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-rw-r--r--synapse/__init__.py2
-rw-r--r--synapse/_scripts/register_new_matrix_user.py19
-rw-r--r--synapse/api/auth.py34
-rw-r--r--synapse/api/constants.py8
-rw-r--r--synapse/app/__init__.py6
-rwxr-xr-xsynapse/app/homeserver.py59
-rw-r--r--synapse/appservice/scheduler.py36
-rw-r--r--synapse/config/_base.py56
-rw-r--r--synapse/config/appservice.py5
-rw-r--r--synapse/config/database.py5
-rw-r--r--synapse/config/homeserver.py9
-rw-r--r--synapse/config/key.py27
-rw-r--r--synapse/config/logger.py4
-rw-r--r--synapse/config/metrics.py12
-rw-r--r--synapse/config/registration.py24
-rw-r--r--synapse/config/repository.py8
-rw-r--r--synapse/config/saml2.py55
-rw-r--r--synapse/config/saml2_config.py110
-rw-r--r--synapse/config/server.py113
-rw-r--r--synapse/handlers/auth.py15
-rw-r--r--synapse/handlers/register.py90
-rw-r--r--synapse/handlers/room.py2
-rw-r--r--synapse/handlers/search.py3
-rw-r--r--synapse/handlers/sync.py10
-rw-r--r--synapse/handlers/user_directory.py45
-rw-r--r--synapse/http/client.py377
-rw-r--r--synapse/http/endpoint.py35
-rw-r--r--synapse/push/mailer.py5
-rw-r--r--synapse/python_dependencies.py229
-rw-r--r--synapse/rest/client/v1/admin.py11
-rw-r--r--synapse/rest/client/v1/login.py208
-rw-r--r--synapse/rest/client/v1/push_rule.py35
-rw-r--r--synapse/rest/client/v1/pusher.py2
-rw-r--r--synapse/rest/client/v2_alpha/auth.py42
-rw-r--r--synapse/rest/client/v2_alpha/register.py1
-rw-r--r--synapse/rest/consent/consent_resource.py2
-rw-r--r--synapse/rest/media/v1/_base.py122
-rw-r--r--synapse/rest/media/v1/config_resource.py2
-rw-r--r--synapse/rest/media/v1/download_resource.py3
-rw-r--r--synapse/rest/media/v1/media_repository.py48
-rw-r--r--synapse/rest/media/v1/preview_url_resource.py75
-rw-r--r--synapse/rest/saml2/__init__.py (renamed from synapse/storage/schema/delta/34/sent_txn_purge.py)25
-rw-r--r--synapse/rest/saml2/metadata_resource.py36
-rw-r--r--synapse/rest/saml2/response_resource.py74
-rw-r--r--synapse/rest/well_known.py70
-rw-r--r--synapse/state/v1.py4
-rw-r--r--synapse/static/client/login/index.html37
-rw-r--r--synapse/static/client/login/js/login.js32
-rw-r--r--synapse/static/client/login/style.css19
-rw-r--r--synapse/static/index.html63
-rw-r--r--synapse/storage/__init__.py14
-rw-r--r--synapse/storage/_base.py27
-rw-r--r--synapse/storage/e2e_room_keys.py2
-rw-r--r--synapse/storage/monthly_active_users.py109
-rw-r--r--synapse/storage/prepare_database.py4
-rw-r--r--synapse/storage/registration.py56
-rw-r--r--synapse/storage/schema/delta/53/add_user_type_to_users.sql19
-rw-r--r--synapse/storage/schema/delta/53/drop_sent_transactions.sql (renamed from synapse/storage/schema/delta/11/v11.sql)4
-rw-r--r--synapse/storage/schema/full_schemas/11/transactions.sql19
-rw-r--r--synapse/storage/schema/full_schemas/16/transactions.sql19
-rw-r--r--synapse/storage/search.py6
-rw-r--r--synapse/types.py66
-rw-r--r--synapse/util/stringutils.py39
63 files changed, 1687 insertions, 1011 deletions
diff --git a/synapse/__init__.py b/synapse/__init__.py
index 5a28fe2b82..27241cb364 100644
--- a/synapse/__init__.py
+++ b/synapse/__init__.py
@@ -27,4 +27,4 @@ try:
 except ImportError:
     pass
 
-__version__ = "0.33.9"
+__version__ = "0.34.0"
diff --git a/synapse/_scripts/register_new_matrix_user.py b/synapse/_scripts/register_new_matrix_user.py
index 70cecde486..4c3abf06fe 100644
--- a/synapse/_scripts/register_new_matrix_user.py
+++ b/synapse/_scripts/register_new_matrix_user.py
@@ -35,6 +35,7 @@ def request_registration(
     server_location,
     shared_secret,
     admin=False,
+    user_type=None,
     requests=_requests,
     _print=print,
     exit=sys.exit,
@@ -65,6 +66,9 @@ def request_registration(
     mac.update(password.encode('utf8'))
     mac.update(b"\x00")
     mac.update(b"admin" if admin else b"notadmin")
+    if user_type:
+        mac.update(b"\x00")
+        mac.update(user_type.encode('utf8'))
 
     mac = mac.hexdigest()
 
@@ -74,6 +78,7 @@ def request_registration(
         "password": password,
         "mac": mac,
         "admin": admin,
+        "user_type": user_type,
     }
 
     _print("Sending registration request...")
@@ -91,7 +96,7 @@ def request_registration(
     _print("Success!")
 
 
-def register_new_user(user, password, server_location, shared_secret, admin):
+def register_new_user(user, password, server_location, shared_secret, admin, user_type):
     if not user:
         try:
             default_user = getpass.getuser()
@@ -129,7 +134,8 @@ def register_new_user(user, password, server_location, shared_secret, admin):
         else:
             admin = False
 
-    request_registration(user, password, server_location, shared_secret, bool(admin))
+    request_registration(user, password, server_location, shared_secret,
+                         bool(admin), user_type)
 
 
 def main():
@@ -154,6 +160,12 @@ def main():
         default=None,
         help="New password for user. Will prompt if omitted.",
     )
+    parser.add_argument(
+        "-t",
+        "--user_type",
+        default=None,
+        help="User type as specified in synapse.api.constants.UserTypes",
+    )
     admin_group = parser.add_mutually_exclusive_group()
     admin_group.add_argument(
         "-a",
@@ -208,7 +220,8 @@ def main():
     if args.admin or args.no_admin:
         admin = args.admin
 
-    register_new_user(args.user, args.password, args.server_url, secret, admin)
+    register_new_user(args.user, args.password, args.server_url, secret,
+                      admin, args.user_type)
 
 
 if __name__ == "__main__":
diff --git a/synapse/api/auth.py b/synapse/api/auth.py
index 34382e4e3c..b8a9af7158 100644
--- a/synapse/api/auth.py
+++ b/synapse/api/auth.py
@@ -188,17 +188,33 @@ class Auth(object):
         """
         # Can optionally look elsewhere in the request (e.g. headers)
         try:
+            ip_addr = self.hs.get_ip_from_request(request)
+            user_agent = request.requestHeaders.getRawHeaders(
+                b"User-Agent",
+                default=[b""]
+            )[0].decode('ascii', 'surrogateescape')
+
+            access_token = self.get_access_token_from_request(
+                request, self.TOKEN_NOT_FOUND_HTTP_STATUS
+            )
+
             user_id, app_service = yield self._get_appservice_user_id(request)
             if user_id:
                 request.authenticated_entity = user_id
+
+                if ip_addr and self.hs.config.track_appservice_user_ips:
+                    yield self.store.insert_client_ip(
+                        user_id=user_id,
+                        access_token=access_token,
+                        ip=ip_addr,
+                        user_agent=user_agent,
+                        device_id="dummy-device",  # stubbed
+                    )
+
                 defer.returnValue(
                     synapse.types.create_requester(user_id, app_service=app_service)
                 )
 
-            access_token = self.get_access_token_from_request(
-                request, self.TOKEN_NOT_FOUND_HTTP_STATUS
-            )
-
             user_info = yield self.get_user_by_access_token(access_token, rights)
             user = user_info["user"]
             token_id = user_info["token_id"]
@@ -208,11 +224,6 @@ class Auth(object):
             # stubbed out.
             device_id = user_info.get("device_id")
 
-            ip_addr = self.hs.get_ip_from_request(request)
-            user_agent = request.requestHeaders.getRawHeaders(
-                b"User-Agent",
-                default=[b""]
-            )[0].decode('ascii', 'surrogateescape')
             if user and access_token and ip_addr:
                 yield self.store.insert_client_ip(
                     user_id=user.to_string(),
@@ -791,9 +802,10 @@ class Auth(object):
             threepid should never be set at the same time.
         """
 
-        # Never fail an auth check for the server notices users
+        # Never fail an auth check for the server notices users or support user
         # This can be a problem where event creation is prohibited due to blocking
-        if user_id == self.hs.config.server_notices_mxid:
+        is_support = yield self.store.is_support_user(user_id)
+        if user_id == self.hs.config.server_notices_mxid or is_support:
             return
 
         if self.hs.config.hs_disabled:
diff --git a/synapse/api/constants.py b/synapse/api/constants.py
index 37dee2a50a..87bc1cb53d 100644
--- a/synapse/api/constants.py
+++ b/synapse/api/constants.py
@@ -121,3 +121,11 @@ KNOWN_ROOM_VERSIONS = {
 
 ServerNoticeMsgType = "m.server_notice"
 ServerNoticeLimitReached = "m.server_notice.usage_limit_reached"
+
+
+class UserTypes(object):
+    """Allows for user type specific behaviour. With the benefit of hindsight
+    'admin' and 'guest' users should also be UserTypes. Normal users are type None
+    """
+    SUPPORT = "support"
+    ALL_USER_TYPES = (SUPPORT)
diff --git a/synapse/app/__init__.py b/synapse/app/__init__.py
index c3afcc573b..233bf43fc8 100644
--- a/synapse/app/__init__.py
+++ b/synapse/app/__init__.py
@@ -22,11 +22,11 @@ sys.dont_write_bytecode = True
 
 try:
     python_dependencies.check_requirements()
-except python_dependencies.MissingRequirementError as e:
+except python_dependencies.DependencyException as e:
     message = "\n".join([
-        "Missing Requirement: %s" % (str(e),),
+        "Missing Requirements: %s" % (", ".join(e.dependencies),),
         "To install run:",
-        "    pip install --upgrade --force \"%s\"" % (e.dependency,),
+        "    pip install --upgrade --force %s" % (" ".join(e.dependencies),),
         "",
     ])
     sys.stderr.writelines(message)
diff --git a/synapse/app/homeserver.py b/synapse/app/homeserver.py
index 415374a2ce..f3ac3d19f0 100755
--- a/synapse/app/homeserver.py
+++ b/synapse/app/homeserver.py
@@ -54,12 +54,13 @@ from synapse.metrics import RegistryProxy
 from synapse.metrics.background_process_metrics import run_as_background_process
 from synapse.metrics.resource import METRICS_PREFIX, MetricsResource
 from synapse.module_api import ModuleApi
-from synapse.python_dependencies import CONDITIONAL_REQUIREMENTS, check_requirements
+from synapse.python_dependencies import check_requirements
 from synapse.replication.http import REPLICATION_PREFIX, ReplicationRestResource
 from synapse.replication.tcp.resource import ReplicationStreamProtocolFactory
 from synapse.rest import ClientRestResource
 from synapse.rest.key.v2 import KeyApiV2Resource
 from synapse.rest.media.v0.content_repository import ContentRepoResource
+from synapse.rest.well_known import WellKnownResource
 from synapse.server import HomeServer
 from synapse.storage import DataStore, are_all_users_on_domain
 from synapse.storage.engines import IncorrectDatabaseSetup, create_engine
@@ -79,36 +80,6 @@ def gz_wrap(r):
     return EncodingResourceWrapper(r, [GzipEncoderFactory()])
 
 
-def build_resource_for_web_client(hs):
-    webclient_path = hs.get_config().web_client_location
-    if not webclient_path:
-        try:
-            import syweb
-        except ImportError:
-            quit_with_error(
-                "Could not find a webclient.\n\n"
-                "Please either install the matrix-angular-sdk or configure\n"
-                "the location of the source to serve via the configuration\n"
-                "option `web_client_location`\n\n"
-                "To install the `matrix-angular-sdk` via pip, run:\n\n"
-                "    pip install '%(dep)s'\n"
-                "\n"
-                "You can also disable hosting of the webclient via the\n"
-                "configuration option `web_client`\n"
-                % {"dep": CONDITIONAL_REQUIREMENTS["web_client"].keys()[0]}
-            )
-        syweb_path = os.path.dirname(syweb.__file__)
-        webclient_path = os.path.join(syweb_path, "webclient")
-    # GZip is disabled here due to
-    # https://twistedmatrix.com/trac/ticket/7678
-    # (It can stay enabled for the API resources: they call
-    # write() with the whole body and then finish() straight
-    # after and so do not trigger the bug.
-    # GzipFile was removed in commit 184ba09
-    # return GzipFile(webclient_path)  # TODO configurable?
-    return File(webclient_path)  # TODO configurable?
-
-
 class SynapseHomeServer(HomeServer):
     DATASTORE_CLASS = DataStore
 
@@ -137,8 +108,11 @@ class SynapseHomeServer(HomeServer):
             handler = handler_cls(config, module_api)
             resources[path] = AdditionalResource(self, handler.handle_request)
 
+        # try to find something useful to redirect '/' to
         if WEB_CLIENT_PREFIX in resources:
             root_resource = RootRedirect(WEB_CLIENT_PREFIX)
+        elif STATIC_PREFIX in resources:
+            root_resource = RootRedirect(STATIC_PREFIX)
         else:
             root_resource = NoResource()
 
@@ -195,8 +169,13 @@ class SynapseHomeServer(HomeServer):
                 "/_matrix/client/unstable": client_resource,
                 "/_matrix/client/v2_alpha": client_resource,
                 "/_matrix/client/versions": client_resource,
+                "/.well-known/matrix/client": WellKnownResource(self),
             })
 
+            if self.get_config().saml2_enabled:
+                from synapse.rest.saml2 import SAML2Resource
+                resources["/_matrix/saml2"] = SAML2Resource(self)
+
         if name == "consent":
             from synapse.rest.consent.consent_resource import ConsentResource
             consent_resource = ConsentResource(self)
@@ -237,7 +216,16 @@ class SynapseHomeServer(HomeServer):
             resources[SERVER_KEY_V2_PREFIX] = KeyApiV2Resource(self)
 
         if name == "webclient":
-            resources[WEB_CLIENT_PREFIX] = build_resource_for_web_client(self)
+            webclient_path = self.get_config().web_client_location
+
+            if webclient_path is None:
+                logger.warning(
+                    "Not enabling webclient resource, as web_client_location is unset."
+                )
+            else:
+                # GZip is disabled here due to
+                # https://twistedmatrix.com/trac/ticket/7678
+                resources[WEB_CLIENT_PREFIX] = File(webclient_path)
 
         if name == "metrics" and self.get_config().enable_metrics:
             resources[METRICS_PREFIX] = MetricsResource(RegistryProxy)
@@ -334,9 +322,6 @@ def setup(config_options):
 
     synapse.config.logger.setup_logging(config, use_worker_options=False)
 
-    # check any extra requirements we have now we have a config
-    check_requirements(config)
-
     events.USE_FROZEN_DICTS = config.use_frozen_dicts
 
     tls_server_context_factory = context_factory.ServerContextFactory(config)
@@ -535,7 +520,7 @@ def run(hs):
         current_mau_count = 0
         reserved_count = 0
         store = hs.get_datastore()
-        if hs.config.limit_usage_by_mau:
+        if hs.config.limit_usage_by_mau or hs.config.mau_stats_only:
             current_mau_count = yield store.get_monthly_active_count()
             reserved_count = yield store.get_registered_reserved_users_count()
         current_mau_gauge.set(float(current_mau_count))
@@ -549,7 +534,7 @@ def run(hs):
         )
 
     start_generate_monthly_active_users()
-    if hs.config.limit_usage_by_mau:
+    if hs.config.limit_usage_by_mau or hs.config.mau_stats_only:
         clock.looping_call(start_generate_monthly_active_users, 5 * 60 * 1000)
     # End of monthly active user settings
 
diff --git a/synapse/appservice/scheduler.py b/synapse/appservice/scheduler.py
index 2430814796..685f15c061 100644
--- a/synapse/appservice/scheduler.py
+++ b/synapse/appservice/scheduler.py
@@ -53,8 +53,8 @@ import logging
 from twisted.internet import defer
 
 from synapse.appservice import ApplicationServiceState
+from synapse.metrics.background_process_metrics import run_as_background_process
 from synapse.util.logcontext import run_in_background
-from synapse.util.metrics import Measure
 
 logger = logging.getLogger(__name__)
 
@@ -104,27 +104,34 @@ class _ServiceQueuer(object):
         self.clock = clock
 
     def enqueue(self, service, event):
-        # if this service isn't being sent something
         self.queued_events.setdefault(service.id, []).append(event)
-        run_in_background(self._send_request, service)
 
-    @defer.inlineCallbacks
-    def _send_request(self, service):
+        # start a sender for this appservice if we don't already have one
+
         if service.id in self.requests_in_flight:
             return
 
+        run_as_background_process(
+            "as-sender-%s" % (service.id, ),
+            self._send_request, service,
+        )
+
+    @defer.inlineCallbacks
+    def _send_request(self, service):
+        # sanity-check: we shouldn't get here if this service already has a sender
+        # running.
+        assert(service.id not in self.requests_in_flight)
+
         self.requests_in_flight.add(service.id)
         try:
             while True:
                 events = self.queued_events.pop(service.id, [])
                 if not events:
                     return
-
-                with Measure(self.clock, "servicequeuer.send"):
-                    try:
-                        yield self.txn_ctrl.send(service, events)
-                    except Exception:
-                        logger.exception("AS request failed")
+                try:
+                    yield self.txn_ctrl.send(service, events)
+                except Exception:
+                    logger.exception("AS request failed")
         finally:
             self.requests_in_flight.discard(service.id)
 
@@ -223,7 +230,12 @@ class _Recoverer(object):
         self.backoff_counter = 1
 
     def recover(self):
-        self.clock.call_later((2 ** self.backoff_counter), self.retry)
+        def _retry():
+            run_as_background_process(
+                "as-recoverer-%s" % (self.service.id,),
+                self.retry,
+            )
+        self.clock.call_later((2 ** self.backoff_counter), _retry)
 
     def _backoff(self):
         # cap the backoff to be around 8.5min => (2^9) = 512 secs
diff --git a/synapse/config/_base.py b/synapse/config/_base.py
index 14dae65ea0..fd2d6d52ef 100644
--- a/synapse/config/_base.py
+++ b/synapse/config/_base.py
@@ -135,10 +135,6 @@ class Config(object):
             return file_stream.read()
 
     @staticmethod
-    def default_path(name):
-        return os.path.abspath(os.path.join(os.path.curdir, name))
-
-    @staticmethod
     def read_config_file(file_path):
         with open(file_path) as file_stream:
             return yaml.load(file_stream)
@@ -151,8 +147,39 @@ class Config(object):
         return results
 
     def generate_config(
-        self, config_dir_path, server_name, is_generating_file, report_stats=None
+        self,
+        config_dir_path,
+        data_dir_path,
+        server_name,
+        generate_secrets=False,
+        report_stats=None,
     ):
+        """Build a default configuration file
+
+        This is used both when the user explicitly asks us to generate a config file
+        (eg with --generate_config), and before loading the config at runtime (to give
+        a base which the config files override)
+
+        Args:
+            config_dir_path (str): The path where the config files are kept. Used to
+                create filenames for things like the log config and the signing key.
+
+            data_dir_path (str): The path where the data files are kept. Used to create
+                filenames for things like the database and media store.
+
+            server_name (str): The server name. Used to initialise the server_name
+                config param, but also used in the names of some of the config files.
+
+            generate_secrets (bool): True if we should generate new secrets for things
+                like the macaroon_secret_key. If False, these parameters will be left
+                unset.
+
+            report_stats (bool|None): Initial setting for the report_stats setting.
+                If None, report_stats will be left unset.
+
+        Returns:
+            str: the yaml config file
+        """
         default_config = "# vim:ft=yaml\n"
 
         default_config += "\n\n".join(
@@ -160,15 +187,14 @@ class Config(object):
             for conf in self.invoke_all(
                 "default_config",
                 config_dir_path=config_dir_path,
+                data_dir_path=data_dir_path,
                 server_name=server_name,
-                is_generating_file=is_generating_file,
+                generate_secrets=generate_secrets,
                 report_stats=report_stats,
             )
         )
 
-        config = yaml.load(default_config)
-
-        return default_config, config
+        return default_config
 
     @classmethod
     def load_config(cls, description, argv):
@@ -274,12 +300,14 @@ class Config(object):
                 if not cls.path_exists(config_dir_path):
                     os.makedirs(config_dir_path)
                 with open(config_path, "w") as config_file:
-                    config_str, config = obj.generate_config(
+                    config_str = obj.generate_config(
                         config_dir_path=config_dir_path,
+                        data_dir_path=os.getcwd(),
                         server_name=server_name,
                         report_stats=(config_args.report_stats == "yes"),
-                        is_generating_file=True,
+                        generate_secrets=True,
                     )
+                    config = yaml.load(config_str)
                     obj.invoke_all("generate_files", config)
                     config_file.write(config_str)
                 print(
@@ -350,11 +378,13 @@ class Config(object):
             raise ConfigError(MISSING_SERVER_NAME)
 
         server_name = specified_config["server_name"]
-        _, config = self.generate_config(
+        config_string = self.generate_config(
             config_dir_path=config_dir_path,
+            data_dir_path=os.getcwd(),
             server_name=server_name,
-            is_generating_file=False,
+            generate_secrets=False,
         )
+        config = yaml.load(config_string)
         config.pop("log_config")
         config.update(specified_config)
 
diff --git a/synapse/config/appservice.py b/synapse/config/appservice.py
index 3b161d708a..c21cb3dd87 100644
--- a/synapse/config/appservice.py
+++ b/synapse/config/appservice.py
@@ -33,11 +33,16 @@ class AppServiceConfig(Config):
     def read_config(self, config):
         self.app_service_config_files = config.get("app_service_config_files", [])
         self.notify_appservices = config.get("notify_appservices", True)
+        self.track_appservice_user_ips = config.get("track_appservice_user_ips", False)
 
     def default_config(cls, **kwargs):
         return """\
         # A list of application service config file to use
         app_service_config_files: []
+
+        # Whether or not to track application service IP addresses. Implicitly
+        # enables MAU tracking for application service users.
+        track_appservice_user_ips: False
         """
 
 
diff --git a/synapse/config/database.py b/synapse/config/database.py
index e915d9d09b..c8890147a6 100644
--- a/synapse/config/database.py
+++ b/synapse/config/database.py
@@ -12,6 +12,7 @@
 # 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 os
 
 from ._base import Config
 
@@ -45,8 +46,8 @@ class DatabaseConfig(Config):
 
         self.set_databasepath(config.get("database_path"))
 
