkerStore(EventsWorkerStore, SQLBaseStore):
 
         defer.returnValue({row["event_id"]: row["state_group"] for row in rows})
 
-    def _get_some_state_from_cache(self, cache, group, types, filtered_types=None):
+    def _get_state_for_group_using_cache(self, cache, group, state_filter):
         """Checks if group is in cache. See `_get_state_for_groups`
 
         Args:
             cache(DictionaryCache): the state group cache to use
             group(int): The state group to lookup
-            types(list[str, str|None]): List of 2-tuples of the form
-                (`type`, `state_key`), where a `state_key` of `None` matches all
-                state_keys for the `type`.
-            filtered_types(list[str]|None): Only apply filtering via `types` to this
-                list of event types.  Other types of events are returned unfiltered.
-                If None, `types` filtering is applied to all events.
+            state_filter (StateFilter): The state filter used to fetch state
+                from the database.
 
         Returns 2-tuple (`state_dict`, `got_all`).
         `got_all` is a bool indicating if we successfully retrieved all
@@ -662,124 +881,102 @@ class StateGroupWorkerStore(EventsWorkerStore, SQLBaseStore):
         """
         is_all, known_absent, state_dict_ids = cache.get(group)
 
-        type_to_key = {}
+        if is_all or state_filter.is_full():
+            # Either we have everything or want everything, either way
+            # `is_all` tells us whether we've gotten everything.
+            return state_filter.filter_state(state_dict_ids), is_all
 
         # tracks whether any of our requested types are missing from the cache
         missing_types = False
 
-        for typ, state_key in types:
-            key = (typ, state_key)
-
-            if (
-                state_key is None or
-                (filtered_types is not None and typ not in filtered_types)
-            ):
-                type_to_key[typ] = None
-                # we mark the type as missing from the cache because
-                # when the cache was populated it might have been done with a
-                # restricted set of state_keys, so the wildcard will not work
-                # and the cache may be incomplete.
-                missing_types = True
-            else:
-                if type_to_key.get(typ, object()) is not None:
-                    type_to_key.setdefault(typ, set()).add(state_key)
-
+        if state_filter.has_wildcards():
+            # We don't know if we fetched all the state keys for the types in
+            # the filter that are wildcards, so we have to assume that we may
+            # have missed some.
+            missing_types = True
+        else:
+            # There aren't any wild cards, so `concrete_types()` returns the
+            # complete list of event types we're wanting.
+            for key in state_filter.concrete_types():
                 if key not in state_dict_ids and key not in known_absent:
                     missing_types = True
+                    break
 
-        sentinel = object()
-
-        def include(typ, state_key):
-            valid_state_keys = type_to_key.get(typ, sentinel)
-            if valid_state_keys is sentinel:
-                return filtered_types is not None and typ not in filtered_types
-            if valid_state_keys is None:
-                return True
-            if state_key in valid_state_keys:
-                return True
-            return False
-
-        got_all = is_all
-        if not got_all:
-            # the cache is incomplete. We may still have got all the results we need, if
-            # we don't have any wildcards in the match list.
-            if not missing_types and filtered_types is None:
-                got_all = True
-
-        return {
-            k: v for k, v in iteritems(state_dict_ids)
-            if include(k[0], k[1])
-        }, got_all
-
-    def _get_all_state_from_cache(self, cache, group):
-        """Checks if group is in cache. See `_get_state_for_groups`
-
-        Returns 2-tuple (`state_dict`, `got_all`). `got_all` is a bool
-        indicating if we successfully retrieved all requests state from the
-        cache, if False we need to query the DB for the missing state.
-
-        Args:
-            cache(DictionaryCache): the state group cache to use
-            group: The state group to lookup
-        """
-        is_all, _, state_dict_ids = cache.get(group)
-
-        return state_dict_ids, is_all
+        return state_filter.filter_state(state_dict_ids), not missing_types
 
     @defer.inlineCallbacks
-    def _get_state_for_groups(self, groups, types=None, filtered_types=None):
+    def _get_state_for_groups(self, groups, state_filter=StateFilter.all()):
         """Gets the state at each of a list of state groups, optionally
         filtering by type/state_key
 
