diff --git a/changelog.d/11292.misc b/changelog.d/11292.misc
new file mode 100644
index 0000000000..d1b76b1574
--- /dev/null
+++ b/changelog.d/11292.misc
@@ -0,0 +1 @@
+Remove unused parameters on `FederationEventHandler._check_event_auth`.
diff --git a/synapse/handlers/federation_event.py b/synapse/handlers/federation_event.py
index 1a1cd93b1a..9917613298 100644
--- a/synapse/handlers/federation_event.py
+++ b/synapse/handlers/federation_event.py
@@ -981,8 +981,6 @@ class FederationEventHandler:
                 origin,
                 event,
                 context,
-                state=state,
-                backfilled=backfilled,
             )
         except AuthError as e:
             # FIXME richvdh 2021/10/07 I don't think this is reachable. Let's log it
@@ -1332,8 +1330,6 @@ class FederationEventHandler:
         origin: str,
         event: EventBase,
         context: EventContext,
-        state: Optional[Iterable[EventBase]] = None,
-        backfilled: bool = False,
     ) -> EventContext:
         """
         Checks whether an event should be rejected (for failing auth checks).
@@ -1344,12 +1340,6 @@ class FederationEventHandler:
             context:
                 The event context.
 
-            state:
-                The state events used to check the event for soft-fail. If this is
-                not provided the current state events will be used.
-
-            backfilled: True if the event was backfilled.
-
         Returns:
             The updated context object.
 
diff --git a/tests/test_federation.py b/tests/test_federation.py
index 24fc77d7a7..3eef1c4c05 100644
--- a/tests/test_federation.py
+++ b/tests/test_federation.py
@@ -81,8 +81,6 @@ class MessageAcceptTests(unittest.HomeserverTestCase):
             origin,
             event,
             context,
-            state=None,
-            backfilled=False,
         ):
             return context