-    def default_config(self, **kwargs):
-        database_path = self.abspath("homeserver.db")
+    def default_config(self, data_dir_path, **kwargs):
+        database_path = os.path.join(data_dir_path, "homeserver.db")
         return """\
         # Database configuration
         database:
diff --git a/synapse/config/homeserver.py b/synapse/config/homeserver.py
index 10dd40159f..5aad062c36 100644
--- a/synapse/config/homeserver.py
+++ b/synapse/config/homeserver.py
@@ -32,7 +32,7 @@ from .ratelimiting import RatelimitConfig
 from .registration import RegistrationConfig
 from .repository import ContentRepositoryConfig
 from .room_directory import RoomDirectoryConfig
-from .saml2 import SAML2Config
+from .saml2_config import SAML2Config
 from .server import ServerConfig
 from .server_notices_config import ServerNoticesConfig
 from .spam_checker import SpamCheckerConfig
@@ -53,10 +53,3 @@ class HomeServerConfig(TlsConfig, ServerConfig, DatabaseConfig, LoggingConfig,
                        ServerNoticesConfig, RoomDirectoryConfig,
                        ):
     pass
-
-
-if __name__ == '__main__':
-    import sys
-    sys.stdout.write(
-        HomeServerConfig().generate_config(sys.argv[1], sys.argv[2], True)[0]
-    )
diff --git a/synapse/config/key.py b/synapse/config/key.py
index 279c47bb48..53f48fe2dd 100644
--- a/synapse/config/key.py
+++ b/synapse/config/key.py
@@ -66,26 +66,35 @@ class KeyConfig(Config):
         # falsification of values
         self.form_secret = config.get("form_secret", None)
 
-    def default_config(self, config_dir_path, server_name, is_generating_file=False,
+    def default_config(self, config_dir_path, server_name, generate_secrets=False,
                        **kwargs):
         base_key_name = os.path.join(config_dir_path, server_name)
 
-        if is_generating_file:
-            macaroon_secret_key = random_string_with_symbols(50)
-            form_secret = '"%s"' % random_string_with_symbols(50)
+        if generate_secrets:
+            macaroon_secret_key = 'macaroon_secret_key: "%s"' % (
+                random_string_with_symbols(50),
+            )
+            form_secret = 'form_secret: "%s"' % random_string_with_symbols(50)
         else:
-            macaroon_secret_key = None
-            form_secret = 'null'
+            macaroon_secret_key = "# macaroon_secret_key: <PRIVATE STRING>"
+            form_secret = "# form_secret: <PRIVATE STRING>"
 
         return """\
-        macaroon_secret_key: "%(macaroon_secret_key)s"
+        # a secret which is used to sign access tokens. If none is specified,
+        # the registration_shared_secret is used, if one is given; otherwise,
+        # a secret key is derived from the signing key.
+        #
+        # Note that changing this will invalidate any active access tokens, so
+        # all clients will have to log back in.
+        %(macaroon_secret_key)s
 
         # Used to enable access token expiration.
         expire_access_token: False
 
         # a secret which is used to calculate HMACs for form values, to stop
-        # falsification of values
-        form_secret: %(form_secret)s
+        # falsification of values. Must be specified for the User Consent
+        # forms to work.
+        %(form_secret)s
 
         ## Signing Keys ##
 
diff --git a/synapse/config/logger.py b/synapse/config/logger.py
index 7081868963..f87efecbf8 100644
--- a/synapse/config/logger.py
+++ b/synapse/config/logger.py
@@ -80,9 +80,7 @@ class LoggingConfig(Config):
         self.log_file = self.abspath(config.get("log_file"))
 
     def default_config(self, config_dir_path, server_name, **kwargs):
-        log_config = self.abspath(
-            os.path.join(config_dir_path, server_name + ".log.config")
-        )
+        log_config = os.path.join(config_dir_path, server_name + ".log.config")
         return """
         # A yaml python logging config file
         log_config: "%(log_config)s"
diff --git a/synapse/config/metrics.py b/synapse/config/metrics.py
index 61155c99d0..718c43ae03 100644
--- a/synapse/config/metrics.py
+++ b/synapse/config/metrics.py
@@ -24,10 +24,16 @@ class MetricsConfig(Config):
         self.metrics_bind_host = config.get("metrics_bind_host", "127.0.0.1")
 
     def default_config(self, report_stats=None, **kwargs):
-        suffix = "" if report_stats is None else "report_stats: %(report_stats)s\n"
-        return ("""\
+        res = """\
         ## Metrics ###
 
         # Enable collection and rendering of performance metrics
         enable_metrics: False
-        """ + suffix) % locals()
+        """
+
+        if report_stats is None:
+            res += "# report_stats: true|false\n"
+        else:
+            res += "report_stats: %s\n" % ('true' if report_stats else 'false')
+
+        return res
diff --git a/synapse/config/registration.py b/synapse/config/registration.py
index 7480ed5145..6c2b543b8c 100644
--- a/synapse/config/registration.py
+++ b/synapse/config/registration.py
@@ -37,6 +37,7 @@ class RegistrationConfig(Config):
 
         self.bcrypt_rounds = config.get("bcrypt_rounds", 12)
         self.trusted_third_party_id_servers = config["trusted_third_party_id_servers"]
+        self.default_identity_server = config.get("default_identity_server")
         self.allow_guest_access = config.get("allow_guest_access", False)
 
         self.invite_3pid_guest = (
@@ -49,8 +50,13 @@ class RegistrationConfig(Config):
                 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)
+    def default_config(self, generate_secrets=False, **kwargs):
+        if generate_secrets:
+            registration_shared_secret = 'registration_shared_secret: "%s"' % (
+                random_string_with_symbols(50),
+            )
+        else:
+            registration_shared_secret = '# registration_shared_secret: <PRIVATE STRING>'
 
         return """\
         ## Registration ##
@@ -77,7 +83,7 @@ class RegistrationConfig(Config):
 
         # If set, allows registration by anyone who also has the shared
         # secret, even if registration is otherwise disabled.
-        registration_shared_secret: "%(registration_shared_secret)s"
+        %(registration_shared_secret)s
 
         # Set the number of bcrypt rounds used to generate password hash.
         # Larger numbers increase the work factor needed to generate the hash.
@@ -91,12 +97,22 @@ class RegistrationConfig(Config):
         # accessible to anonymous users.
         allow_guest_access: False
 
+        # The identity server which we suggest that clients should use when users log
+        # in on this server.
+        #
+        # (By default, no suggestion is made, so it is left up to the client.
+        # This setting is ignored unless public_baseurl is also set.)
+        #
+        # default_identity_server: https://matrix.org
+
         # The list of identity servers trusted to verify third party
         # identifiers by this server.
+        #
+        # Also defines the ID server which will be called when an account is
+        # deactivated (one will be picked arbitrarily).
         trusted_third_party_id_servers:
             - matrix.org
             - vector.im
-            - riot.im
 
         # Users who register on this homeserver will automatically be joined
         # to these rooms
diff --git a/synapse/config/repository.py b/synapse/config/repository.py
index 06c62ab62c..76e3340a91 100644
--- a/synapse/config/repository.py
+++ b/synapse/config/repository.py
@@ -12,7 +12,7 @@
 # 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 os
 from collections import namedtuple
 
 from synapse.util.module_loader import load_module
@@ -175,9 +175,9 @@ class ContentRepositoryConfig(Config):
                 "url_preview_url_blacklist", ()
             )
 
-    def default_config(self, **kwargs):
-        media_store = self.default_path("media_store")
-        uploads_path = self.default_path("uploads")
+    def default_config(self, data_dir_path, **kwargs):
+        media_store = os.path.join(data_dir_path, "media_store")
+        uploads_path = os.path.join(data_dir_path, "uploads")
         return r"""
         # Directory where uploaded images and attachments are stored.
         media_store_path: "%(media_store)s"
diff --git a/synapse/config/saml2.py b/synapse/config/saml2.py
deleted file mode 100644
index 8d7f443021..0000000000
--- a/synapse/config/saml2.py
+++ /dev/null
@@ -1,55 +0,0 @@
-# -*- coding: utf-8 -*-
-# Copyright 2015 Ericsson
-#
-# 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 ._base import Config
-
-
-class SAML2Config(Config):
-    """SAML2 Configuration
-    Synapse uses pysaml2 libraries for providing SAML2 support
-
-    config_path:      Path to the sp_conf.py configuration file
-    idp_redirect_url: Identity provider URL which will redirect
-                      the user back to /login/saml2 with proper info.
-
-    sp_conf.py file is something like:
-    https://github.com/rohe/pysaml2/blob/master/example/sp-repoze/sp_conf.py.example
-
-    More information: https://pythonhosted.org/pysaml2/howto/config.html
-    """
-
-    def read_config(self, config):
-        saml2_config = config.get("saml2_config", None)
-        if saml2_config:
-            self.saml2_enabled = saml2_config.get("enabled", True)
-            self.saml2_config_path = saml2_config["config_path"]
-            self.saml2_idp_redirect_url = saml2_config["idp_redirect_url"]
-        else:
-            self.saml2_enabled = False
-            self.saml2_config_path = None
-            self.saml2_idp_redirect_url = None
-
-    def default_config(self, config_dir_path, server_name, **kwargs):
-        return """
-        # Enable SAML2 for registration and login. Uses pysaml2
-        # config_path:      Path to the sp_conf.py configuration file
-        # idp_redirect_url: Identity provider URL which will redirect
-        #                   the user back to /login/saml2 with proper info.
-        # See pysaml2 docs for format of config.
-        #saml2_config:
-        #   enabled: true
-        #   config_path: "%s/sp_conf.py"
-        #   idp_redirect_url: "http://%s/idp"
-        """ % (config_dir_path, server_name)
diff --git a/synapse/config/saml2_config.py b/synapse/config/saml2_config.py
new file mode 100644
index 0000000000..86ffe334f5
--- /dev/null
+++ b/synapse/config/saml2_config.py
@@ -0,0 +1,110 @@
+# -*- 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 ._base import Config, ConfigError
+
+
+class SAML2Config(Config):
+    def read_config(self, config):
+        self.saml2_enabled = False
+
+        saml2_config = config.get("saml2_config")
+
+        if not saml2_config or not saml2_config.get("enabled", True):
+            return
+
+        self.saml2_enabled = True
+
+        import saml2.config
+        self.saml2_sp_config = saml2.config.SPConfig()
+        self.saml2_sp_config.load(self._default_saml_config_dict())
+        self.saml2_sp_config.load(saml2_config.get("sp_config", {}))
+
+        config_path = saml2_config.get("config_path", None)
+        if config_path is not None:
+            self.saml2_sp_config.load_file(config_path)
+
+    def _default_saml_config_dict(self):
+        import saml2
+
+        public_baseurl = self.public_baseurl
+        if public_baseurl is None:
+            raise ConfigError(
+                "saml2_config requires a public_baseurl to be set"
+            )
+
+        metadata_url = public_baseurl + "_matrix/saml2/metadata.xml"
+        response_url = public_baseurl + "_matrix/saml2/authn_response"
+        return {
+            "entityid": metadata_url,
+
+            "service": {
+                "sp": {
+                    "endpoints": {
+                        "assertion_consumer_service": [
+                            (response_url, saml2.BINDING_HTTP_POST),
+                        ],
+                    },
+                    "required_attributes": ["uid"],
+                    "optional_attributes": ["mail", "surname", "givenname"],
+                },
+            }
+        }
+
+    def default_config(self, config_dir_path, server_name, **kwargs):
+        return """
+        # Enable SAML2 for registration and login. Uses pysaml2.
+        #
+        # saml2_config:
+        #
+        #   # The following is the configuration for the pysaml2 Service Provider.
+        #   # See pysaml2 docs for format of config.
+        #   #
+        #   # Default values will be used for the 'entityid' and 'service' settings,
+        #   # so it is not normally necessary to specify them unless you need to
+        #   # override them.
+        #
+        #   sp_config:
+        #     # point this to the IdP's metadata. You can use either a local file or
+        #     # (preferably) a URL.
+        #     metadata:
+        #       # local: ["saml2/idp.xml"]
+        #       remote:
+        #         - url: https://our_idp/metadata.xml
+        #
+        #     # The following is just used to generate our metadata xml, and you
+        #     # may well not need it, depending on your setup. Alternatively you
+        #     # may need a whole lot more detail - see the pysaml2 docs!
+        #
+        #     description: ["My awesome SP", "en"]
+        #     name: ["Test SP", "en"]
+        #
+        #     organization:
+        #       name: Example com
+        #       display_name:
+        #         - ["Example co", "en"]
+        #       url: "http://example.com"
+        #
+        #     contact_person:
+        #       - given_name: Bob
+        #         sur_name: "the Sysadmin"
+        #         email_address": ["admin@example.com"]
+        #         contact_type": technical
+        #
+        #   # Instead of putting the config inline as above, you can specify a
+        #   # separate pysaml2 configuration file:
+        #   #
+        #   # config_path: "%(config_dir_path)s/sp_conf.py"
+        """ % {"config_dir_path": config_dir_path}
diff --git a/synapse/config/server.py b/synapse/config/server.py
index c1c7c0105e..120c2b81fc 100644
--- a/synapse/config/server.py
+++ b/synapse/config/server.py
@@ -15,6 +15,7 @@
 # limitations under the License.
 
 import logging
+import os.path
 
 from synapse.http.endpoint import parse_and_validate_server_name
 
@@ -34,7 +35,6 @@ class ServerConfig(Config):
             raise ConfigError(str(e))
 
         self.pid_file = self.abspath(config.get("pid_file"))
-        self.web_client = config["web_client"]
         self.web_client_location = config.get("web_client_location", None)
         self.soft_file_limit = config["soft_file_limit"]
         self.daemonize = config.get("daemonize")
@@ -62,6 +62,11 @@ class ServerConfig(Config):
         # master, potentially causing inconsistency.
         self.enable_media_repo = config.get("enable_media_repo", True)
 
+        # whether to enable search. If disabled, new entries will not be inserted
+        # into the search tables and they will not be indexed. Users will receive
+        # errors when attempting to search for messages.
+        self.enable_search = config.get("enable_search", True)
+
         self.filter_timeline_limit = config.get("filter_timeline_limit", -1)
 
         # Whether we should block invites sent to users on this server
@@ -77,6 +82,7 @@ class ServerConfig(Config):
             self.max_mau_value = config.get(
                 "max_mau_value", 0,
             )
+        self.mau_stats_only = config.get("mau_stats_only", False)
 
         self.mau_limits_reserved_threepids = config.get(
             "mau_limit_reserved_threepids", []
@@ -122,6 +128,9 @@ class ServerConfig(Config):
             elif not bind_addresses:
                 bind_addresses.append('')
 
+        if not self.web_client_location:
+            _warn_if_webclient_configured(self.listeners)
+
         self.gc_thresholds = read_gc_thresholds(config.get("gc_thresholds", None))
 
         bind_port = config.get("bind_port")
@@ -130,8 +139,6 @@ class ServerConfig(Config):
             bind_host = config.get("bind_host", "")
             gzip_responses = config.get("gzip_responses", True)
 
-            names = ["client", "webclient"] if self.web_client else ["client"]
-
             self.listeners.append({
                 "port": bind_port,
                 "bind_addresses": [bind_host],
@@ -139,7 +146,7 @@ class ServerConfig(Config):
                 "type": "http",
                 "resources": [
                     {
-                        "names": names,
+                        "names": ["client"],
                         "compress": gzip_responses,
                     },
                     {
@@ -158,7 +165,7 @@ class ServerConfig(Config):
                     "type": "http",
                     "resources": [
                         {
-                            "names": names,
+                            "names": ["client"],
                             "compress": gzip_responses,
                         },
                         {
@@ -197,7 +204,7 @@ class ServerConfig(Config):
                 ]
             })
 
-    def default_config(self, server_name, **kwargs):
+    def default_config(self, server_name, data_dir_path, **kwargs):
         _, bind_port = parse_and_validate_server_name(server_name)
         if bind_port is not None:
             unsecure_port = bind_port - 400
@@ -205,7 +212,7 @@ class ServerConfig(Config):
             bind_port = 8448
             unsecure_port = 8008
 
-        pid_file = self.abspath("homeserver.pid")
+        pid_file = os.path.join(data_dir_path, "homeserver.pid")
         return """\
         ## Server ##
 
@@ -241,13 +248,9 @@ class ServerConfig(Config):
         #
         # cpu_affinity: 0xFFFFFFFF
 
-        # Whether to serve a web client from the HTTP/HTTPS root resource.
-        web_client: True
-
-        # The root directory to server for the above web client.
-        # If left undefined, synapse will serve the matrix-angular-sdk web client.
-        # Make sure matrix-angular-sdk is installed with pip if web_client is True
-        # and web_client_location is undefined
+        # The path to the web client which will be served at /_matrix/client/
+        # if 'webclient' is configured under the 'listeners' configuration.
+        #
         # web_client_location: "/path/to/web/root"
 
         # The public-facing base URL for the client API (not including _matrix/...)
@@ -314,8 +317,8 @@ class ServerConfig(Config):
               -
                 # List of resources to host on this listener.
                 names:
-                  - client     # The client-server APIs, both v1 and v2
-                  - webclient  # The bundled webclient.
+                  - client       # The client-server APIs, both v1 and v2
+                  # - webclient  # A web client. Requires web_client_location to be set.
 
                 # Should synapse compress HTTP responses to clients that support it?
                 # This should be disabled if running synapse behind a load balancer
@@ -342,7 +345,7 @@ class ServerConfig(Config):
             x_forwarded: false
 
             resources:
-              - names: [client, webclient]
+              - names: [client]
                 compress: true
               - names: [federation]
                 compress: false
@@ -354,31 +357,41 @@ class ServerConfig(Config):
           #   type: manhole
 
 
-          # Homeserver blocking
-          #
-          # How to reach the server admin, used in ResourceLimitError
-          # admin_contact: 'mailto:admin@server.com'
-          #
-          # Global block config
-          #
-          # hs_disabled: False
-          # hs_disabled_message: 'Human readable reason for why the HS is blocked'
-          # hs_disabled_limit_type: 'error code(str), to help clients decode reason'
-          #
-          # Monthly Active User Blocking
-          #
-          # Enables monthly active user checking
-          # limit_usage_by_mau: False
-          # max_mau_value: 50
-          # mau_trial_days: 2
-          #
-          # Sometimes the server admin will want to ensure certain accounts are
-          # never blocked by mau checking. These accounts are specified here.
-          #
-          # mau_limit_reserved_threepids:
-          # - medium: 'email'
-          #   address: 'reserved_user@example.com'
-
+        # Homeserver blocking
+        #
+        # How to reach the server admin, used in ResourceLimitError
+        # admin_contact: 'mailto:admin@server.com'
+        #
+        # Global block config
+        #
+        # hs_disabled: False
+        # hs_disabled_message: 'Human readable reason for why the HS is blocked'
+        # hs_disabled_limit_type: 'error code(str), to help clients decode reason'
+        #
+        # Monthly Active User Blocking
+        #
+        # Enables monthly active user checking
+        # limit_usage_by_mau: False
+        # max_mau_value: 50
+        # mau_trial_days: 2
+        #
+        # If enabled, the metrics for the number of monthly active users will
+        # be populated, however no one will be limited. If limit_usage_by_mau
+        # is true, this is implied to be true.
+        # mau_stats_only: False
+        #
+        # Sometimes the server admin will want to ensure certain accounts are
+        # never blocked by mau checking. These accounts are specified here.
+        #
+        # mau_limit_reserved_threepids:
+        # - medium: 'email'
+        #   address: 'reserved_user@example.com'
+        #
+        # Room searching
+        #
+        # If disabled, new messages will not be indexed for searching and users
+        # will receive errors when searching for messages. Defaults to enabled.
+        # enable_search: true
         """ % locals()
 
     def read_arguments(self, args):
@@ -436,3 +449,19 @@ def read_gc_thresholds(thresholds):
         raise ConfigError(
             "Value of `gc_threshold` must be a list of three integers if set"
         )
+
+
+NO_MORE_WEB_CLIENT_WARNING = """
+Synapse no longer includes a web client. To enable a web client, configure
+web_client_location. To remove this warning, remove 'webclient' from the 'listeners'
+configuration.
+"""
+
+
+def _warn_if_webclient_configured(listeners):
+    for listener in listeners:
+        for res in listener.get("resources", []):
+            for name in res.get("names", []):
+                if name == 'webclient':
+                    logger.warning(NO_MORE_WEB_CLIENT_WARNING)
+                    return
diff --git a/synapse/handlers/auth.py b/synapse/handlers/auth.py
index a958c45271..2abd9af94f 100644
--- a/synapse/handlers/auth.py
+++ b/synapse/handlers/auth.py
@@ -473,7 +473,7 @@ class AuthHandler(BaseHandler):
                     "version": self.hs.config.user_consent_version,
                     "en": {
                         "name": self.hs.config.user_consent_policy_name,
-                        "url": "%s/_matrix/consent?v=%s" % (
+                        "url": "%s_matrix/consent?v=%s" % (
                             self.hs.config.public_baseurl,
                             self.hs.config.user_consent_version,
                         ),
@@ -563,10 +563,10 @@ class AuthHandler(BaseHandler):
         insensitively, but return None if there are multiple inexact matches.
 
         Args:
-            (str) user_id: complete @user:id
+            (unicode|bytes) user_id: complete @user:id
 
         Returns:
-            defer.Deferred: (str) canonical_user_id, or None if zero or
+            defer.Deferred: (unicode) canonical_user_id, or None if zero or
             multiple matches
         """
         res = yield self._find_user_id_and_pwd_hash(user_id)
@@ -954,6 +954,15 @@ class MacaroonGenerator(object):
         return macaroon.serialize()
 
     def generate_short_term_login_token(self, user_id, duration_in_ms=(2 * 60 * 1000)):
+        """
+
+        Args:
+            user_id (unicode):
+            duration_in_ms (int):
+
+        Returns:
+            unicode
+        """
         macaroon = self._generate_base_macaroon(user_id)
         macaroon.add_first_party_caveat("type = login")
         now = self.hs.get_clock().time_msec()
diff --git a/synapse/handlers/register.py b/synapse/handlers/register.py
index d2beb275cf..21c17c59a0 100644
--- a/synapse/handlers/register.py
+++ b/synapse/handlers/register.py
@@ -126,6 +126,8 @@ class RegistrationHandler(BaseHandler):
         make_guest=False,
         admin=False,
         threepid=None,
+        user_type=None,
+        default_display_name=None,
     ):
         """Registers a new client on the server.
 