         Args:
             groups (iterable[int]): list of state groups for which we want
                 to get the state.
-            types (None|iterable[(str, None|str)]):
-                indicates the state type/keys required. If None, the whole
-                state is fetched and returned.
-
-                Otherwise, each entry should be a `(type, state_key)` tuple to
-                include in the response. A `state_key` of None is a wildcard
-                meaning that we require all state with that type.
-            filtered_types(list[str]|None): Only apply filtering via `types` to this
-                list of event types.  Other types of events are returned unfiltered.
-                If None, `types` filtering is applied to all events.
-
+            state_filter (StateFilter): The state filter used to fetch state
+                from the database.
         Returns:
             Deferred[dict[int, dict[tuple[str, str], str]]]:
                 dict of state_group_id -> (dict of (type, state_key) -> event id)
         """
-        if types is not None:
-            non_member_types = [t for t in types if t[0] != EventTypes.Member]
-
-            if filtered_types is not None and EventTypes.Member not in filtered_types:
-                # we want all of the membership events
-                member_types = None
-            else:
-                member_types = [t for t in types if t[0] == EventTypes.Member]
 
-        else:
-            non_member_types = None
-            member_types = None
+        member_filter, non_member_filter = state_filter.get_member_split()
 
-        non_member_state = yield self._get_state_for_groups_using_cache(
-            groups, self._state_group_cache, non_member_types, filtered_types,
+        # Now we look them up in the member and non-member caches
+        non_member_state, incomplete_groups_nm, = (
+            yield self._get_state_for_groups_using_cache(
+                groups, self._state_group_cache,
+                state_filter=non_member_filter,
+            )
         )
-        # XXX: we could skip this entirely if member_types is []
-        member_state = yield self._get_state_for_groups_using_cache(
-            # we set filtered_types=None as member_state only ever contain members.
-            groups, self._state_group_members_cache, member_types, None,
+
+        member_state, incomplete_groups_m, = (
+            yield self._get_state_for_groups_using_cache(
+                groups, self._state_group_members_cache,
+                state_filter=member_filter,
+            )
         )
 
-        state = non_member_state
+        state = dict(non_member_state)
         for group in groups:
             state[group].update(member_state[group])
 
+        # Now fetch any missing groups from the database
+
+        incomplete_groups = incomplete_groups_m | incomplete_groups_nm
+
+        if not incomplete_groups:
+            defer.returnValue(state)
+
+        cache_sequence_nm = self._state_group_cache.sequence
+        cache_sequence_m = self._state_group_members_cache.sequence
+
+        # Help the cache hit ratio by expanding the filter a bit
+        db_state_filter = state_filter.return_expanded()
+
+        group_to_state_dict = yield self._get_state_groups_from_groups(
+            list(incomplete_groups),
+            state_filter=db_state_filter,
+        )
+
+        # Now lets update the caches
+        self._insert_into_cache(
+            group_to_state_dict,
+            db_state_filter,
+            cache_seq_num_members=cache_sequence_m,
+            cache_seq_num_non_members=cache_sequence_nm,
+        )
+
+        # And finally update the result dict, by filtering out any extra
+        # stuff we pulled out of the database.
+        for group, group_state_dict in iteritems(group_to_state_dict):
+            # We just replace any existing entries, as we will have loaded
+            # everything we need from the database anyway.
+            state[group] = state_filter.filter_state(group_state_dict)
+
         defer.returnValue(state)
 
-    @defer.inlineCallbacks
     def _get_state_for_groups_using_cache(
-        self, groups, cache, types=None, filtered_types=None
+        self, groups, cache, state_filter,
     ):
         """Gets the state at each of a list of state groups, optionally
         filtering by type/state_key, querying from a specific cache.
@@ -790,89 +987,85 @@ class StateGroupWorkerStore(EventsWorkerStore, SQLBaseStore):
             cache (DictionaryCache): the cache of group ids to state dicts which
                 we will pass through - either the normal state cache or the specific
                 members state cache.
-            types (None|iterable[(str, None|str)]):
-                indicates the state type/keys required. If None, the whole
-                state is fetched and returned.
-
-                Otherwise, each entry should be a `(type, state_key)` tuple to
-                include in the response. A `state_key` of None is a wildcard
-                meaning that we require all state with that type.
-            filtered_types(list[str]|None): Only apply filtering via `types` to this
-                list of event types.  Other types of events are returned unfiltered.
-                If None, `types` filtering is applied to all events.
+            state_filter (StateFilter): The state filter used to fetch state
+                from the database.
 
