diff --git a/synapse/app/homeserver.py b/synapse/app/homeserver.py
index 190b03e2f..b284d07cf 100755
--- a/synapse/app/homeserver.py
+++ b/synapse/app/homeserver.py
@@ -35,9 +35,8 @@ if __name__ == '__main__':
 
 
 from synapse.storage.engines import create_engine, IncorrectDatabaseSetup
-from synapse.storage import (
-    are_all_users_on_domain, UpgradeDatabaseException,
-)
+from synapse.storage import are_all_users_on_domain
+from synapse.storage.schema_prepare import UpgradeDatabaseException
 
 from synapse.server import HomeServer
 
diff --git a/synapse/storage/__init__.py b/synapse/storage/__init__.py
index 4be629bff..48a063374 100644
--- a/synapse/storage/__init__.py
+++ b/synapse/storage/__init__.py
@@ -41,9 +41,6 @@ from .end_to_end_keys import EndToEndKeyStore
 
 from .receipts import ReceiptsStore
 
-from ._schema_prepare import UpgradeDatabaseException
-
-__all__ = [UpgradeDatabaseException]
 
 import logging
 
diff --git a/synapse/storage/engines/postgres.py b/synapse/storage/engines/postgres.py
index 949396044..7e45dabf4 100644
--- a/synapse/storage/engines/postgres.py
+++ b/synapse/storage/engines/postgres.py
@@ -13,7 +13,7 @@
 # See the License for the specific language governing permissions and
 # limitations under the License.
 
-from synapse.storage._schema_prepare import prepare_database
+from synapse.storage.schema_prepare import prepare_database
 
 from ._base import IncorrectDatabaseSetup
 
diff --git a/synapse/storage/engines/sqlite3.py b/synapse/storage/engines/sqlite3.py
index a66815ef2..0eeaa45d1 100644
--- a/synapse/storage/engines/sqlite3.py
+++ b/synapse/storage/engines/sqlite3.py
@@ -13,7 +13,7 @@
 # See the License for the specific language governing permissions and
 # limitations under the License.
 
-from synapse.storage._schema_prepare import (
+from synapse.storage.schema_prepare import (
     prepare_database, prepare_sqlite3_database
 )
 
diff --git a/synapse/storage/_schema_prepare.py b/synapse/storage/schema_prepare.py
similarity index 100%
rename from synapse/storage/_schema_prepare.py
rename to synapse/storage/schema_prepare.py
diff --git a/tests/utils.py b/tests/utils.py
index dd19a16fc..6eb575bd0 100644
--- a/tests/utils.py
+++ b/tests/utils.py
@@ -16,7 +16,7 @@
 from synapse.http.server import HttpServer
 from synapse.api.errors import cs_error, CodeMessageException, StoreError
 from synapse.api.constants import EventTypes
-from synapse.storage import prepare_database
+from synapse.storage.schema_prepare import prepare_database
 from synapse.storage.engines import create_engine
 from synapse.server import HomeServer