@@ -140,6 +142,10 @@ class RegistrationHandler(BaseHandler):
               since it offers no means of associating a device_id with the
               access_token. Instead you should call auth_handler.issue_access_token
               after registration.
+            user_type (str|None): type of user. One of the values from
+              api.constants.UserTypes, or None for a normal user.
+            default_display_name (unicode|None): if set, the new user's displayname
+              will be set to this. Defaults to 'localpart'.
         Returns:
             A tuple of (user_id, access_token).
         Raises:
@@ -169,6 +175,13 @@ class RegistrationHandler(BaseHandler):
             user = UserID(localpart, self.hs.hostname)
             user_id = user.to_string()
 
+            if was_guest:
+                # If the user was a guest then they already have a profile
+                default_display_name = None
+
+            elif default_display_name is None:
+                default_display_name = localpart
+
             token = None
             if generate_token:
                 token = self.macaroon_gen.generate_access_token(user_id)
@@ -178,11 +191,9 @@ class RegistrationHandler(BaseHandler):
                 password_hash=password_hash,
                 was_guest=was_guest,
                 make_guest=make_guest,
-                create_profile_with_localpart=(
-                    # If the user was a guest then they already have a profile
-                    None if was_guest else user.localpart
-                ),
+                create_profile_with_displayname=default_display_name,
                 admin=admin,
+                user_type=user_type,
             )
 
             if self.hs.config.user_directory_search_all_users:
@@ -203,13 +214,15 @@ class RegistrationHandler(BaseHandler):
                 yield self.check_user_id_not_appservice_exclusive(user_id)
                 if generate_token:
                     token = self.macaroon_gen.generate_access_token(user_id)
+                if default_display_name is None:
+                    default_display_name = localpart
                 try:
                     yield self.store.register(
                         user_id=user_id,
                         token=token,
                         password_hash=password_hash,
                         make_guest=make_guest,
-                        create_profile_with_localpart=user.localpart,
+                        create_profile_with_displayname=default_display_name,
                     )
                 except SynapseError:
                     # if user id is taken, just generate another
@@ -217,16 +230,34 @@ class RegistrationHandler(BaseHandler):
                     user_id = None
                     token = None
                     attempts += 1
+        if not self.hs.config.user_consent_at_registration:
+            yield self._auto_join_rooms(user_id)
 
+        defer.returnValue((user_id, token))
+
+    @defer.inlineCallbacks
+    def _auto_join_rooms(self, user_id):
+        """Automatically joins users to auto join rooms - creating the room in the first place
+        if the user is the first to be created.
+
+        Args:
+            user_id(str): The user to join
+        """
         # 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
+        # try to create the room if we're the first real user on the server. Note
+        # that an auto-generated support user is not a real user and will never be
+        # the user to create the room
         should_auto_create_rooms = False
-        if self.hs.config.autocreate_auto_join_rooms:
+        is_support = yield self.store.is_support_user(user_id)
+        # There is an edge case where the first user is the support user, then
+        # the room is never created, though this seems unlikely and
+        # recoverable from given the support user being involved in the first
+        # place.
+        if self.hs.config.autocreate_auto_join_rooms and not is_support:
             count = yield self.store.count_all_users()
             should_auto_create_rooms = count == 1
-
         for r in self.hs.config.auto_join_rooms:
             try:
                 if should_auto_create_rooms:
@@ -256,7 +287,15 @@ class RegistrationHandler(BaseHandler):
             except Exception as e:
                 logger.error("Failed to join new user to %r: %r", r, e)
 
-        defer.returnValue((user_id, token))
+    @defer.inlineCallbacks
+    def post_consent_actions(self, user_id):
+        """A series of registration actions that can only be carried out once consent
+        has been granted
+
+        Args:
+            user_id (str): The user to join
+        """
+        yield self._auto_join_rooms(user_id)
 
     @defer.inlineCallbacks
     def appservice_register(self, user_localpart, as_token):
@@ -281,7 +320,7 @@ class RegistrationHandler(BaseHandler):
             user_id=user_id,
             password_hash="",
             appservice_id=service_id,
-            create_profile_with_localpart=user.localpart,
+            create_profile_with_displayname=user.localpart,
         )
         defer.returnValue(user_id)
 
@@ -309,35 +348,6 @@ class RegistrationHandler(BaseHandler):
             logger.info("Valid captcha entered from %s", ip)
 
     @defer.inlineCallbacks
-    def register_saml2(self, localpart):
-        """
-        Registers email_id as SAML2 Based Auth.
-        """
-        if types.contains_invalid_mxid_characters(localpart):
-            raise SynapseError(
-                400,
-                "User ID can only contain characters a-z, 0-9, or '=_-./'",
-            )
-        yield self.auth.check_auth_blocking()
-        user = UserID(localpart, self.hs.hostname)
-        user_id = user.to_string()
-
-        yield self.check_user_id_not_appservice_exclusive(user_id)
-        token = self.macaroon_gen.generate_access_token(user_id)
-        try:
-            yield self.store.register(
-                user_id=user_id,
-                token=token,
-                password_hash=None,
-                create_profile_with_localpart=user.localpart,
-            )
-        except Exception as e:
-            yield self.store.add_access_token_to_user(user_id, token)
-            # Ignore Registration errors
-            logger.exception(e)
-        defer.returnValue((user_id, token))
-
-    @defer.inlineCallbacks
     def register_email(self, threepidCreds):
         """
         Registers emails with an identity server.
@@ -488,7 +498,7 @@ class RegistrationHandler(BaseHandler):
                 user_id=user_id,
                 token=token,
                 password_hash=password_hash,
-                create_profile_with_localpart=user.localpart,
+                create_profile_with_displayname=user.localpart,
             )
         else:
             yield self._auth_handler.delete_access_tokens_for_user(user_id)
diff --git a/synapse/handlers/room.py b/synapse/handlers/room.py
index 3928faa6e7..581e96c743 100644
--- a/synapse/handlers/room.py
+++ b/synapse/handlers/room.py
@@ -433,7 +433,7 @@ class RoomCreationHandler(BaseHandler):
         """
         user_id = requester.user.to_string()
 
-        self.auth.check_auth_blocking(user_id)
+        yield self.auth.check_auth_blocking(user_id)
 
         if not self.spam_checker.user_may_create_room(user_id):
             raise SynapseError(403, "You are not permitted to create rooms")
diff --git a/synapse/handlers/search.py b/synapse/handlers/search.py
index 80e7b15de8..ec936bbb4e 100644
--- a/synapse/handlers/search.py
+++ b/synapse/handlers/search.py
@@ -50,6 +50,9 @@ class SearchHandler(BaseHandler):
             dict to be returned to the client with results of search
         """
 
+        if not self.hs.config.enable_search:
+            raise SynapseError(400, "Search is disabled on this homeserver")
+
         batch_group = None
         batch_group_key = None
         batch_token = None
diff --git a/synapse/handlers/sync.py b/synapse/handlers/sync.py
index 09739f2862..f7f768f751 100644
--- a/synapse/handlers/sync.py
+++ b/synapse/handlers/sync.py
@@ -1668,13 +1668,17 @@ class SyncHandler(object):
                 "content": content,
             })
 
-        account_data = sync_config.filter_collection.filter_room_account_data(
+        account_data_events = sync_config.filter_collection.filter_room_account_data(
             account_data_events
         )
 
         ephemeral = sync_config.filter_collection.filter_room_ephemeral(ephemeral)
 
-        if not (always_include or batch or account_data or ephemeral or full_state):
+        if not (always_include
+                or batch
+                or account_data_events
+                or ephemeral
+                or full_state):
             return
 
         state = yield self.compute_state_delta(
@@ -1745,7 +1749,7 @@ class SyncHandler(object):
                 room_id=room_id,
                 timeline=batch,
                 state=state,
-                account_data=account_data,
+                account_data=account_data_events,
             )
             if room_sync or always_include:
                 sync_result_builder.archived.append(room_sync)
diff --git a/synapse/handlers/user_directory.py b/synapse/handlers/user_directory.py
index f11b430126..3c40999338 100644
--- a/synapse/handlers/user_directory.py
+++ b/synapse/handlers/user_directory.py
@@ -125,9 +125,12 @@ class UserDirectoryHandler(object):
         """
         # FIXME(#3714): We should probably do this in the same worker as all
         # the other changes.
-        yield self.store.update_profile_in_user_dir(
-            user_id, profile.display_name, profile.avatar_url, None,
-        )
+        is_support = yield self.store.is_support_user(user_id)
+        # Support users are for diagnostics and should not appear in the user directory.
+        if not is_support:
+            yield self.store.update_profile_in_user_dir(
+                user_id, profile.display_name, profile.avatar_url, None,
+            )
 
     @defer.inlineCallbacks
     def handle_user_deactivated(self, user_id):
@@ -329,14 +332,7 @@ class UserDirectoryHandler(object):
                     public_value=Membership.JOIN,
                 )
 
-                if change is None:
-                    # Handle any profile changes
-                    yield self._handle_profile_change(
-                        state_key, room_id, prev_event_id, event_id,
-                    )
-                    continue
-
-                if not change:
+                if change is False:
                     # Need to check if the server left the room entirely, if so
                     # we might need to remove all the users in that room
                     is_in_room = yield self.store.is_host_joined(
@@ -354,16 +350,25 @@ class UserDirectoryHandler(object):
                     else:
                         logger.debug("Server is still in room: %r", room_id)
 
-                if change:  # The user joined
-                    event = yield self.store.get_event(event_id, allow_none=True)
-                    profile = ProfileInfo(
-                        avatar_url=event.content.get("avatar_url"),
-                        display_name=event.content.get("displayname"),
-                    )
+                is_support = yield self.store.is_support_user(state_key)
+                if not is_support:
+                    if change is None:
+                        # Handle any profile changes
+                        yield self._handle_profile_change(
+                            state_key, room_id, prev_event_id, event_id,
+                        )
+                        continue
+
+                    if change:  # The user joined
+                        event = yield self.store.get_event(event_id, allow_none=True)
+                        profile = ProfileInfo(
+                            avatar_url=event.content.get("avatar_url"),
+                            display_name=event.content.get("displayname"),
+                        )
 
-                    yield self._handle_new_user(room_id, state_key, profile)
-                else:  # The user left
-                    yield self._handle_remove_user(room_id, state_key)
+                        yield self._handle_new_user(room_id, state_key, profile)
+                    else:  # The user left
+                        yield self._handle_remove_user(room_id, state_key)
             else:
                 logger.debug("Ignoring irrelevant type: %r", typ)
 
diff --git a/synapse/http/client.py b/synapse/http/client.py
index 3d05f83b8c..afcf698b29 100644
--- a/synapse/http/client.py
+++ b/synapse/http/client.py
@@ -21,28 +21,25 @@ from six.moves import urllib
 
 import treq
 from canonicaljson import encode_canonical_json, json
+from netaddr import IPAddress
 from prometheus_client import Counter
+from zope.interface import implementer, provider
 
 from OpenSSL import SSL
 from OpenSSL.SSL import VERIFY_NONE
-from twisted.internet import defer, protocol, reactor, ssl
-from twisted.internet.endpoints import HostnameEndpoint, wrapClientTLS
-from twisted.web._newclient import ResponseDone
-from twisted.web.client import (
-    Agent,
-    BrowserLikeRedirectAgent,
-    ContentDecoderAgent,
-    GzipDecoder,
-    HTTPConnectionPool,
-    PartialDownloadError,
-    readBody,
+from twisted.internet import defer, protocol, ssl
+from twisted.internet.interfaces import (
+    IReactorPluggableNameResolver,
+    IResolutionReceiver,
 )
+from twisted.python.failure import Failure
+from twisted.web._newclient import ResponseDone
+from twisted.web.client import Agent, HTTPConnectionPool, PartialDownloadError, readBody
 from twisted.web.http import PotentialDataLoss
 from twisted.web.http_headers import Headers
 
 from synapse.api.errors import Codes, HttpResponseException, SynapseError
 from synapse.http import cancelled_to_request_timed_out_error, redact_uri
-from synapse.http.endpoint import SpiderEndpoint
 from synapse.util.async_helpers import timeout_deferred
 from synapse.util.caches import CACHE_SIZE_FACTOR
 from synapse.util.logcontext import make_deferred_yieldable
@@ -50,8 +47,125 @@ from synapse.util.logcontext import make_deferred_yieldable
 logger = logging.getLogger(__name__)
 
 outgoing_requests_counter = Counter("synapse_http_client_requests", "", ["method"])
-incoming_responses_counter = Counter("synapse_http_client_responses", "",
-                                     ["method", "code"])
+incoming_responses_counter = Counter(
+    "synapse_http_client_responses", "", ["method", "code"]
+)
+
+
+def check_against_blacklist(ip_address, ip_whitelist, ip_blacklist):
+    """
+    Args:
+        ip_address (netaddr.IPAddress)
+        ip_whitelist (netaddr.IPSet)
+        ip_blacklist (netaddr.IPSet)
+    """
+    if ip_address in ip_blacklist:
+        if ip_whitelist is None or ip_address not in ip_whitelist:
+            return True
+    return False
+
+
+class IPBlacklistingResolver(object):
+    """
+    A proxy for reactor.nameResolver which only produces non-blacklisted IP
+    addresses, preventing DNS rebinding attacks on URL preview.
+    """
+
+    def __init__(self, reactor, ip_whitelist, ip_blacklist):
+        """
+        Args:
+            reactor (twisted.internet.reactor)
+            ip_whitelist (netaddr.IPSet)
+            ip_blacklist (netaddr.IPSet)
+        """
+        self._reactor = reactor
+        self._ip_whitelist = ip_whitelist
+        self._ip_blacklist = ip_blacklist
+
+    def resolveHostName(self, recv, hostname, portNumber=0):
+
+        r = recv()
+        d = defer.Deferred()
+        addresses = []
+
+        @provider(IResolutionReceiver)
+        class EndpointReceiver(object):
+            @staticmethod
+            def resolutionBegan(resolutionInProgress):
+                pass
+
+            @staticmethod
+            def addressResolved(address):
+                ip_address = IPAddress(address.host)
+
+                if check_against_blacklist(
+                    ip_address, self._ip_whitelist, self._ip_blacklist
+                ):
+                    logger.info(
+                        "Dropped %s from DNS resolution to %s" % (ip_address, hostname)
+                    )
+                    raise SynapseError(403, "IP address blocked by IP blacklist entry")
+
+                addresses.append(address)
+
+            @staticmethod
+            def resolutionComplete():
+                d.callback(addresses)
+
+        self._reactor.nameResolver.resolveHostName(
+            EndpointReceiver, hostname, portNumber=portNumber
+        )
+
+        def _callback(addrs):
+            r.resolutionBegan(None)
+            for i in addrs:
+                r.addressResolved(i)
+            r.resolutionComplete()
+
+        d.addCallback(_callback)
+
+        return r
+
+
+class BlacklistingAgentWrapper(Agent):
+    """
+    An Agent wrapper which will prevent access to IP addresses being accessed
+    directly (without an IP address lookup).
+    """
+
+    def __init__(self, agent, reactor, ip_whitelist=None, ip_blacklist=None):
+        """
+        Args:
+            agent (twisted.web.client.Agent): The Agent to wrap.
+            reactor (twisted.internet.reactor)
+            ip_whitelist (netaddr.IPSet)
+            ip_blacklist (netaddr.IPSet)
+        """
+        self._agent = agent
+        self._ip_whitelist = ip_whitelist
+        self._ip_blacklist = ip_blacklist
+
+    def request(self, method, uri, headers=None, bodyProducer=None):
+        h = urllib.parse.urlparse(uri.decode('ascii'))
+
+        try:
+            ip_address = IPAddress(h.hostname)
+
+            if check_against_blacklist(
+                ip_address, self._ip_whitelist, self._ip_blacklist
+            ):
+                logger.info(
+                    "Blocking access to %s because of blacklist" % (ip_address,)
+                )
+                e = SynapseError(403, "IP address blocked by IP blacklist entry")
+                return defer.fail(Failure(e))
+        except Exception:
+            # Not an IP
+            pass
+
+        return self._agent.request(
+            method, uri, headers=headers, bodyProducer=bodyProducer
+        )
 
 
 class SimpleHttpClient(object):
@@ -59,14 +173,54 @@ class SimpleHttpClient(object):
     A simple, no-frills HTTP client with methods that wrap up common ways of
     using HTTP in Matrix
     """
-    def __init__(self, hs):
+
+    def __init__(self, hs, treq_args={}, ip_whitelist=None, ip_blacklist=None):
+        """
+        Args:
+            hs (synapse.server.HomeServer)
+            treq_args (dict): Extra keyword arguments to be given to treq.request.
+            ip_blacklist (netaddr.IPSet): The IP addresses that are blacklisted that
+                we may not request.
+            ip_whitelist (netaddr.IPSet): The whitelisted IP addresses, that we can
+               request if it were otherwise caught in a blacklist.
+        """
         self.hs = hs
 
-        pool = HTTPConnectionPool(reactor)
+        self._ip_whitelist = ip_whitelist
+        self._ip_blacklist = ip_blacklist
+        self._extra_treq_args = treq_args
+
+        self.user_agent = hs.version_string
+        self.clock = hs.get_clock()
+        if hs.config.user_agent_suffix:
+            self.user_agent = "%s %s" % (self.user_agent, hs.config.user_agent_suffix)
+
+        self.user_agent = self.user_agent.encode('ascii')
+
+        if self._ip_blacklist:
+            real_reactor = hs.get_reactor()
+            # If we have an IP blacklist, we need to use a DNS resolver which
+            # filters out blacklisted IP addresses, to prevent DNS rebinding.
+            nameResolver = IPBlacklistingResolver(
+                real_reactor, self._ip_whitelist, self._ip_blacklist
+            )
+
+            @implementer(IReactorPluggableNameResolver)
+            class Reactor(object):
+                def __getattr__(_self, attr):
+                    if attr == "nameResolver":
+                        return nameResolver
+                    else:
+                        return getattr(real_reactor, attr)
+
+            self.reactor = Reactor()
+        else:
+            self.reactor = hs.get_reactor()
 
         # the pusher makes lots of concurrent SSL connections to sygnal, and
-        # tends to do so in batches, so we need to allow the pool to keep lots
-        # of idle connections around.
+        # tends to do so in batches, so we need to allow the pool to keep
+        # lots of idle connections around.
+        pool = HTTPConnectionPool(self.reactor)
         pool.maxPersistentPerHost = max((100 * CACHE_SIZE_FACTOR, 5))
         pool.cachedConnectionTimeout = 2 * 60
 
@@ -74,20 +228,35 @@ class SimpleHttpClient(object):
         # BrowserLikePolicyForHTTPS which will do regular cert validation
         # 'like a browser'
         self.agent = Agent(
-            reactor,
+            self.reactor,
             connectTimeout=15,
-            contextFactory=hs.get_http_client_context_factory(),
+            contextFactory=self.hs.get_http_client_context_factory(),
             pool=pool,
         )
-        self.user_agent = hs.version_string
-        self.clock = hs.get_clock()
-        if hs.config.user_agent_suffix:
-            self.user_agent = "%s %s" % (self.user_agent, hs.config.user_agent_suffix,)
 
-        self.user_agent = self.user_agent.encode('ascii')
+        if self._ip_blacklist:
+            # If we have an IP blacklist, we then install the blacklisting Agent
+            # which prevents direct access to IP addresses, that are not caught
+            # by the DNS resolution.
+            self.agent = BlacklistingAgentWrapper(
+                self.agent,
+                self.reactor,
+                ip_whitelist=self._ip_whitelist,
+                ip_blacklist=self._ip_blacklist,
+            )
 
     @defer.inlineCallbacks
     def request(self, method, uri, data=b'', headers=None):
+        """
+        Args:
+            method (str): HTTP method to use.
+            uri (str): URI to query.
+            data (bytes): Data to send in the request body, if applicable.
+            headers (t.w.http_headers.Headers): Request headers.
+
+        Raises:
+            SynapseError: If the IP is blacklisted.
+        """
         # A small wrapper around self.agent.request() so we can easily attach
         # counters to it
         outgoing_requests_counter.labels(method).inc()
@@ -97,25 +266,34 @@ class SimpleHttpClient(object):
 
         try:
             request_deferred = treq.request(
-                method, uri, agent=self.agent, data=data, headers=headers
+                method,
+                uri,
+                agent=self.agent,
+                data=data,
+                headers=headers,
+                **self._extra_treq_args
             )
             request_deferred = timeout_deferred(
-                request_deferred, 60, self.hs.get_reactor(),
+                request_deferred,
+                60,
+                self.hs.get_reactor(),
                 cancelled_to_request_timed_out_error,
             )
             response = yield make_deferred_yieldable(request_deferred)
 
             incoming_responses_counter.labels(method, response.code).inc()
             logger.info(
-                "Received response to  %s %s: %s",
-                method, redact_uri(uri), response.code
+                "Received response to %s %s: %s", method, redact_uri(uri), response.code
             )
             defer.returnValue(response)
         except Exception as e:
             incoming_responses_counter.labels(method, "ERR").inc()
             logger.info(
                 "Error sending request to  %s %s: %s %s",
-                method, redact_uri(uri), type(e).__name__, e.args[0]
+                method,
+                redact_uri(uri),
+                type(e).__name__,
+                e.args[0],
             )
             raise
 
@@ -140,8 +318,9 @@ class SimpleHttpClient(object):
         # TODO: Do we ever want to log message contents?
         logger.debug("post_urlencoded_get_json args: %s", args)
 
-        query_bytes = urllib.parse.urlencode(
-            encode_urlencode_args(args), True).encode("utf8")
+        query_bytes = urllib.parse.urlencode(encode_urlencode_args(args), True).encode(
+            "utf8"
+        )
 
         actual_headers = {
             b"Content-Type": [b"application/x-www-form-urlencoded"],
@@ -151,10 +330,7 @@ class SimpleHttpClient(object):
             actual_headers.update(headers)
 
         response = yield self.request(
-            "POST",
-            uri,
-            headers=Headers(actual_headers),
-            data=query_bytes
+            "POST", uri, headers=Headers(actual_headers), data=query_bytes
         )
 
         if 200 <= response.code < 300:
@@ -193,10 +369,7 @@ class SimpleHttpClient(object):
             actual_headers.update(headers)
 
         response = yield self.request(
-            "POST",
-            uri,
-            headers=Headers(actual_headers),
-            data=json_str
+            "POST", uri, headers=Headers(actual_headers), data=json_str
         )
 
         body = yield make_deferred_yieldable(readBody(response))
@@ -264,10 +437,7 @@ class SimpleHttpClient(object):
             actual_headers.update(headers)
 
         response = yield self.request(
-            "PUT",
-            uri,
-            headers=Headers(actual_headers),
-            data=json_str
+            "PUT", uri, headers=Headers(actual_headers), data=json_str
         )
 
         body = yield make_deferred_yieldable(readBody(response))
@@ -299,17 +469,11 @@ class SimpleHttpClient(object):
             query_bytes = urllib.parse.urlencode(args, True)
             uri = "%s?%s" % (uri, query_bytes)
 
