diff --git a/synapse/handlers/room.py b/synapse/handlers/room.py
index 0242288c4..edb96cec8 100644
--- a/synapse/handlers/room.py
+++ b/synapse/handlers/room.py
@@ -246,8 +246,6 @@ class RoomMemberHandler(BaseHandler):
 
     @defer.inlineCallbacks
     def get_room_members(self, room_id):
-        hs = self.hs
-
         users = yield self.store.get_users_in_room(room_id)
 
         defer.returnValue([UserID.from_string(u) for u in users])
diff --git a/synapse/rest/client/v1/room.py b/synapse/rest/client/v1/room.py
index c5837b340..f0a9c932c 100644
--- a/synapse/rest/client/v1/room.py
+++ b/synapse/rest/client/v1/room.py
@@ -20,7 +20,7 @@ from base import RestServlet, client_path_pattern
 from synapse.api.errors import SynapseError, Codes
 from synapse.streams.config import PaginationConfig
 from synapse.api.constants import EventTypes, Membership
-from synapse.types import UserID
+from synapse.types import UserID, RoomID
 
 import json
 import logging
@@ -227,7 +227,7 @@ class JoinRoomAliasServlet(RestServlet):
             identifier = self.hs.parse_roomalias(room_identifier)
             is_room_alias = True
         except SynapseError:
-            identifier = self.hs.parse_roomid(room_identifier)
+            identifier = RoomID.from_string(room_identifier)
 
         # TODO: Support for specifying the home server to join with?
 
diff --git a/synapse/server.py b/synapse/server.py
index 52a21aaf7..4dfff0427 100644
--- a/synapse/server.py
+++ b/synapse/server.py
@@ -26,7 +26,7 @@ from synapse.api.auth import Auth
 from synapse.handlers import Handlers
 from synapse.state import StateHandler
 from synapse.storage import DataStore
-from synapse.types import UserID, RoomAlias, RoomID, EventID
+from synapse.types import RoomAlias, EventID
 from synapse.util import Clock
 from synapse.util.distributor import Distributor
 from synapse.util.lockutils import LockManager
@@ -132,11 +132,6 @@ class BaseHomeServer(object):
         object."""
         return RoomAlias.from_string(s)
 
-    def parse_roomid(self, s):
-        """Parse the string given by 's' as a Room ID and return a RoomID
-        object."""
-        return RoomID.from_string(s)
-
     def parse_eventid(self, s):
         """Parse the string given by 's' as a Event ID and return a EventID
         object."""
diff --git a/tests/storage/test_directory.py b/tests/storage/test_directory.py
index e9c242cc0..1bc639176 100644
--- a/tests/storage/test_directory.py
+++ b/tests/storage/test_directory.py
@@ -19,6 +19,7 @@ from twisted.internet import defer
 
 from synapse.server import HomeServer
 from synapse.storage.directory import DirectoryStore
+from synapse.types import RoomID
 
 from tests.utils import SQLiteMemoryDbPool
 
@@ -37,7 +38,7 @@ class DirectoryStoreTestCase(unittest.TestCase):
 
         self.store = DirectoryStore(hs)
 
-        self.room = hs.parse_roomid("!abcde:test")
+        self.room = RoomID.from_string("!abcde:test")
         self.alias = hs.parse_roomalias("#my-room:test")
 
     @defer.inlineCallbacks
diff --git a/tests/storage/test_redaction.py b/tests/storage/test_redaction.py
index a16ccad88..0713dfab6 100644
--- a/tests/storage/test_redaction.py
+++ b/tests/storage/test_redaction.py
@@ -19,7 +19,7 @@ from twisted.internet import defer
 
 from synapse.server import HomeServer
 from synapse.api.constants import EventTypes, Membership
-from synapse.types import UserID
+from synapse.types import UserID, RoomID
 
 from tests.utils import SQLiteMemoryDbPool, MockKey
 
@@ -52,7 +52,7 @@ class RedactionTestCase(unittest.TestCase):
         self.u_alice = UserID.from_string("@alice:test")
         self.u_bob = UserID.from_string("@bob:test")
 
-        self.room1 = hs.parse_roomid("!abc123:test")
+        self.room1 = RoomID.from_string("!abc123:test")
 
         self.depth = 1
 
diff --git a/tests/storage/test_room.py b/tests/storage/test_room.py
index c6bfde069..baec3a3bb 100644
--- a/tests/storage/test_room.py
+++ b/tests/storage/test_room.py
@@ -19,7 +19,7 @@ from twisted.internet import defer
 
 from synapse.server import HomeServer
 from synapse.api.constants import EventTypes
-from synapse.types import UserID
+from synapse.types import UserID, RoomID
 
 from tests.utils import SQLiteMemoryDbPool
 
@@ -39,7 +39,7 @@ class RoomStoreTestCase(unittest.TestCase):
         # management of the 'room_aliases' table
         self.store = hs.get_datastore()
 
-        self.room = hs.parse_roomid("!abcde:test")
+        self.room = RoomID.from_string("!abcde:test")
         self.alias = hs.parse_roomalias("#a-room-name:test")
         self.u_creator = UserID.from_string("@creator:test")
 
@@ -98,7 +98,7 @@ class RoomEventsStoreTestCase(unittest.TestCase):
         self.store = hs.get_datastore()
         self.event_factory = hs.get_event_factory();
 
-        self.room = hs.parse_roomid("!abcde:test")
+        self.room = RoomID.from_string("!abcde:test")
 
         yield self.store.store_room(self.room.to_string(),
             room_creator_user_id="@creator:text",
diff --git a/tests/storage/test_roommember.py b/tests/storage/test_roommember.py
index 6b7930b1d..2b9048e2a 100644
--- a/tests/storage/test_roommember.py
+++ b/tests/storage/test_roommember.py
@@ -19,7 +19,7 @@ from twisted.internet import defer
 
 from synapse.server import HomeServer
 from synapse.api.constants import EventTypes, Membership
-from synapse.types import UserID
+from synapse.types import UserID, RoomID
 
 from tests.utils import SQLiteMemoryDbPool, MockKey
 
@@ -56,7 +56,7 @@ class RoomMemberStoreTestCase(unittest.TestCase):
         # User elsewhere on another host
         self.u_charlie = UserID.from_string("@charlie:elsewhere")
 
-        self.room = hs.parse_roomid("!abc123:test")
+        self.room = RoomID.from_string("!abc123:test")
 
     @defer.inlineCallbacks
     def inject_room_member(self, room, user, membership, replaces_state=None):
diff --git a/tests/storage/test_stream.py b/tests/storage/test_stream.py
index d7c7f64d5..b7f6e2aa8 100644
--- a/tests/storage/test_stream.py
+++ b/tests/storage/test_stream.py
@@ -19,7 +19,7 @@ from twisted.internet import defer
 
 from synapse.server import HomeServer
 from synapse.api.constants import EventTypes, Membership
-from synapse.types import UserID
+from synapse.types import UserID, RoomID
 
 from tests.utils import SQLiteMemoryDbPool, MockKey
 
@@ -52,8 +52,8 @@ class StreamStoreTestCase(unittest.TestCase):
         self.u_alice = UserID.from_string("@alice:test")
         self.u_bob = UserID.from_string("@bob:test")
 
-        self.room1 = hs.parse_roomid("!abc123:test")
-        self.room2 = hs.parse_roomid("!xyx987:test")
+        self.room1 = RoomID.from_string("!abc123:test")
+        self.room2 = RoomID.from_string("!xyx987:test")
 
         self.depth = 1