diff --git a/changelog.d/3535.misc b/changelog.d/3535.misc
new file mode 100644
index 000000000..e69de29bb
diff --git a/synapse/rest/client/v1/push_rule.py b/synapse/rest/client/v1/push_rule.py
index 7cf6a9977..6e95d9bec 100644
--- a/synapse/rest/client/v1/push_rule.py
+++ b/synapse/rest/client/v1/push_rule.py
@@ -77,11 +77,11 @@ class PushRuleRestServlet(ClientV1RestServlet):
 
         before = parse_string(request, "before")
         if before:
-            before = _namespaced_rule_id(spec, before[0])
+            before = _namespaced_rule_id(spec, before)
 
         after = parse_string(request, "after")
         if after:
-            after = _namespaced_rule_id(spec, after[0])
+            after = _namespaced_rule_id(spec, after)
 
         try:
             yield self.store.add_push_rule(
diff --git a/synapse/streams/config.py b/synapse/streams/config.py
index 22b0b830f..451e4fa44 100644
--- a/synapse/streams/config.py
+++ b/synapse/streams/config.py
@@ -78,6 +78,9 @@ class PaginationConfig(object):
 
         limit = parse_integer(request, "limit", default=default_limit)
 
+        if limit and limit < 0:
+            raise SynapseError(400, "Limit must be 0 or above")
+
         try:
             return PaginationConfig(from_tok, to_tok, direction, limit)
         except Exception: