diff --git a/synapse/api/auth.py b/synapse/api/auth.py
index 821e3ba5e2..cd0deeb0e6 100644
--- a/synapse/api/auth.py
+++ b/synapse/api/auth.py
@@ -25,7 +25,6 @@ from synapse.api.events.room import (
 )
 from synapse.util.logutils import log_function
 from synapse.util.async import run_on_reactor
-from syutil.base64util import encode_base64
 
 import logging
 
diff --git a/synapse/storage/_base.py b/synapse/storage/_base.py
index c56c3a0b0f..b0f454b90b 100644
--- a/synapse/storage/_base.py
+++ b/synapse/storage/_base.py
@@ -19,7 +19,6 @@ from synapse.events import FrozenEvent
 from synapse.events.utils import prune_event
 from synapse.util.logutils import log_function
 from synapse.util.logcontext import PreserveLoggingContext, LoggingContext
-from syutil.base64util import encode_base64
 
 from twisted.internet import defer