         Returns:
-            Deferred[dict[int, dict[tuple[str, str], str]]]:
-                dict of state_group_id -> (dict of (type, state_key) -> event id)
+            tuple[dict[int, dict[tuple[str, str], str]], set[int]]: Tuple of
+            dict of state_group_id -> (dict of (type, state_key) -> event id)
+            of entries in the cache, and the state group ids either missing
+            from the cache or incomplete.
         """
-        if types:
-            types = frozenset(types)
         results = {}
-        missing_groups = []
-        if types is not None:
-            for group in set(groups):
-                state_dict_ids, got_all = self._get_some_state_from_cache(
-                    cache, group, types, filtered_types
-                )
-                results[group] = state_dict_ids
+        incomplete_groups = set()
+        for group in set(groups):
+            state_dict_ids, got_all = self._get_state_for_group_using_cache(
+                cache, group, state_filter
+            )
+            results[group] = state_dict_ids
 
-                if not got_all:
-                    missing_groups.append(group)
-        else:
-            for group in set(groups):
-                state_dict_ids, got_all = self._get_all_state_from_cache(
-                    cache, group
-                )
+            if not got_all:
+                incomplete_groups.add(group)
 
-                results[group] = state_dict_ids
+        return results, incomplete_groups
 
-                if not got_all:
-                    missing_groups.append(group)
+    def _insert_into_cache(self, group_to_state_dict, state_filter,
+                           cache_seq_num_members, cache_seq_num_non_members):
+        """Inserts results from querying the database into the relevant cache.
 
-        if missing_groups:
-            # Okay, so we have some missing_types, let's fetch them.
-            cache_seq_num = cache.sequence
+        Args:
+            group_to_state_dict (dict): The new entries pulled from database.
+                Map from state group to state dict
+            state_filter (StateFilter): The state filter used to fetch state
+                from the database.
+            cache_seq_num_members (int): Sequence number of member cache since
+                last lookup in cache
+            cache_seq_num_non_members (int): Sequence number of member cache since
+                last lookup in cache
+        """
 
-            # the DictionaryCache knows if it has *all* the state, but
-            # does not know if it has all of the keys of a particular type,
-            # which makes wildcard lookups expensive unless we have a complete
-            # cache. Hence, if we are doing a wildcard lookup, populate the
-            # cache fully so that we can do an efficient lookup next time.
+        # We need to work out which types we've fetched from the DB for the
+        # member vs non-member caches. This should be as accurate as possible,
+        # but can be an underestimate (e.g. when we have wild cards)
 
-            if filtered_types or (types and any(k is None for (t, k) in types)):
-                types_to_fetch = None
-            else:
-                types_to_fetch = types
+        member_filter, non_member_filter = state_filter.get_member_split()
+        if member_filter.is_full():
+            # We fetched all member events
+            member_types = None
+        else:
+            # `concrete_types()` will only return a subset when there are wild
+            # cards in the filter, but that's fine.
+            member_types = member_filter.concrete_types()
 
-            group_to_state_dict = yield self._get_state_groups_from_groups(
-                missing_groups, types_to_fetch, cache == self._state_group_members_cache,
-            )
+        if non_member_filter.is_full():
+            # We fetched all non member events
+            non_member_types = None
+        else:
+            non_member_types = non_member_filter.concrete_types()
+
+        for group, group_state_dict in iteritems(group_to_state_dict):
+            state_dict_members = {}
+            state_dict_non_members = {}
 
-            for group, group_state_dict in iteritems(group_to_state_dict):
-                state_dict = results[group]
-
-                # update the result, filtering by `types`.
-                if types:
-                    for k, v in iteritems(group_state_dict):
-                        (typ, _) = k
-                        if (
-                            (k in types or (typ, None) in types) or
-                            (filtered_types and typ not in filtered_types)
-                        ):
-                            state_dict[k] = v
+            for k, v in iteritems(group_state_dict):
+                if k[0] == EventTypes.Member:
+                    state_dict_members[k] = v
                 else:
-                    state_dict.update(group_state_dict)
-
-                # update the cache with all the things we fetched from the
-                # database.
-                cache.update(
-                    cache_seq_num,
-                    key=group,
-                    value=group_state_dict,
-                    fetched_keys=types_to_fetch,
-                )
+                    state_dict_non_members[k] = v
 
-        defer.returnValue(results)
+            self._state_group_members_cache.update(
+                cache_seq_num_members,
+                key=group,
+                value=state_dict_members,
+                fetched_keys=member_types,
+            )
+
+            self._state_group_cache.update(
+                cache_seq_num_non_members,
+                key=group,
+                value=state_dict_non_members,
+                fetched_keys=non_member_types,
+            )
 
     def store_state_group(self, event_id, room_id, prev_group, delta_ids,
                           current_state_ids):
@@ -1268,12 +1461,12 @@ class StateStore(StateGroupWorkerStore, BackgroundUpdateStore):
                         continue
 
                     prev_state = self._get_state_groups_from_groups_txn(
-                        txn, [prev_group], types=None
+                        txn, [prev_group],
                     )
                     prev_state = prev_state[prev_group]
 