-        actual_headers = {
-            b"User-Agent": [self.user_agent],
-        }
+        actual_headers = {b"User-Agent": [self.user_agent]}
         if headers:
             actual_headers.update(headers)
 
-        response = yield self.request(
-            "GET",
-            uri,
-            headers=Headers(actual_headers),
-        )
+        response = yield self.request("GET", uri, headers=Headers(actual_headers))
 
         body = yield make_deferred_yieldable(readBody(response))
 
@@ -334,22 +498,18 @@ class SimpleHttpClient(object):
             headers, absolute URI of the response and HTTP response code.
         """
 
-        actual_headers = {
-            b"User-Agent": [self.user_agent],
-        }
+        actual_headers = {b"User-Agent": [self.user_agent]}
         if headers:
             actual_headers.update(headers)
 
-        response = yield self.request(
-            "GET",
-            url,
-            headers=Headers(actual_headers),
-        )
+        response = yield self.request("GET", url, headers=Headers(actual_headers))
 
         resp_headers = dict(response.headers.getAllRawHeaders())
 
-        if (b'Content-Length' in resp_headers and
-                int(resp_headers[b'Content-Length']) > max_size):
+        if (
+            b'Content-Length' in resp_headers
+            and int(resp_headers[b'Content-Length'][0]) > max_size
+        ):
             logger.warn("Requested URL is too large > %r bytes" % (self.max_size,))
             raise SynapseError(
                 502,
@@ -359,26 +519,20 @@ class SimpleHttpClient(object):
 
         if response.code > 299:
             logger.warn("Got %d when downloading %s" % (response.code, url))
-            raise SynapseError(
-                502,
-                "Got error %d" % (response.code,),
-                Codes.UNKNOWN,
-            )
+            raise SynapseError(502, "Got error %d" % (response.code,), Codes.UNKNOWN)
 
         # TODO: if our Content-Type is HTML or something, just read the first
         # N bytes into RAM rather than saving it all to disk only to read it
         # straight back in again
 
         try:
-            length = yield make_deferred_yieldable(_readBodyToFile(
-                response, output_stream, max_size,
-            ))
+            length = yield make_deferred_yieldable(
+                _readBodyToFile(response, output_stream, max_size)
+            )
         except Exception as e:
             logger.exception("Failed to download body")
             raise SynapseError(
-                502,
-                ("Failed to download remote body: %s" % e),
-                Codes.UNKNOWN,
+                502, ("Failed to download remote body: %s" % e), Codes.UNKNOWN
             )
 
         defer.returnValue(
@@ -387,13 +541,14 @@ class SimpleHttpClient(object):
                 resp_headers,
                 response.request.absoluteURI.decode('ascii'),
                 response.code,
-            ),
+            )
         )
 
 
 # XXX: FIXME: This is horribly copy-pasted from matrixfederationclient.
 # The two should be factored out.
 
+
 class _ReadBodyToFileProtocol(protocol.Protocol):
     def __init__(self, stream, deferred, max_size):
         self.stream = stream
@@ -405,11 +560,13 @@ class _ReadBodyToFileProtocol(protocol.Protocol):
         self.stream.write(data)
         self.length += len(data)
         if self.max_size is not None and self.length >= self.max_size:
-            self.deferred.errback(SynapseError(
-                502,
-                "Requested file is too large > %r bytes" % (self.max_size,),
-                Codes.TOO_LARGE,
-            ))
+            self.deferred.errback(
+                SynapseError(
+                    502,
+                    "Requested file is too large > %r bytes" % (self.max_size,),
+                    Codes.TOO_LARGE,
+                )
+            )
             self.deferred = defer.Deferred()
             self.transport.loseConnection()
 
@@ -427,6 +584,7 @@ class _ReadBodyToFileProtocol(protocol.Protocol):
 # XXX: FIXME: This is horribly copy-pasted from matrixfederationclient.
 # The two should be factored out.
 
+
 def _readBodyToFile(response, stream, max_size):
     d = defer.Deferred()
     response.deliverBody(_ReadBodyToFileProtocol(stream, d, max_size))
@@ -449,10 +607,12 @@ class CaptchaServerHttpClient(SimpleHttpClient):
             "POST",
             url,
             data=query_bytes,
-            headers=Headers({
-                b"Content-Type": [b"application/x-www-form-urlencoded"],
-                b"User-Agent": [self.user_agent],
-            })
+            headers=Headers(
+                {
+                    b"Content-Type": [b"application/x-www-form-urlencoded"],
+                    b"User-Agent": [self.user_agent],
+                }
+            ),
         )
 
         try:
@@ -463,57 +623,6 @@ class CaptchaServerHttpClient(SimpleHttpClient):
             defer.returnValue(e.response)
 
 
-class SpiderEndpointFactory(object):
-    def __init__(self, hs):
-        self.blacklist = hs.config.url_preview_ip_range_blacklist
-        self.whitelist = hs.config.url_preview_ip_range_whitelist
-        self.policyForHTTPS = hs.get_http_client_context_factory()
-
-    def endpointForURI(self, uri):
-        logger.info("Getting endpoint for %s", uri.toBytes())
-
-        if uri.scheme == b"http":
-            endpoint_factory = HostnameEndpoint
-        elif uri.scheme == b"https":
-            tlsCreator = self.policyForHTTPS.creatorForNetloc(uri.host, uri.port)
-
-            def endpoint_factory(reactor, host, port, **kw):
-                return wrapClientTLS(
-                    tlsCreator,
-                    HostnameEndpoint(reactor, host, port, **kw))
-        else:
-            logger.warn("Can't get endpoint for unrecognised scheme %s", uri.scheme)
-            return None
-        return SpiderEndpoint(
-            reactor, uri.host, uri.port, self.blacklist, self.whitelist,
-            endpoint=endpoint_factory, endpoint_kw_args=dict(timeout=15),
-        )
-
-
-class SpiderHttpClient(SimpleHttpClient):
-    """
-    Separate HTTP client for spidering arbitrary URLs.
-    Special in that it follows retries and has a UA that looks
-    like a browser.
-
-    used by the preview_url endpoint in the content repo.
-    """
-    def __init__(self, hs):
-        SimpleHttpClient.__init__(self, hs)
-        # clobber the base class's agent and UA:
-        self.agent = ContentDecoderAgent(
-            BrowserLikeRedirectAgent(
-                Agent.usingEndpointFactory(
-                    reactor,
-                    SpiderEndpointFactory(hs)
-                )
-            ), [(b'gzip', GzipDecoder)]
-        )
-        # We could look like Chrome:
-        # self.user_agent = ("Mozilla/5.0 (%s) (KHTML, like Gecko)
-        #                   Chrome Safari" % hs.version_string)
-
-
 def encode_urlencode_args(args):
     return {k: encode_urlencode_arg(v) for k, v in args.items()}
 
diff --git a/synapse/http/endpoint.py b/synapse/http/endpoint.py
index 91025037a3..f86a0b624e 100644
--- a/synapse/http/endpoint.py
+++ b/synapse/http/endpoint.py
@@ -218,41 +218,6 @@ class _WrappedConnection(object):
         return d
 
 
-class SpiderEndpoint(object):
-    """An endpoint which refuses to connect to blacklisted IP addresses
-    Implements twisted.internet.interfaces.IStreamClientEndpoint.
-    """
-    def __init__(self, reactor, host, port, blacklist, whitelist,
-                 endpoint=HostnameEndpoint, endpoint_kw_args={}):
-        self.reactor = reactor
-        self.host = host
-        self.port = port
-        self.blacklist = blacklist
-        self.whitelist = whitelist
-        self.endpoint = endpoint
-        self.endpoint_kw_args = endpoint_kw_args
-
-    @defer.inlineCallbacks
-    def connect(self, protocolFactory):
-        address = yield self.reactor.resolve(self.host)
-
-        from netaddr import IPAddress
-        ip_address = IPAddress(address)
-
-        if ip_address in self.blacklist:
-            if self.whitelist is None or ip_address not in self.whitelist:
-                raise ConnectError(
-                    "Refusing to spider blacklisted IP address %s" % address
-                )
-
-        logger.info("Connecting to %s:%s", address, self.port)
-        endpoint = self.endpoint(
-            self.reactor, address, self.port, **self.endpoint_kw_args
-        )
-        connection = yield endpoint.connect(protocolFactory)
-        defer.returnValue(connection)
-
-
 class SRVClientEndpoint(object):
     """An endpoint which looks up SRV records for a service.
     Cycles through the list of servers starting with each call to connect
diff --git a/synapse/push/mailer.py b/synapse/push/mailer.py
index ebcb93bfc7..1eb5be0957 100644
--- a/synapse/push/mailer.py
+++ b/synapse/push/mailer.py
@@ -36,6 +36,7 @@ from synapse.push.presentable_names import (
 )
 from synapse.types import UserID
 from synapse.util.async_helpers import concurrently_execute
+from synapse.util.logcontext import make_deferred_yieldable
 from synapse.visibility import filter_events_for_client
 
 logger = logging.getLogger(__name__)
@@ -192,7 +193,7 @@ class Mailer(object):
 
         logger.info("Sending email push notification to %s" % email_address)
 
-        yield self.sendmail(
+        yield make_deferred_yieldable(self.sendmail(
             self.hs.config.email_smtp_host,
             raw_from, raw_to, multipart_msg.as_string().encode('utf8'),
             reactor=self.hs.get_reactor(),
@@ -201,7 +202,7 @@ class Mailer(object):
             username=self.hs.config.email_smtp_user,
             password=self.hs.config.email_smtp_pass,
             requireTransportSecurity=self.hs.config.require_transport_security
-        )
+        ))
 
     @defer.inlineCallbacks
     def get_room_vars(self, room_id, user_id, notifs, notif_events, room_state_ids):
diff --git a/synapse/python_dependencies.py b/synapse/python_dependencies.py
index ca62ee7637..2c65ef5856 100644
--- a/synapse/python_dependencies.py
+++ b/synapse/python_dependencies.py
@@ -15,176 +15,121 @@
 # limitations under the License.
 
 import logging
-from distutils.version import LooseVersion
+
+from pkg_resources import DistributionNotFound, VersionConflict, get_distribution
 
 logger = logging.getLogger(__name__)
 
-# this dict maps from python package name to a list of modules we expect it to
-# provide.
-#
-# the key is a "requirement specifier", as used as a parameter to `pip
-# install`[1], or an `install_requires` argument to `setuptools.setup` [2].
+
+# REQUIREMENTS is a simple list of requirement specifiers[1], and must be
+# installed. It is passed to setup() as install_requires in setup.py.
 #
-# the value is a sequence of strings; each entry should be the name of the
-# python module, optionally followed by a version assertion which can be either
-# ">=<ver>" or "==<ver>".
+# CONDITIONAL_REQUIREMENTS is the optional dependencies, represented as a dict
+# of lists. The dict key is the optional dependency name and can be passed to
+# pip when installing. The list is a series of requirement specifiers[1] to be
+# installed when that optional dependency requirement is specified. It is passed
+# to setup() as extras_require in setup.py
 #
 # [1] https://pip.pypa.io/en/stable/reference/pip_install/#requirement-specifiers.
-# [2] https://setuptools.readthedocs.io/en/latest/setuptools.html#declaring-dependencies
-REQUIREMENTS = {
-    "jsonschema>=2.5.1": ["jsonschema>=2.5.1"],
-    "frozendict>=1": ["frozendict"],
-    "unpaddedbase64>=1.1.0": ["unpaddedbase64>=1.1.0"],
-    "canonicaljson>=1.1.3": ["canonicaljson>=1.1.3"],
-    "signedjson>=1.0.0": ["signedjson>=1.0.0"],
-    "pynacl>=1.2.1": ["nacl>=1.2.1", "nacl.bindings"],
-    "service_identity>=16.0.0": ["service_identity>=16.0.0"],
-    "Twisted>=17.1.0": ["twisted>=17.1.0"],
-    "treq>=15.1": ["treq>=15.1"],
 
+REQUIREMENTS = [
+    "jsonschema>=2.5.1",
+    "frozendict>=1",
+    "unpaddedbase64>=1.1.0",
+    "canonicaljson>=1.1.3",
+    "signedjson>=1.0.0",
+    "pynacl>=1.2.1",
+    "service_identity>=16.0.0",
+    "Twisted>=17.1.0",
+    "treq>=15.1",
     # Twisted has required pyopenssl 16.0 since about Twisted 16.6.
-    "pyopenssl>=16.0.0": ["OpenSSL>=16.0.0"],
-
-    "pyyaml>=3.11": ["yaml"],
-    "pyasn1>=0.1.9": ["pyasn1"],
-    "pyasn1-modules>=0.0.7": ["pyasn1_modules"],
-    "daemonize>=2.3.1": ["daemonize"],
-    "bcrypt>=3.1.0": ["bcrypt>=3.1.0"],
-    "pillow>=3.1.2": ["PIL"],
-    "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"],
-    "phonenumbers>=8.2.0": ["phonenumbers"],
-    "six>=1.10": ["six"],
-
+    "pyopenssl>=16.0.0",
+    "pyyaml>=3.11",
+    "pyasn1>=0.1.9",
+    "pyasn1-modules>=0.0.7",
+    "daemonize>=2.3.1",
+    "bcrypt>=3.1.0",
+    "pillow>=3.1.2",
+    "sortedcontainers>=1.4.4",
+    "psutil>=2.0.0",
+    "pymacaroons-pynacl>=0.9.3",
+    "msgpack-python>=0.4.2",
+    "phonenumbers>=8.2.0",
+    "six>=1.10",
     # prometheus_client 0.4.0 changed the format of counter metrics
     # (cf https://github.com/matrix-org/synapse/issues/4001)
-    "prometheus_client>=0.0.18,<0.4.0": ["prometheus_client"],
-
+    "prometheus_client>=0.0.18,<0.4.0",
     # we use attr.s(slots), which arrived in 16.0.0
-    "attrs>=16.0.0": ["attr>=16.0.0"],
-    "netaddr>=0.7.18": ["netaddr"],
-}
+    "attrs>=16.0.0",
+    "netaddr>=0.7.18",
+]
 
 CONDITIONAL_REQUIREMENTS = {
-    "web_client": {
-        "matrix_angular_sdk>=0.6.8": ["syweb>=0.6.8"],
-    },
-    "email.enable_notifs": {
-        "Jinja2>=2.8": ["Jinja2>=2.8"],
-        "bleach>=1.4.2": ["bleach>=1.4.2"],
-    },
-    "matrix-synapse-ldap3": {
-        "matrix-synapse-ldap3>=0.1": ["ldap_auth_provider"],
-    },
-    "postgres": {
-        "psycopg2>=2.6": ["psycopg2"]
-    }
+    "email.enable_notifs": ["Jinja2>=2.8", "bleach>=1.4.2"],
+    "matrix-synapse-ldap3": ["matrix-synapse-ldap3>=0.1"],
+    "postgres": ["psycopg2>=2.6"],
+    "saml2": ["pysaml2>=4.5.0"],
+    "url_preview": ["lxml>=3.5.0"],
+    "test": ["mock>=2.0"],
 }
 
 
-def requirements(config=None, include_conditional=False):
-    reqs = REQUIREMENTS.copy()
-    if include_conditional:
-        for _, req in CONDITIONAL_REQUIREMENTS.items():
-            reqs.update(req)
-    return reqs
+def list_requirements():
+    deps = set(REQUIREMENTS)
+    for opt in CONDITIONAL_REQUIREMENTS.values():
+        deps = set(opt) | deps
 
+    return list(deps)
 
-def github_link(project, version, egg):
-    return "https://github.com/%s/tarball/%s/#egg=%s" % (project, version, egg)
 
+class DependencyException(Exception):
+    @property
+    def dependencies(self):
+        for i in self.args[0]:
+            yield '"' + i + '"'
 
-DEPENDENCY_LINKS = {
-}
 
+def check_requirements(_get_distribution=get_distribution):
+
+    deps_needed = []
+    errors = []
 
-class MissingRequirementError(Exception):
-    def __init__(self, message, module_name, dependency):
-        super(MissingRequirementError, self).__init__(message)
-        self.module_name = module_name
-        self.dependency = dependency
-
-
-def check_requirements(config=None):
-    """Checks that all the modules needed by synapse have been correctly
-    installed and are at the correct version"""
-    for dependency, module_requirements in (
-            requirements(config, include_conditional=False).items()):
-        for module_requirement in module_requirements:
-            if ">=" in module_requirement:
-                module_name, required_version = module_requirement.split(">=")
-                version_test = ">="
-            elif "==" in module_requirement:
-                module_name, required_version = module_requirement.split("==")
-                version_test = "=="
-            else:
-                module_name = module_requirement
-                version_test = None
-
-            try:
-                module = __import__(module_name)
-            except ImportError:
-                logging.exception(
-                    "Can't import %r which is part of %r",
-                    module_name, dependency
-                )
-                raise MissingRequirementError(
-                    "Can't import %r which is part of %r"
-                    % (module_name, dependency), module_name, dependency
-                )
-            version = getattr(module, "__version__", None)
-            file_path = getattr(module, "__file__", None)
-            logger.info(
-                "Using %r version %r from %r to satisfy %r",
-                module_name, version, file_path, dependency
+    # Check the base dependencies exist -- they all must be installed.
+    for dependency in REQUIREMENTS:
+        try:
+            _get_distribution(dependency)
+        except VersionConflict as e:
+            deps_needed.append(dependency)
+            errors.append(
+                "Needed %s, got %s==%s"
+                % (dependency, e.dist.project_name, e.dist.version)
             )
+        except DistributionNotFound:
+            deps_needed.append(dependency)
+            errors.append("Needed %s but it was not installed" % (dependency,))
 
-            if version_test == ">=":
-                if version is None:
-                    raise MissingRequirementError(
-                        "Version of %r isn't set as __version__ of module %r"
-                        % (dependency, module_name), module_name, dependency
-                    )
-                if LooseVersion(version) < LooseVersion(required_version):
-                    raise MissingRequirementError(
-                        "Version of %r in %r is too old. %r < %r"
-                        % (dependency, file_path, version, required_version),
-                        module_name, dependency
-                    )
-            elif version_test == "==":
-                if version is None:
-                    raise MissingRequirementError(
-                        "Version of %r isn't set as __version__ of module %r"
-                        % (dependency, module_name), module_name, dependency
-                    )
-                if LooseVersion(version) != LooseVersion(required_version):
-                    raise MissingRequirementError(
-                        "Unexpected version of %r in %r. %r != %r"
-                        % (dependency, file_path, version, required_version),
-                        module_name, dependency
-                    )
+    # Check the optional dependencies are up to date. We allow them to not be
+    # installed.
+    OPTS = sum(CONDITIONAL_REQUIREMENTS.values(), [])
 
+    for dependency in OPTS:
+        try:
+            _get_distribution(dependency)
+        except VersionConflict:
+            deps_needed.append(dependency)
+            errors.append("Needed %s but it was not installed" % (dependency,))
+        except DistributionNotFound:
+            # If it's not found, we don't care
+            pass
 
-def list_requirements():
-    result = []
-    linked = []
-    for link in DEPENDENCY_LINKS.values():
-        egg = link.split("#egg=")[1]
-        linked.append(egg.split('-')[0])
-        result.append(link)
-    for requirement in requirements(include_conditional=True):
-        is_linked = False
-        for link in linked:
-            if requirement.replace('-', '_').startswith(link):
-                is_linked = True
-        if not is_linked:
-            result.append(requirement)
-    return result
+    if deps_needed:
+        for e in errors:
+            logging.exception(e)
+
+        raise DependencyException(deps_needed)
 
 
 if __name__ == "__main__":
     import sys
+
     sys.stdout.writelines(req + "\n" for req in list_requirements())
diff --git a/synapse/rest/client/v1/admin.py b/synapse/rest/client/v1/admin.py
index 41534b8c2a..82433a2aa9 100644
--- a/synapse/rest/client/v1/admin.py
+++ b/synapse/rest/client/v1/admin.py
@@ -23,7 +23,7 @@ from six.moves import http_client
 
 from twisted.internet import defer
 
-from synapse.api.constants import Membership
+from synapse.api.constants import Membership, UserTypes
 from synapse.api.errors import AuthError, Codes, NotFoundError, SynapseError
 from synapse.http.servlet import (
     assert_params_in_dict,
@@ -158,6 +158,11 @@ class UserRegisterServlet(ClientV1RestServlet):
                 raise SynapseError(400, "Invalid password")
 
         admin = body.get("admin", None)
+        user_type = body.get("user_type", None)
+
+        if user_type is not None and user_type not in UserTypes.ALL_USER_TYPES:
+            raise SynapseError(400, "Invalid user type")
+
         got_mac = body["mac"]
 
         want_mac = hmac.new(
@@ -171,6 +176,9 @@ class UserRegisterServlet(ClientV1RestServlet):
         want_mac.update(password)
         want_mac.update(b"\x00")
         want_mac.update(b"admin" if admin else b"notadmin")
+        if user_type:
+            want_mac.update(b"\x00")
+            want_mac.update(user_type.encode('utf8'))
         want_mac = want_mac.hexdigest()
 
         if not hmac.compare_digest(
@@ -189,6 +197,7 @@ class UserRegisterServlet(ClientV1RestServlet):
             password=body["password"],
             admin=bool(admin),
             generate_token=False,
+            user_type=user_type,
         )
 
         result = yield register._create_registration_details(user_id, body)
diff --git a/synapse/rest/client/v1/login.py b/synapse/rest/client/v1/login.py
index 0010699d31..942e4d3816 100644
--- a/synapse/rest/client/v1/login.py
+++ b/synapse/rest/client/v1/login.py
@@ -18,17 +18,18 @@ import xml.etree.ElementTree as ET
 
 from six.moves import urllib
 
-from canonicaljson import json
-from saml2 import BINDING_HTTP_POST, config
-from saml2.client import Saml2Client
-
 from twisted.internet import defer
 from twisted.web.client import PartialDownloadError
 
 from synapse.api.errors import Codes, LoginError, SynapseError
 from synapse.http.server import finish_request
-from synapse.http.servlet import parse_json_object_from_request
-from synapse.types import UserID
+from synapse.http.servlet import (
+    RestServlet,
+    parse_json_object_from_request,
+    parse_string,
+)
+from synapse.rest.well_known import WellKnownBuilder
+from synapse.types import UserID, map_username_to_mxid_localpart
 from synapse.util.msisdn import phone_number_to_msisdn
 
 from .base import ClientV1RestServlet, client_path_patterns
@@ -81,15 +82,13 @@ def login_id_thirdparty_from_phone(identifier):
 
 class LoginRestServlet(ClientV1RestServlet):
     PATTERNS = client_path_patterns("/login$")
-    SAML2_TYPE = "m.login.saml2"
     CAS_TYPE = "m.login.cas"
+    SSO_TYPE = "m.login.sso"
     TOKEN_TYPE = "m.login.token"
     JWT_TYPE = "m.login.jwt"
 
     def __init__(self, hs):
         super(LoginRestServlet, self).__init__(hs)
-        self.idp_redirect_url = hs.config.saml2_idp_redirect_url
-        self.saml2_enabled = hs.config.saml2_enabled
         self.jwt_enabled = hs.config.jwt_enabled
         self.jwt_secret = hs.config.jwt_secret
         self.jwt_algorithm = hs.config.jwt_algorithm
@@ -97,14 +96,17 @@ class LoginRestServlet(ClientV1RestServlet):
         self.auth_handler = self.hs.get_auth_handler()
         self.device_handler = self.hs.get_device_handler()
         self.handlers = hs.get_handlers()
+        self._well_known_builder = WellKnownBuilder(hs)
 
     def on_GET(self, request):
         flows = []
         if self.jwt_enabled:
             flows.append({"type": LoginRestServlet.JWT_TYPE})
-        if self.saml2_enabled:
-            flows.append({"type": LoginRestServlet.SAML2_TYPE})
         if self.cas_enabled:
+            flows.append({"type": LoginRestServlet.SSO_TYPE})
+
+            # we advertise CAS for backwards compat, though MSC1721 renamed it
+            # to SSO.
             flows.append({"type": LoginRestServlet.CAS_TYPE})
 
             # While its valid for us to advertise this login type generally,
@@ -129,29 +131,21 @@ class LoginRestServlet(ClientV1RestServlet):
     def on_POST(self, request):
         login_submission = parse_json_object_from_request(request)
         try:
-            if self.saml2_enabled and (login_submission["type"] ==
-                                       LoginRestServlet.SAML2_TYPE):
-                relay_state = ""
-                if "relay_state" in login_submission:
-                    relay_state = "&RelayState=" + urllib.parse.quote(
-                                  login_submission["relay_state"])
-                result = {
-                    "uri": "%s%s" % (self.idp_redirect_url, relay_state)
-                }
-                defer.returnValue((200, result))
-            elif self.jwt_enabled and (login_submission["type"] ==
-                                       LoginRestServlet.JWT_TYPE):
+            if self.jwt_enabled and (login_submission["type"] ==
+                                     LoginRestServlet.JWT_TYPE):
                 result = yield self.do_jwt_login(login_submission)
-                defer.returnValue(result)
             elif login_submission["type"] == LoginRestServlet.TOKEN_TYPE:
                 result = yield self.do_token_login(login_submission)
-                defer.returnValue(result)
             else:
                 result = yield self._do_other_login(login_submission)
-                defer.returnValue(result)
         except KeyError:
             raise SynapseError(400, "Missing JSON keys.")
 
