diff --git a/synapse/handlers/presence.py b/synapse/handlers/presence.py
index 05bf14524..cc28151e3 100644
--- a/synapse/handlers/presence.py
+++ b/synapse/handlers/presence.py
@@ -747,7 +747,7 @@ class PresenceEventSource(object):
         else:
             return (([], presence._user_cachemap_latest_serial))
 
-    def get_current_token_part(self):
+    def get_current_key(self):
         presence = self.hs.get_handlers().presence_handler
         return presence._user_cachemap_latest_serial
 
diff --git a/synapse/handlers/room.py b/synapse/handlers/room.py
index ce15420bf..c54e0f963 100644
--- a/synapse/handlers/room.py
+++ b/synapse/handlers/room.py
@@ -472,7 +472,7 @@ class RoomEventSource(object):
     def get_new_events_for_user(self, user, from_key, limit):
         # We just ignore the key for now.
 
-        to_key = yield self.get_current_token_part()
+        to_key = yield self.get_current_key()
 
         events, end_key = yield self.store.get_room_events_stream(
             user_id=user.to_string(),
@@ -484,7 +484,7 @@ class RoomEventSource(object):
 
         defer.returnValue((events, end_key))
 
-    def get_current_token_part(self):
+    def get_current_key(self):
         return self.store.get_room_events_max_id()
 
     @defer.inlineCallbacks
diff --git a/synapse/handlers/typing.py b/synapse/handlers/typing.py
index 238b06348..3268427ec 100644
--- a/synapse/handlers/typing.py
+++ b/synapse/handlers/typing.py
@@ -154,7 +154,7 @@ class TypingNotificationEventSource(object):
     def get_new_events_for_user(self, user, from_key, limit):
         return ([], from_key)
 
-    def get_current_token_part(self):
+    def get_current_key(self):
         return 0
 
     def get_pagination_rows(self, user, pagination_config, key):
diff --git a/synapse/streams/events.py b/synapse/streams/events.py
index 43b6b1eba..08d6e6f73 100644
--- a/synapse/streams/events.py
+++ b/synapse/streams/events.py
@@ -31,7 +31,7 @@ class NullSource(object):
     def get_new_events_for_user(self, user, from_key, limit):
         return defer.succeed(([], from_key))
 
-    def get_current_token_part(self):
+    def get_current_key(self):
         return defer.succeed(0)
 
     def get_pagination_rows(self, user, pagination_config, key):
@@ -55,13 +55,13 @@ class EventSources(object):
     def get_current_token(self):
         token = StreamToken(
             room_key=(
-                yield self.sources["room"].get_current_token_part()
+                yield self.sources["room"].get_current_key()
             ),
             presence_key=(
-                yield self.sources["presence"].get_current_token_part()
+                yield self.sources["presence"].get_current_key()
             ),
             typing_key=(
-                yield self.sources["typing"].get_current_token_part()
+                yield self.sources["typing"].get_current_key()
             )
         )
         defer.returnValue(token)
@@ -72,8 +72,8 @@ class StreamSource(object):
         """from_key is the key within this event source."""
         raise NotImplementedError("get_new_events_for_user")
 
-    def get_current_token_part(self):
-        raise NotImplementedError("get_current_token_part")
+    def get_current_key(self):
+        raise NotImplementedError("get_current_key")
 
     def get_pagination_rows(self, user, pagination_config, key):
         raise NotImplementedError("get_rows")