                     curr_state = self._get_state_groups_from_groups_txn(
-                        txn, [state_group], types=None
+                        txn, [state_group],
                     )
                     curr_state = curr_state[state_group]
 
diff --git a/synapse/storage/transactions.py b/synapse/storage/transactions.py
index a3032cdce9..d8bf953ec0 100644
--- a/synapse/storage/transactions.py
+++ b/synapse/storage/transactions.py
@@ -30,7 +30,7 @@ from ._base import SQLBaseStore, db_to_json
 # py2 sqlite has buffer hardcoded as only binary type, so we must use it,
 # despite being deprecated and removed in favor of memoryview
 if six.PY2:
-    db_binary_type = buffer
+    db_binary_type = six.moves.builtins.buffer
 else:
     db_binary_type = memoryview
 
diff --git a/synapse/util/__init__.py b/synapse/util/__init__.py
index 9a8fae0497..0ae7e2ef3b 100644
--- a/synapse/util/__init__.py
+++ b/synapse/util/__init__.py
@@ -14,6 +14,7 @@
 # limitations under the License.
 
 import logging
+import re
 from itertools import islice
 
 import attr
@@ -138,3 +139,27 @@ def log_failure(failure, msg, consumeErrors=True):
 
     if not consumeErrors:
         return failure
+
+
+def glob_to_regex(glob):
+    """Converts a glob to a compiled regex object.
+
+    The regex is anchored at the beginning and end of the string.
+
+    Args:
+        glob (str)
+
+    Returns:
+        re.RegexObject
+    """
+    res = ''
+    for c in glob:
+        if c == '*':
+            res = res + '.*'
+        elif c == '?':
+            res = res + '.'
+        else:
+            res = res + re.escape(c)
+
+    # \A anchors at start of string, \Z at end of string
+    return re.compile(r"\A" + res + r"\Z", re.IGNORECASE)
diff --git a/synapse/util/caches/stream_change_cache.py b/synapse/util/caches/stream_change_cache.py
index f2bde74dc5..625aedc940 100644
--- a/synapse/util/caches/stream_change_cache.py
+++ b/synapse/util/caches/stream_change_cache.py
@@ -15,6 +15,8 @@
 
 import logging
 
+from six import integer_types
+
 from sortedcontainers import SortedDict
 
 from synapse.util import caches
@@ -47,7 +49,7 @@ class StreamChangeCache(object):
     def has_entity_changed(self, entity, stream_pos):
         """Returns True if the entity may have been updated since stream_pos
         """
-        assert type(stream_pos) is int or type(stream_pos) is long
+        assert type(stream_pos) in integer_types
 
         if stream_pos < self._earliest_known_stream_pos:
             self.metrics.inc_misses()
diff --git a/synapse/util/logcontext.py b/synapse/util/logcontext.py
index 89224b26cc..4c6e92beb8 100644
--- a/synapse/util/logcontext.py
+++ b/synapse/util/logcontext.py
@@ -25,7 +25,7 @@ See doc/log_contexts.rst for details on how this works.
 import logging
 import threading
 
-from twisted.internet import defer
+from twisted.internet import defer, threads
 
 logger = logging.getLogger(__name__)
 
@@ -562,58 +562,76 @@ def _set_context_cb(result, context):
     return result
 
 
-# modules to ignore in `logcontext_tracer`
-_to_ignore = [
-    "synapse.util.logcontext",
-    "synapse.http.server",
-    "synapse.storage._base",
-    "synapse.util.async_helpers",
-]
+def defer_to_thread(reactor, f, *args, **kwargs):
+    """
+    Calls the function `f` using a thread from the reactor's default threadpool and
+    returns the result as a Deferred.
+
+    Creates a new logcontext for `f`, which is created as a child of the current
+    logcontext (so its CPU usage metrics will get attributed to the current
+    logcontext). `f` should preserve the logcontext it is given.
+
+    The result deferred follows the Synapse logcontext rules: you should `yield`
+    on it.
+
+    Args:
+        reactor (twisted.internet.base.ReactorBase): The reactor in whose main thread
+            the Deferred will be invoked, and whose threadpool we should use for the
+            function.
+
+            Normally this will be hs.get_reactor().
+
+        f (callable): The function to call.
 
+        args: positional arguments to pass to f.
 
-def logcontext_tracer(frame, event, arg):
-    """A tracer that logs whenever a logcontext "unexpectedly" changes within
-    a function. Probably inaccurate.
+        kwargs: keyword arguments to pass to f.
 
