diff --git a/synapse/handlers/auth.py b/synapse/handlers/auth.py
index ec625f4ea..26df9fcd8 100644
--- a/synapse/handlers/auth.py
+++ b/synapse/handlers/auth.py
@@ -170,4 +170,4 @@ class AuthHandler(BaseHandler):
         return {
             "flows": [{"stages": f} for f in public_flows],
             "params": params
-        }
\ No newline at end of file
+        }
diff --git a/synapse/rest/client/v2_alpha/_base.py b/synapse/rest/client/v2_alpha/_base.py
index db2c9b244..8adcc9dd9 100644
--- a/synapse/rest/client/v2_alpha/_base.py
+++ b/synapse/rest/client/v2_alpha/_base.py
@@ -42,10 +42,11 @@ def client_v2_pattern(path_regex):
 
 def parse_request_allow_empty(request):
     content = request.content.read()
-    if content == None or content == '':
+    if content is None or content == '':
         return None
     return simplejson.loads(content)
 
+
 def parse_json_dict_from_request(request):
     try:
         content = simplejson.loads(request.content.read())
diff --git a/synapse/rest/client/v2_alpha/register.py b/synapse/rest/client/v2_alpha/register.py
index 84da010c2..4a53e0374 100644
--- a/synapse/rest/client/v2_alpha/register.py
+++ b/synapse/rest/client/v2_alpha/register.py
@@ -16,7 +16,7 @@
 from twisted.internet import defer
 
 from synapse.api.constants import LoginType
-from synapse.api.errors import LoginError, SynapseError, Codes
+from synapse.api.errors import SynapseError, Codes
 from synapse.http.servlet import RestServlet
 
 from ._base import client_v2_pattern, parse_request_allow_empty
@@ -83,4 +83,4 @@ class RegisterRestServlet(RestServlet):
 
 
 def register_servlets(hs, http_server):
-    RegisterRestServlet(hs).register(http_server)
\ No newline at end of file
+    RegisterRestServlet(hs).register(http_server)