+        well_known_data = self._well_known_builder.get_well_known()
+        if well_known_data:
+            result["well_known"] = well_known_data
+        defer.returnValue((200, result))
+
     @defer.inlineCallbacks
     def _do_other_login(self, login_submission):
         """Handle non-token/saml/jwt logins
@@ -160,7 +154,7 @@ class LoginRestServlet(ClientV1RestServlet):
             login_submission:
 
         Returns:
-            (int, object): HTTP code/response
+            dict: HTTP response
         """
         # Log the request we got, but only certain fields to minimise the chance of
         # logging someone's password (even if they accidentally put it in the wrong
@@ -243,7 +237,7 @@ class LoginRestServlet(ClientV1RestServlet):
         if callback is not None:
             yield callback(result)
 
-        defer.returnValue((200, result))
+        defer.returnValue(result)
 
     @defer.inlineCallbacks
     def do_token_login(self, login_submission):
@@ -263,7 +257,7 @@ class LoginRestServlet(ClientV1RestServlet):
             "device_id": device_id,
         }
 
-        defer.returnValue((200, result))
+        defer.returnValue(result)
 
     @defer.inlineCallbacks
     def do_jwt_login(self, login_submission):
@@ -317,7 +311,7 @@ class LoginRestServlet(ClientV1RestServlet):
                 "home_server": self.hs.hostname,
             }
 
-        defer.returnValue((200, result))
+        defer.returnValue(result)
 
     def _register_device(self, user_id, login_submission):
         """Register a device for a user.
@@ -340,55 +334,11 @@ class LoginRestServlet(ClientV1RestServlet):
         )
 
 
-class SAML2RestServlet(ClientV1RestServlet):
-    PATTERNS = client_path_patterns("/login/saml2", releases=())
-
-    def __init__(self, hs):
-        super(SAML2RestServlet, self).__init__(hs)
-        self.sp_config = hs.config.saml2_config_path
-        self.handlers = hs.get_handlers()
-
-    @defer.inlineCallbacks
-    def on_POST(self, request):
-        saml2_auth = None
-        try:
-            conf = config.SPConfig()
-            conf.load_file(self.sp_config)
-            SP = Saml2Client(conf)
-            saml2_auth = SP.parse_authn_request_response(
-                request.args['SAMLResponse'][0], BINDING_HTTP_POST)
-        except Exception as e:        # Not authenticated
-            logger.exception(e)
-        if saml2_auth and saml2_auth.status_ok() and not saml2_auth.not_signed:
-            username = saml2_auth.name_id.text
-            handler = self.handlers.registration_handler
-            (user_id, token) = yield handler.register_saml2(username)
-            # Forward to the RelayState callback along with ava
-            if 'RelayState' in request.args:
-                request.redirect(urllib.parse.unquote(
-                                 request.args['RelayState'][0]) +
-                                 '?status=authenticated&access_token=' +
-                                 token + '&user_id=' + user_id + '&ava=' +
-                                 urllib.quote(json.dumps(saml2_auth.ava)))
-                finish_request(request)
-                defer.returnValue(None)
-            defer.returnValue((200, {"status": "authenticated",
-                                     "user_id": user_id, "token": token,
-                                     "ava": saml2_auth.ava}))
-        elif 'RelayState' in request.args:
-            request.redirect(urllib.parse.unquote(
-                             request.args['RelayState'][0]) +
-                             '?status=not_authenticated')
-            finish_request(request)
-            defer.returnValue(None)
-        defer.returnValue((200, {"status": "not_authenticated"}))
-
-
-class CasRedirectServlet(ClientV1RestServlet):
-    PATTERNS = client_path_patterns("/login/cas/redirect", releases=())
+class CasRedirectServlet(RestServlet):
+    PATTERNS = client_path_patterns("/login/(cas|sso)/redirect")
 
     def __init__(self, hs):
-        super(CasRedirectServlet, self).__init__(hs)
+        super(CasRedirectServlet, self).__init__()
         self.cas_server_url = hs.config.cas_server_url.encode('ascii')
         self.cas_service_url = hs.config.cas_service_url.encode('ascii')
 
@@ -416,17 +366,15 @@ class CasTicketServlet(ClientV1RestServlet):
         self.cas_server_url = hs.config.cas_server_url
         self.cas_service_url = hs.config.cas_service_url
         self.cas_required_attributes = hs.config.cas_required_attributes
-        self.auth_handler = hs.get_auth_handler()
-        self.handlers = hs.get_handlers()
-        self.macaroon_gen = hs.get_macaroon_generator()
+        self._sso_auth_handler = SSOAuthHandler(hs)
 
     @defer.inlineCallbacks
     def on_GET(self, request):
-        client_redirect_url = request.args[b"redirectUrl"][0]
+        client_redirect_url = parse_string(request, "redirectUrl", required=True)
         http_client = self.hs.get_simple_http_client()
         uri = self.cas_server_url + "/proxyValidate"
         args = {
-            "ticket": request.args[b"ticket"][0].decode('ascii'),
+            "ticket": parse_string(request, "ticket", required=True),
             "service": self.cas_service_url
         }
         try:
@@ -438,7 +386,6 @@ class CasTicketServlet(ClientV1RestServlet):
         result = yield self.handle_cas_response(request, body, client_redirect_url)
         defer.returnValue(result)
 
-    @defer.inlineCallbacks
     def handle_cas_response(self, request, cas_response_body, client_redirect_url):
         user, attributes = self.parse_cas_response(cas_response_body)
 
@@ -454,28 +401,9 @@ class CasTicketServlet(ClientV1RestServlet):
                 if required_value != actual_value:
                     raise LoginError(401, "Unauthorized", errcode=Codes.UNAUTHORIZED)
 
-        user_id = UserID(user, self.hs.hostname).to_string()
-        auth_handler = self.auth_handler
-        registered_user_id = yield auth_handler.check_user_exists(user_id)
-        if not registered_user_id:
-            registered_user_id, _ = (
-                yield self.handlers.registration_handler.register(localpart=user)
-            )
-
-        login_token = self.macaroon_gen.generate_short_term_login_token(
-            registered_user_id
+        return self._sso_auth_handler.on_successful_auth(
+            user, request, client_redirect_url,
         )
-        redirect_url = self.add_login_token_to_redirect_url(client_redirect_url,
-                                                            login_token)
-        request.redirect(redirect_url)
-        finish_request(request)
-
-    def add_login_token_to_redirect_url(self, url, token):
-        url_parts = list(urllib.parse.urlparse(url))
-        query = dict(urllib.parse.parse_qsl(url_parts[4]))
-        query.update({"loginToken": token})
-        url_parts[4] = urllib.parse.urlencode(query).encode('ascii')
-        return urllib.parse.urlunparse(url_parts)
 
     def parse_cas_response(self, cas_response_body):
         user = None
@@ -510,10 +438,78 @@ class CasTicketServlet(ClientV1RestServlet):
         return user, attributes
 
 
+class SSOAuthHandler(object):
+    """
+    Utility class for Resources and Servlets which handle the response from a SSO
+    service
+
+    Args:
+        hs (synapse.server.HomeServer)
+    """
+    def __init__(self, hs):
+        self._hostname = hs.hostname
+        self._auth_handler = hs.get_auth_handler()
+        self._registration_handler = hs.get_handlers().registration_handler
+        self._macaroon_gen = hs.get_macaroon_generator()
+
+    @defer.inlineCallbacks
+    def on_successful_auth(
+        self, username, request, client_redirect_url,
+        user_display_name=None,
+    ):
+        """Called once the user has successfully authenticated with the SSO.
+
+        Registers the user if necessary, and then returns a redirect (with
+        a login token) to the client.
+
+        Args:
+            username (unicode|bytes): the remote user id. We'll map this onto
+                something sane for a MXID localpath.
+
+            request (SynapseRequest): the incoming request from the browser. We'll
+                respond to it with a redirect.
+
+            client_redirect_url (unicode): the redirect_url the client gave us when
+                it first started the process.
+
+            user_display_name (unicode|None): if set, and we have to register a new user,
+                we will set their displayname to this.
+
+        Returns:
+            Deferred[none]: Completes once we have handled the request.
+        """
+        localpart = map_username_to_mxid_localpart(username)
+        user_id = UserID(localpart, self._hostname).to_string()
+        registered_user_id = yield self._auth_handler.check_user_exists(user_id)
+        if not registered_user_id:
+            registered_user_id, _ = (
+                yield self._registration_handler.register(
+                    localpart=localpart,
+                    generate_token=False,
+                    default_display_name=user_display_name,
+                )
+            )
+
+        login_token = self._macaroon_gen.generate_short_term_login_token(
+            registered_user_id
+        )
+        redirect_url = self._add_login_token_to_redirect_url(
+            client_redirect_url, login_token
+        )
+        request.redirect(redirect_url)
+        finish_request(request)
+
+    @staticmethod
+    def _add_login_token_to_redirect_url(url, token):
+        url_parts = list(urllib.parse.urlparse(url))
+        query = dict(urllib.parse.parse_qsl(url_parts[4]))
+        query.update({"loginToken": token})
+        url_parts[4] = urllib.parse.urlencode(query)
+        return urllib.parse.urlunparse(url_parts)
+
+
 def register_servlets(hs, http_server):
     LoginRestServlet(hs).register(http_server)
-    if hs.config.saml2_enabled:
-        SAML2RestServlet(hs).register(http_server)
     if hs.config.cas_enabled:
         CasRedirectServlet(hs).register(http_server)
         CasTicketServlet(hs).register(http_server)
diff --git a/synapse/rest/client/v1/push_rule.py b/synapse/rest/client/v1/push_rule.py
index 9382b1f124..c654f9b5f0 100644
--- a/synapse/rest/client/v1/push_rule.py
+++ b/synapse/rest/client/v1/push_rule.py
@@ -42,7 +42,7 @@ class PushRuleRestServlet(ClientV1RestServlet):
 
     @defer.inlineCallbacks
     def on_PUT(self, request):
-        spec = _rule_spec_from_path(request.postpath)
+        spec = _rule_spec_from_path([x.decode('utf8') for x in request.postpath])
         try:
             priority_class = _priority_class_from_spec(spec)
         except InvalidRuleException as e:
@@ -103,7 +103,7 @@ class PushRuleRestServlet(ClientV1RestServlet):
 
     @defer.inlineCallbacks
     def on_DELETE(self, request):
-        spec = _rule_spec_from_path(request.postpath)
+        spec = _rule_spec_from_path([x.decode('utf8') for x in request.postpath])
 
         requester = yield self.auth.get_user_by_req(request)
         user_id = requester.user.to_string()
@@ -134,7 +134,7 @@ class PushRuleRestServlet(ClientV1RestServlet):
 
         rules = format_push_rules_for_user(requester.user, rules)
 
-        path = request.postpath[1:]
+        path = [x.decode('utf8') for x in request.postpath][1:]
 
         if path == []:
             # we're a reference impl: pedantry is our job.
@@ -142,11 +142,10 @@ class PushRuleRestServlet(ClientV1RestServlet):
                 PushRuleRestServlet.SLIGHTLY_PEDANTIC_TRAILING_SLASH_ERROR
             )
 
-        if path[0] == b'':
+        if path[0] == '':
             defer.returnValue((200, rules))
-        elif path[0] == b'global':
-            path = [x.decode('ascii') for x in path[1:]]
-            result = _filter_ruleset_with_path(rules['global'], path)
+        elif path[0] == 'global':
+            result = _filter_ruleset_with_path(rules['global'], path[1:])
             defer.returnValue((200, result))
         else:
             raise UnrecognizedRequestError()
@@ -190,12 +189,24 @@ class PushRuleRestServlet(ClientV1RestServlet):
 
 
 def _rule_spec_from_path(path):
+    """Turn a sequence of path components into a rule spec
+
+    Args:
+        path (sequence[unicode]): the URL path components.
+
+    Returns:
+        dict: rule spec dict, containing scope/template/rule_id entries,
+            and possibly attr.
+
+    Raises:
+        UnrecognizedRequestError if the path components cannot be parsed.
+    """
     if len(path) < 2:
         raise UnrecognizedRequestError()
-    if path[0] != b'pushrules':
+    if path[0] != 'pushrules':
         raise UnrecognizedRequestError()
 
-    scope = path[1].decode('ascii')
+    scope = path[1]
     path = path[2:]
     if scope != 'global':
         raise UnrecognizedRequestError()
@@ -203,13 +214,13 @@ def _rule_spec_from_path(path):
     if len(path) == 0:
         raise UnrecognizedRequestError()
 
-    template = path[0].decode('ascii')
+    template = path[0]
     path = path[1:]
 
     if len(path) == 0 or len(path[0]) == 0:
         raise UnrecognizedRequestError()
 
-    rule_id = path[0].decode('ascii')
+    rule_id = path[0]
 
     spec = {
         'scope': scope,
@@ -220,7 +231,7 @@ def _rule_spec_from_path(path):
     path = path[1:]
 
     if len(path) > 0 and len(path[0]) > 0:
-        spec['attr'] = path[0].decode('ascii')
+        spec['attr'] = path[0]
 
     return spec
 
diff --git a/synapse/rest/client/v1/pusher.py b/synapse/rest/client/v1/pusher.py
index b84f0260f2..4c07ae7f45 100644
--- a/synapse/rest/client/v1/pusher.py
+++ b/synapse/rest/client/v1/pusher.py
@@ -142,7 +142,7 @@ class PushersRemoveRestServlet(RestServlet):
     To allow pusher to be delete by clicking a link (ie. GET request)
     """
     PATTERNS = client_path_patterns("/pushers/remove$")
-    SUCCESS_HTML = "<html><body>You have been unsubscribed</body><html>"
+    SUCCESS_HTML = b"<html><body>You have been unsubscribed</body><html>"
 
     def __init__(self, hs):
         super(PushersRemoveRestServlet, self).__init__()
diff --git a/synapse/rest/client/v2_alpha/auth.py b/synapse/rest/client/v2_alpha/auth.py
index a8d8ed6590..fa73bdf3a1 100644
--- a/synapse/rest/client/v2_alpha/auth.py
+++ b/synapse/rest/client/v2_alpha/auth.py
@@ -21,7 +21,7 @@ from synapse.api.constants import LoginType
 from synapse.api.errors import SynapseError
 from synapse.api.urls import CLIENT_V2_ALPHA_PREFIX
 from synapse.http.server import finish_request
-from synapse.http.servlet import RestServlet
+from synapse.http.servlet import RestServlet, parse_string
 
 from ._base import client_v2_patterns
 
@@ -131,16 +131,12 @@ class AuthRestServlet(RestServlet):
         self.auth_handler = hs.get_auth_handler()
         self.registration_handler = hs.get_handlers().registration_handler
 
-    @defer.inlineCallbacks
     def on_GET(self, request, stagetype):
-        yield
-        if stagetype == LoginType.RECAPTCHA:
-            if ('session' not in request.args or
-                    len(request.args['session']) == 0):
-                raise SynapseError(400, "No session supplied")
-
-            session = request.args["session"][0]
+        session = parse_string(request, "session")
+        if not session:
+            raise SynapseError(400, "No session supplied")
 
+        if stagetype == LoginType.RECAPTCHA:
             html = RECAPTCHA_TEMPLATE % {
                 'session': session,
                 'myurl': "%s/auth/%s/fallback/web" % (
@@ -155,13 +151,11 @@ class AuthRestServlet(RestServlet):
 
             request.write(html_bytes)
             finish_request(request)
-            defer.returnValue(None)
+            return None
         elif stagetype == LoginType.TERMS:
-            session = request.args['session'][0]
-
             html = TERMS_TEMPLATE % {
                 'session': session,
-                'terms_url': "%s/_matrix/consent?v=%s" % (
+                'terms_url': "%s_matrix/consent?v=%s" % (
                     self.hs.config.public_baseurl,
                     self.hs.config.user_consent_version,
                 ),
@@ -176,25 +170,25 @@ class AuthRestServlet(RestServlet):
 
             request.write(html_bytes)
             finish_request(request)
-            defer.returnValue(None)
+            return None
         else:
             raise SynapseError(404, "Unknown auth stage type")
 
     @defer.inlineCallbacks
     def on_POST(self, request, stagetype):
-        yield
+
+        session = parse_string(request, "session")
+        if not session:
+            raise SynapseError(400, "No session supplied")
+
         if stagetype == LoginType.RECAPTCHA:
-            if ('g-recaptcha-response' not in request.args or
-                    len(request.args['g-recaptcha-response'])) == 0:
-                raise SynapseError(400, "No captcha response supplied")
-            if ('session' not in request.args or
-                    len(request.args['session'])) == 0:
-                raise SynapseError(400, "No session supplied")
+            response = parse_string(request, "g-recaptcha-response")
 
-            session = request.args['session'][0]
+            if not response:
+                raise SynapseError(400, "No captcha response supplied")
 
             authdict = {
-                'response': request.args['g-recaptcha-response'][0],
+                'response': response,
                 'session': session,
             }
 
@@ -242,7 +236,7 @@ class AuthRestServlet(RestServlet):
             else:
                 html = TERMS_TEMPLATE % {
                     'session': session,
-                    'terms_url': "%s/_matrix/consent?v=%s" % (
+                    'terms_url': "%s_matrix/consent?v=%s" % (
                         self.hs.config.public_baseurl,
                         self.hs.config.user_consent_version,
                     ),
diff --git a/synapse/rest/client/v2_alpha/register.py b/synapse/rest/client/v2_alpha/register.py
index 0515715f7c..aec0c6b075 100644
--- a/synapse/rest/client/v2_alpha/register.py
+++ b/synapse/rest/client/v2_alpha/register.py
@@ -457,6 +457,7 @@ class RegisterRestServlet(RestServlet):
             yield self.store.user_set_consent_version(
                 registered_user_id, self.hs.config.user_consent_version,
             )
+            yield self.registration_handler.post_consent_actions(registered_user_id)
 
         defer.returnValue((200, return_dict))
 
diff --git a/synapse/rest/consent/consent_resource.py b/synapse/rest/consent/consent_resource.py
index ad525b22e1..80611cfe84 100644
--- a/synapse/rest/consent/consent_resource.py
+++ b/synapse/rest/consent/consent_resource.py
@@ -89,6 +89,7 @@ class ConsentResource(Resource):
 
         self.hs = hs
         self.store = hs.get_datastore()
+        self.registration_handler = hs.get_handlers().registration_handler
 
         # this is required by the request_handler wrapper
         self.clock = hs.get_clock()
@@ -199,6 +200,7 @@ class ConsentResource(Resource):
             if e.code != 404:
                 raise
             raise NotFoundError("Unknown user")
+        yield self.registration_handler.post_consent_actions(qualified_user_id)
 
         try:
             self._render_template(request, "success.html")
diff --git a/synapse/rest/media/v1/_base.py b/synapse/rest/media/v1/_base.py
index 76e479afa3..efe42a429d 100644
--- a/synapse/rest/media/v1/_base.py
+++ b/synapse/rest/media/v1/_base.py
@@ -16,6 +16,7 @@
 import logging
 import os
 
+from six import PY3
 from six.moves import urllib
 
 from twisted.internet import defer
@@ -48,26 +49,21 @@ def parse_media_id(request):
         return server_name, media_id, file_name
     except Exception:
         raise SynapseError(
-            404,
-            "Invalid media id token %r" % (request.postpath,),
-            Codes.UNKNOWN,
+            404, "Invalid media id token %r" % (request.postpath,), Codes.UNKNOWN
         )
 
 
 def respond_404(request):
     respond_with_json(
-        request, 404,
-        cs_error(
-            "Not found %r" % (request.postpath,),
-            code=Codes.NOT_FOUND,
-        ),
-        send_cors=True
+        request,
+        404,
+        cs_error("Not found %r" % (request.postpath,), code=Codes.NOT_FOUND),
+        send_cors=True,
     )
 
