diff --git a/synapse/handlers/room_member.py b/synapse/handlers/room_member.py
index c3c720536..0cac039c6 100644
--- a/synapse/handlers/room_member.py
+++ b/synapse/handlers/room_member.py
@@ -138,7 +138,7 @@ class RoomMemberHandler(object):
         defer.returnValue(event)
 
     @defer.inlineCallbacks
-    def remote_join(self, remote_room_hosts, room_id, user, content):
+    def _remote_join(self, remote_room_hosts, room_id, user, content):
         if len(remote_room_hosts) == 0:
             raise SynapseError(404, "No known servers")
 
@@ -292,7 +292,7 @@ class RoomMemberHandler(object):
                     raise AuthError(403, "Guest access not allowed")
 
             if not is_host_in_room:
-                inviter = yield self.get_inviter(target.to_string(), room_id)
+                inviter = yield self._get_inviter(target.to_string(), room_id)
                 if inviter and not self.hs.is_mine(inviter):
                     remote_room_hosts.append(inviter.domain)
 
@@ -306,7 +306,7 @@ class RoomMemberHandler(object):
                 if requester.is_guest:
                     content["kind"] = "guest"
 
-                ret = yield self.remote_join(
+                ret = yield self._remote_join(
                     remote_room_hosts, room_id, target, content
                 )
                 defer.returnValue(ret)
@@ -314,7 +314,7 @@ class RoomMemberHandler(object):
         elif effective_membership_state == Membership.LEAVE:
             if not is_host_in_room:
                 # perhaps we've been invited
-                inviter = yield self.get_inviter(target.to_string(), room_id)
+                inviter = yield self._get_inviter(target.to_string(), room_id)
                 if not inviter:
                     raise SynapseError(404, "Not a known room")
 
@@ -496,7 +496,7 @@ class RoomMemberHandler(object):
         defer.returnValue((RoomID.from_string(room_id), servers))
 
     @defer.inlineCallbacks
-    def get_inviter(self, user_id, room_id):
+    def _get_inviter(self, user_id, room_id):
         invite = yield self.store.get_invite_for_user_in_room(
             user_id=user_id,
             room_id=room_id,
@@ -573,7 +573,7 @@ class RoomMemberHandler(object):
             if "mxid" in data:
                 if "signatures" not in data:
                     raise AuthError(401, "No signatures on 3pid binding")
-                yield self.verify_any_signature(data, id_server)
+                yield self._verify_any_signature(data, id_server)
                 defer.returnValue(data["mxid"])
 
         except IOError as e:
@@ -581,7 +581,7 @@ class RoomMemberHandler(object):
             defer.returnValue(None)
 
     @defer.inlineCallbacks
-    def verify_any_signature(self, data, server_hostname):
+    def _verify_any_signature(self, data, server_hostname):
         if server_hostname not in data["signatures"]:
             raise AuthError(401, "No signature from server %s" % (server_hostname,))
         for key_name, signature in data["signatures"][server_hostname].items():