-    Use by calling `sys.settrace(logcontext_tracer)` in the main thread.
+    Returns:
+        Deferred: A Deferred which fires a callback with the result of `f`, or an
+            errback if `f` throws an exception.
     """
-    if event == 'call':
-        name = frame.f_globals["__name__"]
-        if name.startswith("synapse"):
-            if name == "synapse.util.logcontext":
-                if frame.f_code.co_name in ["__enter__", "__exit__"]:
-                    tracer = frame.f_back.f_trace
-                    if tracer:
-                        tracer.just_changed = True
-
-            tracer = frame.f_trace
-            if tracer:
-                return tracer
-
-            if not any(name.startswith(ig) for ig in _to_ignore):
-                return LineTracer()
-
-
-class LineTracer(object):
-    __slots__ = ["context", "just_changed"]
-
-    def __init__(self):
-        self.context = LoggingContext.current_context()
-        self.just_changed = False
-
-    def __call__(self, frame, event, arg):
-        if event in 'line':
-            if self.just_changed:
-                self.context = LoggingContext.current_context()
-                self.just_changed = False
-            else:
-                c = LoggingContext.current_context()
-                if c != self.context:
-                    logger.info(
-                        "Context changed! %s -> %s, %s, %s",
-                        self.context, c,
-                        frame.f_code.co_filename, frame.f_lineno
-                    )
-                    self.context = c
+    return defer_to_threadpool(reactor, reactor.getThreadPool(), f, *args, **kwargs)
 
-        return self
+
+def defer_to_threadpool(reactor, threadpool, f, *args, **kwargs):
+    """
+    A wrapper for twisted.internet.threads.deferToThreadpool, which handles
+    logcontexts correctly.
+
+    Calls the function `f` using a thread from the given threadpool and returns
+    the result as a Deferred.
+
+    Creates a new logcontext for `f`, which is created as a child of the current
+    logcontext (so its CPU usage metrics will get attributed to the current
+    logcontext). `f` should preserve the logcontext it is given.
+
+    The result deferred follows the Synapse logcontext rules: you should `yield`
+    on it.
+
+    Args:
+        reactor (twisted.internet.base.ReactorBase): The reactor in whose main thread
+            the Deferred will be invoked. Normally this will be hs.get_reactor().
+
+        threadpool (twisted.python.threadpool.ThreadPool): The threadpool to use for
+            running `f`. Normally this will be hs.get_reactor().getThreadPool().
+
+        f (callable): The function to call.
+
+        args: positional arguments to pass to f.
+
+        kwargs: keyword arguments to pass to f.
+
+    Returns:
+        Deferred: A Deferred which fires a callback with the result of `f`, or an
+            errback if `f` throws an exception.
+    """
+    logcontext = LoggingContext.current_context()
+
+    def g():
+        with LoggingContext(parent_context=logcontext):
+            return f(*args, **kwargs)
+
+    return make_deferred_yieldable(
+        threads.deferToThreadPool(reactor, threadpool, g)
+    )
diff --git a/synapse/visibility.py b/synapse/visibility.py
index 43f48196be..0281a7c919 100644
--- a/synapse/visibility.py
+++ b/synapse/visibility.py
@@ -23,6 +23,7 @@ from twisted.internet import defer
 
 from synapse.api.constants import EventTypes, Membership
 from synapse.events.utils import prune_event
+from synapse.storage.state import StateFilter
 from synapse.types import get_domain_from_id
 
 logger = logging.getLogger(__name__)
@@ -72,7 +73,7 @@ def filter_events_for_client(store, user_id, events, is_peeking=False,
     )
     event_id_to_state = yield store.get_state_for_events(
         frozenset(e.event_id for e in events),
-        types=types,
+        state_filter=StateFilter.from_types(types),
     )
 
     ignore_dict_content = yield store.get_global_account_data_by_type_for_user(
@@ -273,8 +274,8 @@ def filter_events_for_server(store, server_name, events):
     # need to check membership (as we know the server is in the room).
     event_to_state_ids = yield store.get_state_ids_for_events(
         frozenset(e.event_id for e in events),
-        types=(
-            (EventTypes.RoomHistoryVisibility, ""),
+        state_filter=StateFilter.from_types(
+            types=((EventTypes.RoomHistoryVisibility, ""),),
         )
     )
 
@@ -314,9 +315,11 @@ def filter_events_for_server(store, server_name, events):
     # of the history vis and membership state at those events.
     event_to_state_ids = yield store.get_state_ids_for_events(
         frozenset(e.event_id for e in events),
-        types=(
-            (EventTypes.RoomHistoryVisibility, ""),
-            (EventTypes.Member, None),
+        state_filter=StateFilter.from_types(
+            types=(
+                (EventTypes.RoomHistoryVisibility, ""),
+                (EventTypes.Member, None),
+            ),
         )
     )