 
 @defer.inlineCallbacks
-def respond_with_file(request, media_type, file_path,
-                      file_size=None, upload_name=None):
+def respond_with_file(request, media_type, file_path, file_size=None, upload_name=None):
     logger.debug("Responding with %r", file_path)
 
     if os.path.isfile(file_path):
@@ -97,31 +93,26 @@ def add_file_headers(request, media_type, file_size, upload_name):
         file_size (int): Size in bytes of the media, if known.
         upload_name (str): The name of the requested file, if any.
     """
+
     def _quote(x):
         return urllib.parse.quote(x.encode("utf-8"))
 
     request.setHeader(b"Content-Type", media_type.encode("UTF-8"))
     if upload_name:
         if is_ascii(upload_name):
-            disposition = ("inline; filename=%s" % (_quote(upload_name),)).encode("ascii")
+            disposition = "inline; filename=%s" % (_quote(upload_name),)
         else:
-            disposition = (
-                "inline; filename*=utf-8''%s" % (_quote(upload_name),)).encode("ascii")
+            disposition = "inline; filename*=utf-8''%s" % (_quote(upload_name),)
 
-        request.setHeader(b"Content-Disposition", disposition)
+        request.setHeader(b"Content-Disposition", disposition.encode('ascii'))
 
     # cache for at least a day.
     # XXX: we might want to turn this off for data we don't want to
     # recommend caching as it's sensitive or private - or at least
     # select private. don't bother setting Expires as all our
     # clients are smart enough to be happy with Cache-Control
-    request.setHeader(
-        b"Cache-Control", b"public,max-age=86400,s-maxage=86400"
-    )
-
-    request.setHeader(
-        b"Content-Length", b"%d" % (file_size,)
-    )
+    request.setHeader(b"Cache-Control", b"public,max-age=86400,s-maxage=86400")
+    request.setHeader(b"Content-Length", b"%d" % (file_size,))
 
 
 @defer.inlineCallbacks
@@ -153,6 +144,7 @@ class Responder(object):
     Responder is a context manager which *must* be used, so that any resources
     held can be cleaned up.
     """
+
     def write_to_consumer(self, consumer):
         """Stream response into consumer
 
@@ -186,9 +178,18 @@ class FileInfo(object):
         thumbnail_method (str)
         thumbnail_type (str): Content type of thumbnail, e.g. image/png
     """
-    def __init__(self, server_name, file_id, url_cache=False,
-                 thumbnail=False, thumbnail_width=None, thumbnail_height=None,
-                 thumbnail_method=None, thumbnail_type=None):
+
+    def __init__(
+        self,
+        server_name,
+        file_id,
+        url_cache=False,
+        thumbnail=False,
+        thumbnail_width=None,
+        thumbnail_height=None,
+        thumbnail_method=None,
+        thumbnail_type=None,
+    ):
         self.server_name = server_name
         self.file_id = file_id
         self.url_cache = url_cache
@@ -197,3 +198,74 @@ class FileInfo(object):
         self.thumbnail_height = thumbnail_height
         self.thumbnail_method = thumbnail_method
         self.thumbnail_type = thumbnail_type
+
+
+def get_filename_from_headers(headers):
+    """
+    Get the filename of the downloaded file by inspecting the
+    Content-Disposition HTTP header.
+
+    Args:
+        headers (twisted.web.http_headers.Headers): The HTTP
+            request headers.
+
+    Returns:
+        A Unicode string of the filename, or None.
+    """
+    content_disposition = headers.get(b"Content-Disposition", [b''])
+
+    # No header, bail out.
+    if not content_disposition[0]:
+        return
+
+    # dict of unicode: bytes, corresponding to the key value sections of the
+    # Content-Disposition header.
+    params = {}
+    parts = content_disposition[0].split(b";")
+    for i in parts:
+        # Split into key-value pairs, if able
+        # We don't care about things like `inline`, so throw it out
+        if b"=" not in i:
+            continue
+
+        key, value = i.strip().split(b"=")
+        params[key.decode('ascii')] = value
+
+    upload_name = None
+
+    # First check if there is a valid UTF-8 filename
+    upload_name_utf8 = params.get("filename*", None)
+    if upload_name_utf8:
+        if upload_name_utf8.lower().startswith(b"utf-8''"):
+            upload_name_utf8 = upload_name_utf8[7:]
+            # We have a filename*= section. This MUST be ASCII, and any UTF-8
+            # bytes are %-quoted.
+            if PY3:
+                try:
+                    # Once it is decoded, we can then unquote the %-encoded
+                    # parts strictly into a unicode string.
+                    upload_name = urllib.parse.unquote(
+                        upload_name_utf8.decode('ascii'), errors="strict"
+                    )
+                except UnicodeDecodeError:
+                    # Incorrect UTF-8.
+                    pass
+            else:
+                # On Python 2, we first unquote the %-encoded parts and then
+                # decode it strictly using UTF-8.
+                try:
+                    upload_name = urllib.parse.unquote(upload_name_utf8).decode('utf8')
+                except UnicodeDecodeError:
+                    pass
+
+    # If there isn't check for an ascii name.
+    if not upload_name:
+        upload_name_ascii = params.get("filename", None)
+        if upload_name_ascii and is_ascii(upload_name_ascii):
+            # Make sure there's no %-quoted bytes. If there is, reject it as
+            # non-valid ASCII.
+            if b"%" not in upload_name_ascii:
+                upload_name = upload_name_ascii.decode('ascii')
+
+    # This may be None here, indicating we did not find a matching name.
+    return upload_name
diff --git a/synapse/rest/media/v1/config_resource.py b/synapse/rest/media/v1/config_resource.py
index d6605b6027..77316033f7 100644
--- a/synapse/rest/media/v1/config_resource.py
+++ b/synapse/rest/media/v1/config_resource.py
@@ -41,7 +41,7 @@ class MediaConfigResource(Resource):
     @defer.inlineCallbacks
     def _async_render_GET(self, request):
         yield self.auth.get_user_by_req(request)
-        respond_with_json(request, 200, self.limits_dict)
+        respond_with_json(request, 200, self.limits_dict, send_cors=True)
 
     def render_OPTIONS(self, request):
         respond_with_json(request, 200, {}, send_cors=True)
diff --git a/synapse/rest/media/v1/download_resource.py b/synapse/rest/media/v1/download_resource.py
index f911b120b1..bdc5daecc1 100644
--- a/synapse/rest/media/v1/download_resource.py
+++ b/synapse/rest/media/v1/download_resource.py
@@ -48,7 +48,8 @@ class DownloadResource(Resource):
         set_cors_headers(request)
         request.setHeader(
             b"Content-Security-Policy",
-            b"default-src 'none';"
+            b"sandbox;"
+            b" default-src 'none';"
             b" script-src 'none';"
             b" plugin-types application/pdf;"
             b" style-src 'unsafe-inline';"
diff --git a/synapse/rest/media/v1/media_repository.py b/synapse/rest/media/v1/media_repository.py
index d6c5f07af0..e117836e9a 100644
--- a/synapse/rest/media/v1/media_repository.py
+++ b/synapse/rest/media/v1/media_repository.py
@@ -14,14 +14,12 @@
 # See the License for the specific language governing permissions and
 # limitations under the License.
 
-import cgi
 import errno
 import logging
 import os
 import shutil
 
-from six import PY3, iteritems
-from six.moves.urllib import parse as urlparse
+from six import iteritems
 
 import twisted.internet.error
 import twisted.web.http
@@ -34,14 +32,18 @@ from synapse.api.errors import (
     NotFoundError,
     SynapseError,
 )
-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.retryutils import NotRetryingDestination
-from synapse.util.stringutils import is_ascii, random_string
+from synapse.util.stringutils import random_string
 
-from ._base import FileInfo, respond_404, respond_with_responder
+from ._base import (
+    FileInfo,
+    get_filename_from_headers,
+    respond_404,
+    respond_with_responder,
+)
 from .config_resource import MediaConfigResource
 from .download_resource import DownloadResource
 from .filepath import MediaFilePaths
@@ -62,7 +64,7 @@ class MediaRepository(object):
     def __init__(self, hs):
         self.hs = hs
         self.auth = hs.get_auth()
-        self.client = MatrixFederationHttpClient(hs)
+        self.client = hs.get_http_client()
         self.clock = hs.get_clock()
         self.server_name = hs.hostname
         self.store = hs.get_datastore()
@@ -397,39 +399,9 @@ class MediaRepository(object):
             yield finish()
 
         media_type = headers[b"Content-Type"][0].decode('ascii')
-
+        upload_name = get_filename_from_headers(headers)
         time_now_ms = self.clock.time_msec()
 
-        content_disposition = headers.get(b"Content-Disposition", None)
-        if content_disposition:
-            _, params = cgi.parse_header(content_disposition[0].decode('ascii'),)
-            upload_name = None
-
-            # First check if there is a valid UTF-8 filename
-            upload_name_utf8 = params.get("filename*", None)
-            if upload_name_utf8:
-                if upload_name_utf8.lower().startswith("utf-8''"):
-                    upload_name = upload_name_utf8[7:]
-
-            # If there isn't check for an ascii name.
-            if not upload_name:
-                upload_name_ascii = params.get("filename", None)
-                if upload_name_ascii and is_ascii(upload_name_ascii):
-                    upload_name = upload_name_ascii
-
-            if upload_name:
-                if PY3:
-                    upload_name = urlparse.unquote(upload_name)
-                else:
-                    upload_name = urlparse.unquote(upload_name.encode('ascii'))
-                try:
-                    if isinstance(upload_name, bytes):
-                        upload_name = upload_name.decode("utf-8")
-                except UnicodeDecodeError:
-                    upload_name = None
-        else:
-            upload_name = None
-
         logger.info("Stored remote media in file %r", fname)
 
         yield self.store.store_cached_remote_media(
diff --git a/synapse/rest/media/v1/preview_url_resource.py b/synapse/rest/media/v1/preview_url_resource.py
index 91d1dafe64..ba3ab1d37d 100644
--- a/synapse/rest/media/v1/preview_url_resource.py
+++ b/synapse/rest/media/v1/preview_url_resource.py
@@ -13,7 +13,6 @@
 # See the License for the specific language governing permissions and
 # limitations under the License.
 
-import cgi
 import datetime
 import errno
 import fnmatch
@@ -36,7 +35,7 @@ from twisted.web.resource import Resource
 from twisted.web.server import NOT_DONE_YET
 
 from synapse.api.errors import Codes, SynapseError
-from synapse.http.client import SpiderHttpClient
+from synapse.http.client import SimpleHttpClient
 from synapse.http.server import (
     respond_with_json,
     respond_with_json_bytes,
@@ -44,15 +43,19 @@ from synapse.http.server import (
 )
 from synapse.http.servlet import parse_integer, parse_string
 from synapse.metrics.background_process_metrics import run_as_background_process
+from synapse.rest.media.v1._base import get_filename_from_headers
 from synapse.util.async_helpers import ObservableDeferred
 from synapse.util.caches.expiringcache import ExpiringCache
 from synapse.util.logcontext import make_deferred_yieldable, run_in_background
-from synapse.util.stringutils import is_ascii, random_string
+from synapse.util.stringutils import random_string
 
 from ._base import FileInfo
 
 logger = logging.getLogger(__name__)
 
+_charset_match = re.compile(br"<\s*meta[^>]*charset\s*=\s*([a-z0-9-]+)", flags=re.I)
+_content_type_match = re.compile(r'.*; *charset="?(.*?)"?(;|$)', flags=re.I)
+
 
 class PreviewUrlResource(Resource):
     isLeaf = True
@@ -66,7 +69,12 @@ class PreviewUrlResource(Resource):
         self.max_spider_size = hs.config.max_spider_size
         self.server_name = hs.hostname
         self.store = hs.get_datastore()
-        self.client = SpiderHttpClient(hs)
+        self.client = SimpleHttpClient(
+            hs,
+            treq_args={"browser_like_redirects": True},
+            ip_whitelist=hs.config.url_preview_ip_range_whitelist,
+            ip_blacklist=hs.config.url_preview_ip_range_blacklist,
+        )
         self.media_repo = media_repo
         self.primary_base_path = media_repo.primary_base_path
         self.media_storage = media_storage
@@ -223,15 +231,25 @@ class PreviewUrlResource(Resource):
             with open(media_info['filename'], 'rb') as file:
                 body = file.read()
 
-            # clobber the encoding from the content-type, or default to utf-8
-            # XXX: this overrides any <meta/> or XML charset headers in the body
-            # which may pose problems, but so far seems to work okay.
-            match = re.match(
-                r'.*; *charset="?(.*?)"?(;|$)',
-                media_info['media_type'],
-                re.I
-            )
-            encoding = match.group(1) if match else "utf-8"
+            encoding = None
+
+            # Let's try and figure out if it has an encoding set in a meta tag.
+            # Limit it to the first 1kb, since it ought to be in the meta tags
+            # at the top.
+            match = _charset_match.search(body[:1000])
+
+            # If we find a match, it should take precedence over the
+            # Content-Type header, so set it here.
+            if match:
+                encoding = match.group(1).decode('ascii')
+
+            # If we don't find a match, we'll look at the HTTP Content-Type, and
+            # if that doesn't exist, we'll fall back to UTF-8.
+            if not encoding:
+                match = _content_type_match.match(
+                    media_info['media_type']
+                )
+                encoding = match.group(1) if match else "utf-8"
 
             og = decode_and_calc_og(body, media_info['uri'], encoding)
 
@@ -305,6 +323,11 @@ class PreviewUrlResource(Resource):
                 length, headers, uri, code = yield self.client.get_file(
                     url, output_stream=f, max_size=self.max_spider_size,
                 )
+            except SynapseError:
+                # Pass SynapseErrors through directly, so that the servlet
+                # handler will return a SynapseError to the client instead of
+                # blank data or a 500.
+                raise
             except Exception as e:
                 # FIXME: pass through 404s and other error messages nicely
                 logger.warn("Error downloading %s: %r", url, e)
@@ -323,31 +346,7 @@ class PreviewUrlResource(Resource):
                 media_type = "application/octet-stream"
             time_now_ms = self.clock.time_msec()
 
-            content_disposition = headers.get(b"Content-Disposition", None)
-            if content_disposition:
-                _, params = cgi.parse_header(content_disposition[0],)
-                download_name = None
-
-                # First check if there is a valid UTF-8 filename
-                download_name_utf8 = params.get("filename*", None)
-                if download_name_utf8:
-                    if download_name_utf8.lower().startswith("utf-8''"):
-                        download_name = download_name_utf8[7:]
-
-                # If there isn't check for an ascii name.
-                if not download_name:
-                    download_name_ascii = params.get("filename", None)
-                    if download_name_ascii and is_ascii(download_name_ascii):
-                        download_name = download_name_ascii
-
-                if download_name:
-                    download_name = urlparse.unquote(download_name)
-                    try:
-                        download_name = download_name.decode("utf-8")
-                    except UnicodeDecodeError:
-                        download_name = None
-            else:
-                download_name = None
+            download_name = get_filename_from_headers(headers)
 
             yield self.store.store_local_media(
                 media_id=file_id,
diff --git a/synapse/storage/schema/delta/34/sent_txn_purge.py b/synapse/rest/saml2/__init__.py
index 0ffab10b6f..68da37ca6a 100644
--- a/synapse/storage/schema/delta/34/sent_txn_purge.py
+++ b/synapse/rest/saml2/__init__.py
@@ -1,4 +1,5 @@
-# Copyright 2016 OpenMarket Ltd
+# -*- 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.
@@ -11,22 +12,18 @@
 # 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 logging
 
-from synapse.storage.engines import PostgresEngine
-
-logger = logging.getLogger(__name__)
+from twisted.web.resource import Resource
 
+from synapse.rest.saml2.metadata_resource import SAML2MetadataResource
+from synapse.rest.saml2.response_resource import SAML2ResponseResource
 
-def run_create(cur, database_engine, *args, **kwargs):
-    if isinstance(database_engine, PostgresEngine):
-        cur.execute("TRUNCATE sent_transactions")
-    else:
-        cur.execute("DELETE FROM sent_transactions")
-
-    cur.execute("CREATE INDEX sent_transactions_ts ON sent_transactions(ts)")
+logger = logging.getLogger(__name__)
 
 
-def run_upgrade(cur, database_engine, *args, **kwargs):
-    pass
+class SAML2Resource(Resource):
+    def __init__(self, hs):
+        Resource.__init__(self)
+        self.putChild(b"metadata.xml", SAML2MetadataResource(hs))
+        self.putChild(b"authn_response", SAML2ResponseResource(hs))
diff --git a/synapse/rest/saml2/metadata_resource.py b/synapse/rest/saml2/metadata_resource.py
new file mode 100644
index 0000000000..e8c680aeb4
--- /dev/null
+++ b/synapse/rest/saml2/metadata_resource.py
@@ -0,0 +1,36 @@
+# -*- 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 saml2.metadata
+
+from twisted.web.resource import Resource
+
+
+class SAML2MetadataResource(Resource):
+    """A Twisted web resource which renders the SAML metadata"""
+
+    isLeaf = 1
+
+    def __init__(self, hs):
+        Resource.__init__(self)
+        self.sp_config = hs.config.saml2_sp_config
+
+    def render_GET(self, request):
+        metadata_xml = saml2.metadata.create_metadata_string(
+            configfile=None, config=self.sp_config,
+        )
+        request.setHeader(b"Content-Type", b"text/xml; charset=utf-8")
+        return metadata_xml
diff --git a/synapse/rest/saml2/response_resource.py b/synapse/rest/saml2/response_resource.py
new file mode 100644
index 0000000000..69fb77b322
--- /dev/null
+++ b/synapse/rest/saml2/response_resource.py
@@ -0,0 +1,74 @@
+# -*- 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 logging
+
+import saml2
+from saml2.client import Saml2Client
+
+from twisted.web.resource import Resource
+from twisted.web.server import NOT_DONE_YET
+
+from synapse.api.errors import CodeMessageException
+from synapse.http.server import wrap_html_request_handler
+from synapse.http.servlet import parse_string
+from synapse.rest.client.v1.login import SSOAuthHandler
+
+logger = logging.getLogger(__name__)
+
+
+class SAML2ResponseResource(Resource):
+    """A Twisted web resource which handles the SAML response"""
+
+    isLeaf = 1
+
+    def __init__(self, hs):
+        Resource.__init__(self)
+
+        self._saml_client = Saml2Client(hs.config.saml2_sp_config)
+        self._sso_auth_handler = SSOAuthHandler(hs)
+
+    def render_POST(self, request):
+        self._async_render_POST(request)
+        return NOT_DONE_YET
+
+    @wrap_html_request_handler
+    def _async_render_POST(self, request):
+        resp_bytes = parse_string(request, 'SAMLResponse', required=True)
+        relay_state = parse_string(request, 'RelayState', required=True)
+
+        try:
+            saml2_auth = self._saml_client.parse_authn_request_response(
+                resp_bytes, saml2.BINDING_HTTP_POST,
+            )
+        except Exception as e:
+            logger.warning("Exception parsing SAML2 response", exc_info=1)
+            raise CodeMessageException(
+                400, "Unable to parse SAML2 response: %s" % (e,),
+            )
+
+        if saml2_auth.not_signed:
+            raise CodeMessageException(400, "SAML2 response was not signed")
+
+        if "uid" not in saml2_auth.ava:
+            raise CodeMessageException(400, "uid not in SAML2 response")
+
+        username = saml2_auth.ava["uid"][0]
+
+        displayName = saml2_auth.ava.get("displayName", [None])[0]
+        return self._sso_auth_handler.on_successful_auth(
+            username, request, relay_state,
+            user_display_name=displayName,
+        )
diff --git a/synapse/rest/well_known.py b/synapse/rest/well_known.py
new file mode 100644
index 0000000000..6e043d6162
--- /dev/null
+++ b/synapse/rest/well_known.py
@@ -0,0 +1,70 @@
+# -*- 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 json
+import logging
+
+from twisted.web.resource import Resource
+
+logger = logging.getLogger(__name__)
+
+
+class WellKnownBuilder(object):
+    """Utility to construct the well-known response
+
+    Args:
+        hs (synapse.server.HomeServer):
+    """
+    def __init__(self, hs):
+        self._config = hs.config
+
+    def get_well_known(self):
+        # if we don't have a public_base_url, we can't help much here.
+        if self._config.public_baseurl is None:
+            return None
+
+        result = {
+            "m.homeserver": {
+                "base_url": self._config.public_baseurl,
+            },
+        }
+
+        if self._config.default_identity_server:
+            result["m.identity_server"] = {
+                "base_url": self._config.default_identity_server,
+            }
+
+        return result
+
+
+class WellKnownResource(Resource):
+    """A Twisted web resource which renders the .well-known file"""
+
+    isLeaf = 1
+
+    def __init__(self, hs):
+        Resource.__init__(self)
+        self._well_known_builder = WellKnownBuilder(hs)
+
+    def render_GET(self, request):
+        r = self._well_known_builder.get_well_known()
+        if not r:
+            request.setResponseCode(404)
+            request.setHeader(b"Content-Type", b"text/plain")
+            return b'.well-known not available'
+
+        logger.error("returning: %s", r)
+        request.setHeader(b"Content-Type", b"application/json")
+        return json.dumps(r).encode("utf-8")
diff --git a/synapse/state/v1.py b/synapse/state/v1.py
index 70a981f4a2..19e091ce3b 100644
--- a/synapse/state/v1.py
+++ b/synapse/state/v1.py
@@ -298,6 +298,8 @@ def _resolve_normal_events(events, auth_events):
 
 def _ordered_events(events):
     def key_func(e):
-        return -int(e.depth), hashlib.sha1(e.event_id.encode('ascii')).hexdigest()
+        # we have to use utf-8 rather than ascii here because it turns out we allow
+        # people to send us events with non-ascii event IDs :/
+        return -int(e.depth), hashlib.sha1(e.event_id.encode('utf-8')).hexdigest()
 
     return sorted(events, key=key_func)
diff --git a/synapse/static/client/login/index.html b/synapse/static/client/login/index.html
index 96c8723cab..bcb6bc6bb7 100644
--- a/synapse/static/client/login/index.html
+++ b/synapse/static/client/login/index.html
@@ -12,35 +12,30 @@
         <h1>Log in with one of the following methods</h1>
 
         <span id="feedback" style="color: #f00"></span>
-        <br/>
-        <br/>
 
         <div id="loading">
             <img src="spinner.gif" />
         </div>
 
-        <div id="cas_flow" class="login_flow" style="display:none"
-                onclick="gotoCas(); return false;">
-            CAS Authentication: <button id="cas_button" style="margin: 10px">Log in</button>
+        <div id="sso_flow" class="login_flow" style="display:none">
+            Single-sign on:
+            <form id="sso_form" action="/_matrix/client/r0/login/sso/redirect" method="get">
+                <input id="sso_redirect_url" type="hidden" name="redirectUrl" value=""/>
+                <input type="submit" value="Log in"/>
+            </form>
         </div>
 
