diff --git a/synapse/config/consent_config.py b/synapse/config/consent_config.py
index f193a090ae..9f2e85342f 100644
--- a/synapse/config/consent_config.py
+++ b/synapse/config/consent_config.py
@@ -13,6 +13,10 @@
 # See the License for the specific language governing permissions and
 # limitations under the License.
 
+from os import path
+
+from synapse.config import ConfigError
+
 from ._base import Config
 
 DEFAULT_CONFIG = """\
@@ -85,7 +89,15 @@ class ConsentConfig(Config):
         if consent_config is None:
             return
         self.user_consent_version = str(consent_config["version"])
-        self.user_consent_template_dir = consent_config["template_dir"]
+        self.user_consent_template_dir = self.abspath(
+            consent_config["template_dir"]
+        )
+        if not path.isdir(self.user_consent_template_dir):
+            raise ConfigError(
+                "Could not find template directory '%s'" % (
+                    self.user_consent_template_dir,
+                ),
+            )
         self.user_consent_server_notice_content = consent_config.get(
             "server_notice_content",
         )
diff --git a/synapse/rest/consent/consent_resource.py b/synapse/rest/consent/consent_resource.py
index 80611cfe84..008d4edae5 100644
--- a/synapse/rest/consent/consent_resource.py
+++ b/synapse/rest/consent/consent_resource.py
@@ -101,16 +101,7 @@ class ConsentResource(Resource):
                 "missing in config file.",
             )
 
-        # daemonize changes the cwd to /, so make the path absolute now.
-        consent_template_directory = path.abspath(
-            hs.config.user_consent_template_dir,
-        )
-        if not path.isdir(consent_template_directory):
-            raise ConfigError(
-                "Could not find template directory '%s'" % (
-                    consent_template_directory,
-                ),
-            )
+        consent_template_directory = hs.config.user_consent_template_dir
 
         loader = jinja2.FileSystemLoader(consent_template_directory)
         self._jinja_env = jinja2.Environment(