diff --git a/synapse/handlers/message.py b/synapse/handlers/message.py
index 3d7f97bcf..c8ff34e5f 100644
--- a/synapse/handlers/message.py
+++ b/synapse/handlers/message.py
@@ -274,11 +274,11 @@ class MessageHandler(BaseRoomHandler):
                 messages, token = yield self.store.get_recent_events_for_room(
                     event.room_id,
                     limit=limit,
-                    end_token=now_token.events_key,
+                    end_token=now_token.room_key,
                 )
 
-                start_token = now_token.copy_and_replace("events_key", token[0])
-                end_token = now_token.copy_and_replace("events_key", token[1])
+                start_token = now_token.copy_and_replace("room_key", token[0])
+                end_token = now_token.copy_and_replace("room_key", token[1])
 
                 d["messages"] = {
                     "chunk": [m.get_dict() for m in messages],
diff --git a/synapse/handlers/room.py b/synapse/handlers/room.py
index 6fbb4bc18..b27bdecd4 100644
--- a/synapse/handlers/room.py
+++ b/synapse/handlers/room.py
@@ -476,13 +476,13 @@ class RoomEventSource(object):
 
         events, end_key = yield self.store.get_room_events_stream(
             user_id=user.to_string(),
-            from_key=from_token.events_key,
+            from_key=from_token.room_key,
             to_key=to_key,
             room_id=None,
             limit=limit,
         )
 
-        end_token = from_token.copy_and_replace("events_key", end_key)
+        end_token = from_token.copy_and_replace("room_key", end_key)
 
         defer.returnValue((events, end_token))
 
@@ -496,17 +496,17 @@ class RoomEventSource(object):
         limit = pagination_config.limit
         direction = pagination_config.direction
 
-        to_key = to_token.events_key if to_token else None
+        to_key = to_token.room_key if to_token else None
 
         events, next_key = yield self.store.paginate_room_events(
             room_id=key,
-            from_key=from_token.events_key,
+            from_key=from_token.room_key,
             to_key=to_key,
             direction=direction,
             limit=limit,
             with_feedback=True
         )
 
-        next_token = from_token.copy_and_replace("events_key", next_key)
+        next_token = from_token.copy_and_replace("room_key", next_key)
 
         defer.returnValue((events, next_token))
diff --git a/synapse/streams/events.py b/synapse/streams/events.py
index 4bec6605b..848036867 100644
--- a/synapse/streams/events.py
+++ b/synapse/streams/events.py
@@ -54,7 +54,7 @@ class EventSources(object):
     @defer.inlineCallbacks
     def get_current_token(self):
         token = StreamToken(
-            events_key=(
+            room_key=(
                 yield self.sources["room"].get_current_token_part()
             ),
             presence_key=(
diff --git a/synapse/types.py b/synapse/types.py
index d93b02a56..1a9dceabf 100644
--- a/synapse/types.py
+++ b/synapse/types.py
@@ -97,7 +97,7 @@ class RoomID(DomainSpecificString):
 class StreamToken(
     namedtuple(
         "Token",
-        ("events_key", "presence_key", "typing_key")
+        ("room_key", "presence_key", "typing_key")
     )
 ):
     _SEPARATOR = "_"