-        <br/>
-
-        <form id="password_form" class="login_flow" style="display:none"
-                onsubmit="matrixLogin.password_login(); return false;">
-            <div>
-                Password Authentication:<br/>
-
-                <div style="text-align: center">
-                    <input id="user_id" size="32" type="text" placeholder="Matrix ID (e.g. bob)" autocapitalize="off" autocorrect="off" />
-                    <br/>
-                    <input id="password" size="32" type="password" placeholder="Password"/>
-                    <br/>
+        <div id="password_flow" class="login_flow" style="display:none">
+            Password Authentication:
+            <form onsubmit="matrixLogin.password_login(); return false;">
+                <input id="user_id" size="32" type="text" placeholder="Matrix ID (e.g. bob)" autocapitalize="off" autocorrect="off" />
+                <br/>
+                <input id="password" size="32" type="password" placeholder="Password"/>
+                <br/>
 
-                    <button type="submit" style="margin: 10px">Log in</button>
-                </div>
-            </div>
-        </form>
+                <input type="submit" value="Log in"/>
+            </form>
+        </div>
 
         <div id="no_login_types" type="button" class="login_flow" style="display:none">
             Log in currently unavailable.
diff --git a/synapse/static/client/login/js/login.js b/synapse/static/client/login/js/login.js
index bfb7386035..3a958749a1 100644
--- a/synapse/static/client/login/js/login.js
+++ b/synapse/static/client/login/js/login.js
@@ -1,7 +1,8 @@
 window.matrixLogin = {
-    endpoint: location.origin + "/_matrix/client/api/v1/login",
+    endpoint: location.origin + "/_matrix/client/r0/login",
     serverAcceptsPassword: false,
-    serverAcceptsCas: false
+    serverAcceptsCas: false,
+    serverAcceptsSso: false,
 };
 
 var submitPassword = function(user, pwd) {
@@ -40,12 +41,6 @@ var errorFunc = function(err) {
     }
 };
 
-var gotoCas = function() {
-    var this_page = window.location.origin + window.location.pathname;
-    var redirect_url = matrixLogin.endpoint + "/cas/redirect?redirectUrl=" + encodeURIComponent(this_page);
-    window.location.replace(redirect_url);
-}
-
 var setFeedbackString = function(text) {
     $("#feedback").text(text);
 };
@@ -53,12 +48,18 @@ var setFeedbackString = function(text) {
 var show_login = function() {
     $("#loading").hide();
 
+    var this_page = window.location.origin + window.location.pathname;
+    $("#sso_redirect_url").val(encodeURIComponent(this_page));
+
     if (matrixLogin.serverAcceptsPassword) {
-        $("#password_form").show();
+        $("#password_flow").show();
     }
 
-    if (matrixLogin.serverAcceptsCas) {
-        $("#cas_flow").show();
+    if (matrixLogin.serverAcceptsSso) {
+        $("#sso_flow").show();
+    } else if (matrixLogin.serverAcceptsCas) {
+        $("#sso_form").attr("action", "/_matrix/client/r0/login/cas/redirect");
+        $("#sso_flow").show();
     }
 
     if (!matrixLogin.serverAcceptsPassword && !matrixLogin.serverAcceptsCas) {
@@ -67,8 +68,8 @@ var show_login = function() {
 };
 
 var show_spinner = function() {
-    $("#password_form").hide();
-    $("#cas_flow").hide();
+    $("#password_flow").hide();
+    $("#sso_flow").hide();
     $("#no_login_types").hide();
     $("#loading").show();
 };
@@ -84,7 +85,10 @@ var fetch_info = function(cb) {
                 matrixLogin.serverAcceptsCas = true;
                 console.log("Server accepts CAS");
             }
-
+            if ("m.login.sso" === flow.type) {
+                matrixLogin.serverAcceptsSso = true;
+                console.log("Server accepts SSO");
+            }
             if ("m.login.password" === flow.type) {
                 matrixLogin.serverAcceptsPassword = true;
                 console.log("Server accepts password");
diff --git a/synapse/static/client/login/style.css b/synapse/static/client/login/style.css
index 73da0b5117..1cce5ed950 100644
--- a/synapse/static/client/login/style.css
+++ b/synapse/static/client/login/style.css
@@ -19,30 +19,23 @@ a:hover   { color: #000; }
 a:active  { color: #000; }
 
 input {
-   width: 90%
-}
-
-textarea, input {
-   font-family: inherit;
-   font-size: inherit;
    margin: 5px;
 }
 
-.smallPrint {
-    color: #888;
-    font-size: 9pt ! important;
-    font-style: italic ! important;
+textbox, input[type="text"], input[type="password"] {
+   width: 90%;
 }
 
-.g-recaptcha div {
-    margin: auto;
+form {
+    text-align: center;
+    margin: 10px 0 0 0;
 }
 
 .login_flow {
+    width: 300px;
     text-align: left;
     padding: 10px;
     margin-bottom: 40px;
-    display: inline-block;
 
     -webkit-border-radius: 10px;
     -moz-border-radius: 10px;
diff --git a/synapse/static/index.html b/synapse/static/index.html
new file mode 100644
index 0000000000..d3f1c7dce0
--- /dev/null
+++ b/synapse/static/index.html
@@ -0,0 +1,63 @@
+<!DOCTYPE html>
+<html lang="en">
+  <head>
+   <title>Synapse is running</title>
+   <style>
+       body {
+         font-family: -apple-system,BlinkMacSystemFont,"Segoe UI",Roboto,Oxygen-Sans,Ubuntu,Cantarell,"Helvetica Neue",sans-serif;
+         max-width: 40em;
+         margin: auto;
+         text-align: center;
+       }
+       h1, p {
+         margin: 1.5em;
+       }
+       hr {
+        border: none;
+        background-color: #ccc;
+        color: #ccc;
+        height: 1px;
+        width: 7em;
+        margin-top: 4em;
+      }
+       .logo {
+         display: block;
+         width: 12em;
+         margin: 4em auto;
+       }
+   </style>
+  </head>
+  <body>
+    <div class="logo">
+       <svg role="img" aria-label="[Matrix logo]" viewBox="0 0 200 85" version="1.1" xmlns="http://www.w3.org/2000/svg" xmlns:xlink="http://www.w3.org/1999/xlink">
+          <g id="parent" stroke="none" stroke-width="1" fill="none" fill-rule="evenodd">
+              <g id="child" transform="translate(-122.000000, -6.000000)" fill="#000000" fill-rule="nonzero">
+                  <g id="matrix-logo" transform="translate(122.000000, 6.000000)">
+                      <polygon id="left-bracket" points="2.24708861 1.93811009 2.24708861 82.7268844 8.10278481 82.7268844 8.10278481 84.6652459 0 84.6652459 0 0 8.10278481 0 8.10278481 1.93811009"></polygon>
+                      <path d="M24.8073418,27.5493174 L24.8073418,31.6376991 L24.924557,31.6376991 C26.0227848,30.0814294 27.3455696,28.8730642 28.8951899,28.0163743 C30.4437975,27.1611927 32.2189873,26.7318422 34.218481,26.7318422 C36.1394937,26.7318422 37.8946835,27.102622 39.4825316,27.8416679 C41.0708861,28.5819706 42.276962,29.8856073 43.1005063,31.7548404 C44.0017722,30.431345 45.2270886,29.2629486 46.7767089,28.2506569 C48.3253165,27.2388679 50.158481,26.7318422 52.2764557,26.7318422 C53.8843038,26.7318422 55.3736709,26.9269101 56.7473418,27.3162917 C58.1189873,27.7056734 59.295443,28.3285835 60.2759494,29.185022 C61.255443,30.0422147 62.02,31.1615927 62.5701266,32.5426532 C63.1187342,33.9262275 63.3936709,35.5898349 63.3936709,37.5372459 L63.3936709,57.7443688 L55.0410127,57.7441174 L55.0410127,40.6319376 C55.0410127,39.6201486 55.0020253,38.6661761 54.9232911,37.7700202 C54.8440506,36.8751211 54.6293671,36.0968606 54.2764557,35.4339817 C53.9232911,34.772611 53.403038,34.2464807 52.7177215,33.8568477 C52.0313924,33.4689743 51.0997468,33.2731523 49.9235443,33.2731523 C48.7473418,33.2731523 47.7962025,33.4983853 47.0706329,33.944578 C46.344557,34.393033 45.7764557,34.9774826 45.3650633,35.6969211 C44.9534177,36.4181193 44.6787342,37.2353431 44.5417722,38.150855 C44.4037975,39.0653615 44.3356962,39.9904257 44.3356962,40.9247908 L44.3356962,57.7443688 L35.9835443,57.7443688 L35.9835443,40.8079009 C35.9835443,39.9124991 35.963038,39.0263982 35.9253165,38.150855 C35.8853165,37.2743064 35.7192405,36.4666349 35.424557,35.7263321 C35.1303797,34.9872862 34.64,34.393033 33.9539241,33.944578 C33.2675949,33.4983853 32.2579747,33.2731523 30.9248101,33.2731523 C30.5321519,33.2731523 30.0126582,33.3608826 29.3663291,33.5365945 C28.7192405,33.7118037 28.0913924,34.0433688 27.4840506,34.5292789 C26.875443,35.0164459 26.3564557,35.7172826 25.9250633,36.6315376 C25.4934177,37.5470495 25.2779747,38.7436 25.2779747,40.2229486 L25.2779747,57.7441174 L16.9260759,57.7443688 L16.9260759,27.5493174 L24.8073418,27.5493174 Z" id="m"></path>
+                      <path d="M68.7455696,31.9886202 C69.6075949,30.7033339 70.7060759,29.672189 72.0397468,28.8926716 C73.3724051,28.1141596 74.8716456,27.5596239 76.5387342,27.2283101 C78.2050633,26.8977505 79.8817722,26.7315908 81.5678481,26.7315908 C83.0974684,26.7315908 84.6458228,26.8391798 86.2144304,27.0525982 C87.7827848,27.2675248 89.2144304,27.6865688 90.5086076,28.3087248 C91.8025316,28.9313835 92.8610127,29.7983798 93.6848101,30.9074514 C94.5083544,32.0170257 94.92,33.4870734 94.92,35.3173431 L94.92,51.026844 C94.92,52.3913138 94.998481,53.6941963 95.1556962,54.9400165 C95.3113924,56.1865908 95.5863291,57.120956 95.9787342,57.7436147 L87.5091139,57.7436147 C87.3518987,57.276055 87.2240506,56.7996972 87.1265823,56.3125303 C87.0278481,55.8266202 86.9592405,55.3301523 86.9207595,54.8236294 C85.5873418,56.1865908 84.0182278,57.1405633 82.2156962,57.6857982 C80.4113924,58.2295248 78.5683544,58.503022 76.6860759,58.503022 C75.2346835,58.503022 73.8817722,58.3275615 72.6270886,57.9776459 C71.3718987,57.6269761 70.2744304,57.082244 69.3334177,56.3411872 C68.3921519,55.602644 67.656962,54.6680275 67.1275949,53.5390972 C66.5982278,52.410167 66.3331646,51.065556 66.3331646,49.5087835 C66.3331646,47.7961578 66.6367089,46.384178 67.2455696,45.2756092 C67.8529114,44.1652807 68.6367089,43.2799339 69.5987342,42.6173064 C70.5589873,41.9556844 71.6567089,41.4592165 72.8924051,41.1284055 C74.1273418,40.7978459 75.3721519,40.5356606 76.6270886,40.3398385 C77.8820253,40.1457761 79.116962,39.9896716 80.3329114,39.873033 C81.5483544,39.7558917 82.6270886,39.5804312 83.5681013,39.3469028 C84.5093671,39.1133743 85.2536709,38.7732624 85.8032911,38.3250587 C86.3513924,37.8773578 86.6063291,37.2252881 86.5678481,36.3680954 C86.5678481,35.4731963 86.4210127,34.7620532 86.1268354,34.2366771 C85.8329114,33.7113009 85.4405063,33.3018092 84.9506329,33.0099615 C84.4602532,32.7181138 83.8916456,32.5232972 83.2450633,32.4255119 C82.5977215,32.3294862 81.9010127,32.2797138 81.156962,32.2797138 C79.5098734,32.2797138 78.2159494,32.6303835 77.2746835,33.3312202 C76.3339241,34.0320569 75.7837975,35.2007046 75.6275949,36.8354037 L67.275443,36.8354037 C67.3924051,34.8892495 67.8817722,33.2726495 68.7455696,31.9886202 Z M85.2440506,43.6984752 C84.7149367,43.873433 84.1460759,44.0189798 83.5387342,44.1361211 C82.9306329,44.253011 82.2936709,44.350545 81.6270886,44.4279688 C80.96,44.5066495 80.2934177,44.6034294 79.6273418,44.7203193 C78.9994937,44.8362037 78.3820253,44.9933138 77.7749367,45.1871248 C77.1663291,45.3829468 76.636962,45.6451321 76.1865823,45.9759431 C75.7349367,46.3070055 75.3724051,46.7263009 75.0979747,47.2313156 C74.8232911,47.7375872 74.6863291,48.380356 74.6863291,49.1588679 C74.6863291,49.8979138 74.8232911,50.5218294 75.0979747,51.026844 C75.3724051,51.5338697 75.7455696,51.9328037 76.2159494,52.2246514 C76.6863291,52.5164991 77.2349367,52.7213706 77.8632911,52.8375064 C78.4898734,52.9546477 79.136962,53.012967 79.8037975,53.012967 C81.4506329,53.012967 82.724557,52.740978 83.6273418,52.1952404 C84.5288608,51.6507596 85.1949367,50.9981872 85.6270886,50.2382771 C86.0579747,49.4793725 86.323038,48.7119211 86.4212658,47.9321523 C86.518481,47.1536404 86.5681013,46.5304789 86.5681013,46.063422 L86.5681013,42.9677248 C86.2146835,43.2799339 85.7736709,43.5230147 85.2440506,43.6984752 Z" id="a"></path>
+                      <path d="M116.917975,27.5493174 L116.917975,33.0976917 L110.801266,33.0976917 L110.801266,48.0492936 C110.801266,49.4502128 111.036203,50.3850807 111.507089,50.8518862 C111.976962,51.3191945 112.918734,51.5527229 114.33038,51.5527229 C114.801013,51.5527229 115.251392,51.5336183 115.683038,51.4944037 C116.114177,51.4561945 116.526076,51.3968697 116.917975,51.3194459 L116.917975,57.7438661 C116.212152,57.860756 115.427595,57.9381798 114.565316,57.9778972 C113.702785,58.0153523 112.859747,58.0357138 112.036203,58.0357138 C110.742278,58.0357138 109.516456,57.9477321 108.36,57.7722716 C107.202785,57.5975651 106.183544,57.2577046 105.301519,56.7509303 C104.418987,56.2454128 103.722785,55.5242147 103.213418,54.5898495 C102.703038,53.6562385 102.448608,52.4292716 102.448608,50.9099541 L102.448608,33.0976917 L97.3903797,33.0976917 L97.3903797,27.5493174 L102.448608,27.5493174 L102.448608,18.4967596 L110.801013,18.4967596 L110.801013,27.5493174 L116.917975,27.5493174 Z" id="t"></path>
+                      <path d="M128.857975,27.5493174 L128.857975,33.1565138 L128.975696,33.1565138 C129.367089,32.2213945 129.896203,31.3559064 130.563544,30.557033 C131.23038,29.7596679 131.99443,29.0776844 132.857215,28.5130936 C133.719241,27.9495083 134.641266,27.5113596 135.622532,27.1988991 C136.601772,26.8879468 137.622025,26.7315908 138.681013,26.7315908 C139.229873,26.7315908 139.836962,26.8296275 140.504304,27.0239413 L140.504304,34.7336477 C140.111646,34.6552183 139.641013,34.586844 139.092658,34.5290275 C138.543291,34.4704569 138.014177,34.4410459 137.504304,34.4410459 C135.974937,34.4410459 134.681013,34.6949358 133.622785,35.2004532 C132.564051,35.7067248 131.711392,36.397255 131.064051,37.2735523 C130.417215,38.1501009 129.955443,39.1714422 129.681266,40.3398385 C129.407089,41.5074807 129.269873,42.7736624 129.269873,44.1361211 L129.269873,57.7438661 L120.917722,57.7438661 L120.917722,27.5493174 L128.857975,27.5493174 Z" id="r"></path>
+                      <path d="M144.033165,22.8767376 L144.033165,16.0435798 L152.386076,16.0435798 L152.386076,22.8767376 L144.033165,22.8767376 Z M152.386076,27.5493174 L152.386076,57.7438661 L144.033165,57.7438661 L144.033165,27.5493174 L152.386076,27.5493174 Z" id="i"></path>
+                      <polygon id="x" points="156.738228 27.5493174 166.266582 27.5493174 171.619494 35.4337303 176.913418 27.5493174 186.147848 27.5493174 176.148861 41.6831927 187.383544 57.7441174 177.85443 57.7441174 171.501772 48.2245028 165.148861 57.7441174 155.797468 57.7441174 166.737468 41.8589046"></polygon>
+                      <polygon id="right-bracket" points="197.580759 82.7268844 197.580759 1.93811009 191.725063 1.93811009 191.725063 0 199.828354 0 199.828354 84.6652459 191.725063 84.6652459 191.725063 82.7268844"></polygon>
+                  </g>
+              </g>
+          </g>
+      </svg>
+    </div>
+    <h1>It works! Synapse is running</h1>
+    <p>Your Synapse server is listening on this port and is ready for messages.</p>
+    <p>To use this server you'll need <a href="https://matrix.org/docs/projects/try-matrix-now.html#clients" target="_blank">a Matrix client</a>.
+    </p>
+    <p>Welcome to the Matrix universe :)</p>
+    <hr>
+    <p>
+      <small>
+        <a href="https://matrix.org" target="_blank">
+          matrix.org
+        </a>
+      </small>
+    </p>
+  </body>
+</html>
diff --git a/synapse/storage/__init__.py b/synapse/storage/__init__.py
index 53c685c173..24329879e5 100644
--- a/synapse/storage/__init__.py
+++ b/synapse/storage/__init__.py
@@ -14,12 +14,10 @@
 # See the License for the specific language governing permissions and
 # limitations under the License.
 
-import datetime
+import calendar
 import logging
 import time
 
-from dateutil import tz
-
 from synapse.api.constants import PresenceState
 from synapse.storage.devices import DeviceStore
 from synapse.storage.user_erasure_store import UserErasureStore
@@ -119,7 +117,6 @@ class DataStore(RoomMemberStore, RoomStore,
             db_conn, "device_lists_stream", "stream_id",
         )
 
-        self._transaction_id_gen = IdGenerator(db_conn, "sent_transactions", "id")
         self._access_tokens_id_gen = IdGenerator(db_conn, "access_tokens", "id")
         self._event_reports_id_gen = IdGenerator(db_conn, "event_reports", "id")
         self._push_rule_id_gen = IdGenerator(db_conn, "push_rules", "id")
@@ -358,10 +355,11 @@ class DataStore(RoomMemberStore, RoomStore,
         """
         Returns millisecond unixtime for start of UTC day.
         """
-        now = datetime.datetime.utcnow()
-        today_start = datetime.datetime(now.year, now.month,
-                                        now.day, tzinfo=tz.tzutc())
-        return int(time.mktime(today_start.timetuple())) * 1000
+        now = time.gmtime()
+        today_start = calendar.timegm((
+            now.tm_year, now.tm_mon, now.tm_mday, 0, 0, 0,
+        ))
+        return today_start * 1000
 
     def generate_user_daily_visits(self):
         """
diff --git a/synapse/storage/_base.py b/synapse/storage/_base.py
index d9d0255d0b..1d3069b143 100644
--- a/synapse/storage/_base.py
+++ b/synapse/storage/_base.py
@@ -29,6 +29,7 @@ from synapse.api.errors import StoreError
 from synapse.storage.engines import PostgresEngine
 from synapse.util.caches.descriptors import Cache
 from synapse.util.logcontext import LoggingContext, PreserveLoggingContext
+from synapse.util.stringutils import exception_to_unicode
 
 logger = logging.getLogger(__name__)
 
@@ -249,32 +250,32 @@ class SQLBaseStore(object):
                 except self.database_engine.module.OperationalError as e:
                     # This can happen if the database disappears mid
                     # transaction.
-                    logger.warn(
+                    logger.warning(
                         "[TXN OPERROR] {%s} %s %d/%d",
-                        name, e, i, N
+                        name, exception_to_unicode(e), i, N
                     )
                     if i < N:
                         i += 1
                         try:
                             conn.rollback()
                         except self.database_engine.module.Error as e1:
-                            logger.warn(
+                            logger.warning(
                                 "[TXN EROLL] {%s} %s",
-                                name, e1,
+                                name, exception_to_unicode(e1),
                             )
                         continue
                     raise
                 except self.database_engine.module.DatabaseError as e:
                     if self.database_engine.is_deadlock(e):
-                        logger.warn("[TXN DEADLOCK] {%s} %d/%d", name, i, N)
+                        logger.warning("[TXN DEADLOCK] {%s} %d/%d", name, i, N)
                         if i < N:
                             i += 1
                             try:
                                 conn.rollback()
                             except self.database_engine.module.Error as e1:
-                                logger.warn(
+                                logger.warning(
                                     "[TXN EROLL] {%s} %s",
-                                    name, e1,
+                                    name, exception_to_unicode(e1),
                                 )
                             continue
                     raise
@@ -849,9 +850,9 @@ class SQLBaseStore(object):
         rowcount = cls._simple_update_txn(txn, table, keyvalues, updatevalues)
 
         if rowcount == 0:
-            raise StoreError(404, "No row found")
+            raise StoreError(404, "No row found (%s)" % (table,))
         if rowcount > 1:
-            raise StoreError(500, "More than one row matched")
+            raise StoreError(500, "More than one row matched (%s)" % (table,))
 
     @staticmethod
     def _simple_select_one_txn(txn, table, keyvalues, retcols,
@@ -868,9 +869,9 @@ class SQLBaseStore(object):
         if not row:
             if allow_none:
                 return None
-            raise StoreError(404, "No row found")
+            raise StoreError(404, "No row found (%s)" % (table,))
         if txn.rowcount > 1:
-            raise StoreError(500, "More than one row matched")
+            raise StoreError(500, "More than one row matched (%s)" % (table,))
 
         return dict(zip(retcols, row))
 
@@ -902,9 +903,9 @@ class SQLBaseStore(object):
 
         txn.execute(sql, list(keyvalues.values()))
         if txn.rowcount == 0:
-            raise StoreError(404, "No row found")
+            raise StoreError(404, "No row found (%s)" % (table,))
         if txn.rowcount > 1:
-            raise StoreError(500, "more than one row matched")
+            raise StoreError(500, "More than one row matched (%s)" % (table,))
 
     def _simple_delete(self, table, keyvalues, desc):
         return self.runInteraction(
diff --git a/synapse/storage/e2e_room_keys.py b/synapse/storage/e2e_room_keys.py
index 16b7f005aa..45cebe61d1 100644
--- a/synapse/storage/e2e_room_keys.py
+++ b/synapse/storage/e2e_room_keys.py
@@ -182,7 +182,7 @@ class EndToEndRoomKeyStore(SQLBaseStore):
 
         keyvalues = {
             "user_id": user_id,
-            "version": version,
+            "version": int(version),
         }
         if room_id:
             keyvalues['room_id'] = room_id
diff --git a/synapse/storage/monthly_active_users.py b/synapse/storage/monthly_active_users.py
index cf4104dc2e..d6fc8edd4c 100644
--- a/synapse/storage/monthly_active_users.py
+++ b/synapse/storage/monthly_active_users.py
@@ -34,8 +34,9 @@ class MonthlyActiveUsersStore(SQLBaseStore):
         self.hs = hs
         self.reserved_users = ()
         # Do not add more reserved users than the total allowable number
-        self._initialise_reserved_users(
-            dbconn.cursor(),
+        self._new_transaction(
+            dbconn, "initialise_mau_threepids", [], [],
+            self._initialise_reserved_users,
             hs.config.mau_limits_reserved_threepids[:self.hs.config.max_mau_value],
         )
 
@@ -54,9 +55,12 @@ class MonthlyActiveUsersStore(SQLBaseStore):
                 txn,
                 tp["medium"], tp["address"]
             )
+
             if user_id:
-                self.upsert_monthly_active_user_txn(txn, user_id)
-                reserved_user_list.append(user_id)
+                is_support = self.is_support_user_txn(txn, user_id)
+                if not is_support:
+                    self.upsert_monthly_active_user_txn(txn, user_id)
+                    reserved_user_list.append(user_id)
             else:
                 logger.warning(
                     "mau limit reserved threepid %s not found in db" % tp
@@ -96,37 +100,38 @@ class MonthlyActiveUsersStore(SQLBaseStore):
 
             txn.execute(sql, query_args)
 
-            # If MAU user count still exceeds the MAU threshold, then delete on
-            # a least recently active basis.
-            # Note it is not possible to write this query using OFFSET due to
-            # incompatibilities in how sqlite and postgres support the feature.
-            # sqlite requires 'LIMIT -1 OFFSET ?', the LIMIT must be present
-            # While Postgres does not require 'LIMIT', but also does not support
-            # negative LIMIT values. So there is no way to write it that both can
-            # support
-            safe_guard = self.hs.config.max_mau_value - len(self.reserved_users)
-            # Must be greater than zero for postgres
-            safe_guard = safe_guard if safe_guard > 0 else 0
-            query_args = [safe_guard]
-
-            base_sql = """
-                DELETE FROM monthly_active_users
-                WHERE user_id NOT IN (
-                    SELECT user_id FROM monthly_active_users
-                    ORDER BY timestamp DESC
-                    LIMIT ?
+            if self.hs.config.limit_usage_by_mau:
+                # If MAU user count still exceeds the MAU threshold, then delete on
+                # a least recently active basis.
+                # Note it is not possible to write this query using OFFSET due to
+                # incompatibilities in how sqlite and postgres support the feature.
+                # sqlite requires 'LIMIT -1 OFFSET ?', the LIMIT must be present
+                # While Postgres does not require 'LIMIT', but also does not support
+                # negative LIMIT values. So there is no way to write it that both can
+                # support
+                safe_guard = self.hs.config.max_mau_value - len(self.reserved_users)
+                # Must be greater than zero for postgres
+                safe_guard = safe_guard if safe_guard > 0 else 0
+                query_args = [safe_guard]
+
+                base_sql = """
+                    DELETE FROM monthly_active_users
+                    WHERE user_id NOT IN (
+                        SELECT user_id FROM monthly_active_users
+                        ORDER BY timestamp DESC
+                        LIMIT ?
+                        )
+                    """
+                # Need if/else since 'AND user_id NOT IN ({})' fails on Postgres
+                # when len(reserved_users) == 0. Works fine on sqlite.
+                if len(self.reserved_users) > 0:
+                    query_args.extend(self.reserved_users)
+                    sql = base_sql + """ AND user_id NOT IN ({})""".format(
+                        ','.join(questionmarks)
                     )
-                """
-            # Need if/else since 'AND user_id NOT IN ({})' fails on Postgres
-            # when len(reserved_users) == 0. Works fine on sqlite.
-            if len(self.reserved_users) > 0:
-                query_args.extend(self.reserved_users)
-                sql = base_sql + """ AND user_id NOT IN ({})""".format(
-                    ','.join(questionmarks)
-                )
-            else:
-                sql = base_sql
-            txn.execute(sql, query_args)
+                else:
+                    sql = base_sql
+                txn.execute(sql, query_args)
 
         yield self.runInteraction("reap_monthly_active_users", _reap_users)
         # It seems poor to invalidate the whole cache, Postgres supports
@@ -180,6 +185,18 @@ class MonthlyActiveUsersStore(SQLBaseStore):
         Args:
             user_id (str): user to add/update
         """
+        # Support user never to be included in MAU stats. Note I can't easily call this
+        # from upsert_monthly_active_user_txn because then I need a _txn form of
+        # is_support_user which is complicated because I want to cache the result.
+        # Therefore I call it here and ignore the case where
+        # upsert_monthly_active_user_txn is called directly from
+        # _initialise_reserved_users reasoning that it would be very strange to
+        #  include a support user in this context.
+
+        is_support = yield self.is_support_user(user_id)
+        if is_support:
+            return
+
         is_insert = yield self.runInteraction(
             "upsert_monthly_active_user", self.upsert_monthly_active_user_txn,
             user_id
@@ -198,6 +215,16 @@ class MonthlyActiveUsersStore(SQLBaseStore):
         in a database thread rather than the main thread, and we can't call
         txn.call_after because txn may not be a LoggingTransaction.
 
+        We consciously do not call is_support_txn from this method because it
+        is not possible to cache the response. is_support_txn will be false in
+        almost all cases, so it seems reasonable to call it only for
+        upsert_monthly_active_user and to call is_support_txn manually
+        for cases where upsert_monthly_active_user_txn is called directly,
+        like _initialise_reserved_users
+
+        In short, don't call this method with support users. (Support users
+        should not appear in the MAU stats).
+
         Args:
             txn (cursor):
             user_id (str): user to add/update
@@ -206,6 +233,7 @@ class MonthlyActiveUsersStore(SQLBaseStore):
             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.
@@ -252,8 +280,7 @@ class MonthlyActiveUsersStore(SQLBaseStore):
         Args:
             user_id(str): the user_id to query
         """
-
-        if self.hs.config.limit_usage_by_mau:
+        if self.hs.config.limit_usage_by_mau or self.hs.config.mau_stats_only:
             # Trial users and guests should not be included as part of MAU group
             is_guest = yield self.is_guest(user_id)
             if is_guest:
@@ -271,8 +298,14 @@ class MonthlyActiveUsersStore(SQLBaseStore):
             # but only update if we have not previously seen the user for
             # LAST_SEEN_GRANULARITY ms
             if last_seen_timestamp is None:
-                count = yield self.get_monthly_active_count()
-                if count < self.hs.config.max_mau_value:
+                # In the case where mau_stats_only is True and limit_usage_by_mau is
+                # False, there is no point in checking get_monthly_active_count - it
+                # adds no value and will break the logic if max_mau_value is exceeded.
+                if not self.hs.config.limit_usage_by_mau:
                     yield self.upsert_monthly_active_user(user_id)
+                else:
+                    count = yield self.get_monthly_active_count()
+                    if count < self.hs.config.max_mau_value:
+                        yield self.upsert_monthly_active_user(user_id)
             elif now - last_seen_timestamp > LAST_SEEN_GRANULARITY:
                 yield self.upsert_monthly_active_user(user_id)
diff --git a/synapse/storage/prepare_database.py b/synapse/storage/prepare_database.py
index bd740e1e45..fa36daac52 100644
--- a/synapse/storage/prepare_database.py
+++ b/synapse/storage/prepare_database.py
@@ -25,7 +25,7 @@ logger = logging.getLogger(__name__)
 
 # Remember to update this number every time a change is made to database
 # schema files, so the users will be informed on server restarts.
-SCHEMA_VERSION = 52
+SCHEMA_VERSION = 53
 
 dir_path = os.path.abspath(os.path.dirname(__file__))
 
@@ -257,7 +257,7 @@ def _upgrade_existing_database(cur, current_version, applied_delta_files,
                 module.run_create(cur, database_engine)
                 if not is_empty:
                     module.run_upgrade(cur, database_engine, config=config)
-            elif ext == ".pyc":
+            elif ext == ".pyc" or file_name == "__pycache__":
                 # Sometimes .pyc files turn up anyway even though we've
                 # disabled their generation; e.g. from distribution package
                 # installers. Silently skip it
diff --git a/synapse/storage/registration.py b/synapse/storage/registration.py
index 80d76bf9d7..10c3b9757f 100644
--- a/synapse/storage/registration.py
+++ b/synapse/storage/registration.py
@@ -19,9 +19,11 @@ from six.moves import range
 
 from twisted.internet import defer
 
+from synapse.api.constants import UserTypes
 from synapse.api.errors import Codes, StoreError
 from synapse.storage import background_updates
 from synapse.storage._base import SQLBaseStore
+from synapse.types import UserID
 from synapse.util.caches.descriptors import cached, cachedInlineCallbacks
 
 
@@ -167,7 +169,7 @@ class RegistrationStore(RegistrationWorkerStore,
 
     def register(self, user_id, token=None, password_hash=None,
                  was_guest=False, make_guest=False, appservice_id=None,
-                 create_profile_with_localpart=None, admin=False):
+                 create_profile_with_displayname=None, admin=False, user_type=None):
         """Attempts to register an account.
 
         Args:
@@ -181,8 +183,12 @@ class RegistrationStore(RegistrationWorkerStore,
             make_guest (boolean): True if the the new user should be guest,
                 false to add a regular user account.
             appservice_id (str): The ID of the appservice registering the user.
-            create_profile_with_localpart (str): Optionally create a profile for
-                the given localpart.
+            create_profile_with_displayname (unicode): Optionally create a profile for
+                the user, setting their displayname to the given value
+            admin (boolean): is an admin user?
+            user_type (str|None): type of user. One of the values from
+                api.constants.UserTypes, or None for a normal user.
+
         Raises:
             StoreError if the user_id could not be registered.
         """
@@ -195,8 +201,9 @@ class RegistrationStore(RegistrationWorkerStore,
             was_guest,
             make_guest,
             appservice_id,
-            create_profile_with_localpart,
-            admin
+            create_profile_with_displayname,
+            admin,
+            user_type
         )
 
     def _register(
@@ -208,9 +215,12 @@ class RegistrationStore(RegistrationWorkerStore,
         was_guest,
         make_guest,
         appservice_id,
-        create_profile_with_localpart,
+        create_profile_with_displayname,
         admin,
+        user_type,
     ):
+        user_id_obj = UserID.from_string(user_id)
+
         now = int(self.clock.time())
 
         next_id = self._access_tokens_id_gen.get_next()
@@ -244,6 +254,7 @@ class RegistrationStore(RegistrationWorkerStore,
                         "is_guest": 1 if make_guest else 0,
                         "appservice_id": appservice_id,
                         "admin": 1 if admin else 0,
+                        "user_type": user_type,
                     }
                 )
             else:
@@ -257,6 +268,7 @@ class RegistrationStore(RegistrationWorkerStore,
                         "is_guest": 1 if make_guest else 0,
                         "appservice_id": appservice_id,
                         "admin": 1 if admin else 0,
+                        "user_type": user_type,
                     }
                 )
         except self.database_engine.module.IntegrityError:
@@ -273,12 +285,15 @@ class RegistrationStore(RegistrationWorkerStore,
                 (next_id, user_id, token,)
             )
 
-        if create_profile_with_localpart:
+        if create_profile_with_displayname:
             # set a default displayname serverside to avoid ugly race
             # between auto-joins and clients trying to set displaynames
+            #
+            # *obviously* the 'profiles' table uses localpart for user_id
+            # while everything else uses the full mxid.
             txn.execute(
                 "INSERT INTO profiles(user_id, displayname) VALUES (?,?)",
-                (create_profile_with_localpart, create_profile_with_localpart)
+                (user_id_obj.localpart, create_profile_with_displayname)
             )
 
         self._invalidate_cache_and_stream(
@@ -450,6 +465,31 @@ class RegistrationStore(RegistrationWorkerStore,
 
         defer.returnValue(res if res else False)
 
+    @cachedInlineCallbacks()
+    def is_support_user(self, user_id):
+        """Determines if the user is of type UserTypes.SUPPORT
+
+        Args:
+            user_id (str): user id to test
+
+        Returns:
+            Deferred[bool]: True if user is of type UserTypes.SUPPORT
+        """
+        res = yield self.runInteraction(
+            "is_support_user", self.is_support_user_txn, user_id
+        )
+        defer.returnValue(res)
+
+    def is_support_user_txn(self, txn, user_id):
+        res = self._simple_select_one_onecol_txn(
+            txn=txn,
+            table="users",
+            keyvalues={"name": user_id},
+            retcol="user_type",
+            allow_none=True,
+        )
+        return True if res == UserTypes.SUPPORT else False
+
     @defer.inlineCallbacks
     def user_add_threepid(self, user_id, medium, address, validated_at, added_at):
         yield self._simple_upsert("user_threepids", {
diff --git a/synapse/storage/schema/delta/53/add_user_type_to_users.sql b/synapse/storage/schema/delta/53/add_user_type_to_users.sql
new file mode 100644
index 0000000000..88ec2f83e5
--- /dev/null
+++ b/synapse/storage/schema/delta/53/add_user_type_to_users.sql
@@ -0,0 +1,19 @@
+/* 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.
+ */
+
+/* The type of the user: NULL for a regular user, or one of the constants in 
+ * synapse.api.constants.UserTypes
+ */
+ALTER TABLE users ADD COLUMN user_type TEXT DEFAULT NULL;
diff --git a/synapse/storage/schema/delta/11/v11.sql b/synapse/storage/schema/delta/53/drop_sent_transactions.sql
index e7b4f90127..e372f5a44a 100644
--- a/synapse/storage/schema/delta/11/v11.sql
+++ b/synapse/storage/schema/delta/53/drop_sent_transactions.sql
@@ -1,4 +1,4 @@
-/* Copyright 2015, 2016 OpenMarket Ltd
+/* 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.
@@ -13,4 +13,4 @@
  * limitations under the License.
  */
 
-CREATE INDEX IF NOT EXISTS sent_transaction_txn_id ON sent_transactions(transaction_id);
\ No newline at end of file
+DROP TABLE IF EXISTS sent_transactions;
diff --git a/synapse/storage/schema/full_schemas/11/transactions.sql b/synapse/storage/schema/full_schemas/11/transactions.sql
index a3f4a0a790..f6a058832e 100644
--- a/synapse/storage/schema/full_schemas/11/transactions.sql
+++ b/synapse/storage/schema/full_schemas/11/transactions.sql
@@ -25,25 +25,6 @@ CREATE TABLE IF NOT EXISTS received_transactions(
 
 CREATE INDEX transactions_have_ref ON received_transactions(origin, has_been_referenced);-- WHERE has_been_referenced = 0;
 
-
--- Stores what transactions we've sent, what their response was (if we got one) and whether we have
--- since referenced the transaction in another outgoing transaction
-CREATE TABLE IF NOT EXISTS sent_transactions(
-    id INTEGER PRIMARY KEY AUTOINCREMENT, -- This is used to apply insertion ordering
-    transaction_id TEXT,
-    destination TEXT,
-    response_code INTEGER DEFAULT 0,
-    response_json TEXT,
-    ts BIGINT
-);
-
-CREATE INDEX sent_transaction_dest ON sent_transactions(destination);
-CREATE INDEX sent_transaction_txn_id ON sent_transactions(transaction_id);
--- So that we can do an efficient look up of all transactions that have yet to be successfully
--- sent.
-CREATE INDEX sent_transaction_sent ON sent_transactions(response_code);
-
-
 -- For sent transactions only.
 CREATE TABLE IF NOT EXISTS transaction_id_to_pdu(
     transaction_id INTEGER,
diff --git a/synapse/storage/schema/full_schemas/16/transactions.sql b/synapse/storage/schema/full_schemas/16/transactions.sql
index 14b67cce25..17e67bedac 100644
--- a/synapse/storage/schema/full_schemas/16/transactions.sql
+++ b/synapse/storage/schema/full_schemas/16/transactions.sql
@@ -25,25 +25,6 @@ CREATE TABLE IF NOT EXISTS received_transactions(
 
 CREATE INDEX transactions_have_ref ON received_transactions(origin, has_been_referenced);-- WHERE has_been_referenced = 0;
 
-
--- Stores what transactions we've sent, what their response was (if we got one) and whether we have
--- since referenced the transaction in another outgoing transaction
-CREATE TABLE IF NOT EXISTS sent_transactions(
-    id BIGINT PRIMARY KEY, -- This is used to apply insertion ordering
-    transaction_id TEXT,
-    destination TEXT,
-    response_code INTEGER DEFAULT 0,
-    response_json TEXT,
-    ts BIGINT
-);
-
-CREATE INDEX sent_transaction_dest ON sent_transactions(destination);
-CREATE INDEX sent_transaction_txn_id ON sent_transactions(transaction_id);
--- So that we can do an efficient look up of all transactions that have yet to be successfully
--- sent.
-CREATE INDEX sent_transaction_sent ON sent_transactions(response_code);
-
-
 -- For sent transactions only.
 CREATE TABLE IF NOT EXISTS transaction_id_to_pdu(
     transaction_id INTEGER,
diff --git a/synapse/storage/search.py b/synapse/storage/search.py
index d5b5df93e6..c6420b2374 100644
--- a/synapse/storage/search.py
+++ b/synapse/storage/search.py
@@ -45,6 +45,10 @@ class SearchStore(BackgroundUpdateStore):
 
     def __init__(self, db_conn, hs):
         super(SearchStore, self).__init__(db_conn, hs)
+
+        if not hs.config.enable_search:
+            return
+
         self.register_background_update_handler(
             self.EVENT_SEARCH_UPDATE_NAME, self._background_reindex_search
         )
@@ -316,6 +320,8 @@ class SearchStore(BackgroundUpdateStore):
             entries (iterable[SearchEntry]):
                 entries to be added to the table
         """
+        if not self.hs.config.enable_search:
+            return
         if isinstance(self.database_engine, PostgresEngine):
             sql = (
                 "INSERT INTO event_search"
diff --git a/synapse/types.py b/synapse/types.py
index 41afb27a74..d8cb64addb 100644
--- a/synapse/types.py
+++ b/synapse/types.py
@@ -12,6 +12,7 @@
 # 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 re
 import string
 from collections import namedtuple
 
@@ -228,6 +229,71 @@ def contains_invalid_mxid_characters(localpart):
     return any(c not in mxid_localpart_allowed_characters for c in localpart)
 
 
+UPPER_CASE_PATTERN = re.compile(b"[A-Z_]")
+
+# the following is a pattern which matches '=', and bytes which are not allowed in a mxid
+# localpart.
+#
+# It works by:
+#  * building a string containing the allowed characters (excluding '=')
+#  * escaping every special character with a backslash (to stop '-' being interpreted as a
+#    range operator)
+#  * wrapping it in a '[^...]' regex
+#  * converting the whole lot to a 'bytes' sequence, so that we can use it to match
+#    bytes rather than strings
+#
+NON_MXID_CHARACTER_PATTERN = re.compile(
+    ("[^%s]" % (
+        re.escape("".join(mxid_localpart_allowed_characters - {"="}),),
+    )).encode("ascii"),
+)
+
+
+def map_username_to_mxid_localpart(username, case_sensitive=False):
+    """Map a username onto a string suitable for a MXID
+
+    This follows the algorithm laid out at
+    https://matrix.org/docs/spec/appendices.html#mapping-from-other-character-sets.
+
+    Args:
+        username (unicode|bytes): username to be mapped
+        case_sensitive (bool): true if TEST and test should be mapped
+            onto different mxids
+
+    Returns:
+        unicode: string suitable for a mxid localpart
+    """
+    if not isinstance(username, bytes):
+        username = username.encode('utf-8')
+
+    # first we sort out upper-case characters
+    if case_sensitive:
+        def f1(m):
+            return b"_" + m.group().lower()
+
+        username = UPPER_CASE_PATTERN.sub(f1, username)
+    else:
+        username = username.lower()
+
+    # then we sort out non-ascii characters
+    def f2(m):
+        g = m.group()[0]
+        if isinstance(g, str):
+            # on python 2, we need to do a ord(). On python 3, the
+            # byte itself will do.
+            g = ord(g)
+        return b"=%02x" % (g,)
+
+    username = NON_MXID_CHARACTER_PATTERN.sub(f2, username)
+
+    # we also do the =-escaping to mxids starting with an underscore.
+    username = re.sub(b'^_', b'=5f', username)
+
+    # we should now only have ascii bytes left, so can decode back to a
+    # unicode.
+    return username.decode('ascii')
+
+
 class StreamToken(
     namedtuple("Token", (
         "room_key",
diff --git a/synapse/util/stringutils.py b/synapse/util/stringutils.py
index 6f318c6a29..fdcb375f95 100644
--- a/synapse/util/stringutils.py
+++ b/synapse/util/stringutils.py
@@ -16,7 +16,8 @@
 import random
 import string
 
-from six import PY3
+import six
+from six import PY2, PY3
 from six.moves import range
 
 _string_with_symbols = (
@@ -71,3 +72,39 @@ def to_ascii(s):
         return s.encode("ascii")
     except UnicodeEncodeError:
         return s
+
+
+def exception_to_unicode(e):
+    """Helper function to extract the text of an exception as a unicode string
+
+    Args:
+        e (Exception): exception to be stringified
+
+    Returns:
+        unicode
+    """
+    # urgh, this is a mess. The basic problem here is that psycopg2 constructs its
+    # exceptions with PyErr_SetString, with a (possibly non-ascii) argument. str() will
+    # then produce the raw byte sequence. Under Python 2, this will then cause another
+    # error if it gets mixed with a `unicode` object, as per
+    # https://github.com/matrix-org/synapse/issues/4252
+
+    # First of all, if we're under python3, everything is fine because it will sort this
+    # nonsense out for us.
+    if not PY2:
+        return str(e)
+
+    # otherwise let's have a stab at decoding the exception message. We'll circumvent
+    # Exception.__str__(), which would explode if someone raised Exception(u'non-ascii')
+    # and instead look at what is in the args member.
+
+    if len(e.args) == 0:
+        return u""
+    elif len(e.args) > 1:
+        return six.text_type(repr(e.args))
+
+    msg = e.args[0]
+    if isinstance(msg, bytes):
+        return msg.decode('utf-8', errors='replace')
+    else:
+        return msg