diff --git a/synapse/federation/send_queue.py b/synapse/federation/send_queue.py
index 95fd20e434..748548bbe2 100644
--- a/synapse/federation/send_queue.py
+++ b/synapse/federation/send_queue.py
@@ -477,12 +477,12 @@ ParsedFederationStreamData = namedtuple("ParsedFederationStreamData", (
 ))
 
 
-def process_rows_for_federation(federation_sender, rows):
+def process_rows_for_federation(transaction_queue, rows):
     """Parse a list of rows from the federation stream and put them in the
     transaction queue ready for sending to the relevant homeservers.
 
     Args:
-        federation_sender (TransactionQueue)
+        transaction_queue (TransactionQueue)
         rows (list(synapse.replication.tcp.streams.FederationStreamRow))
     """
 
@@ -509,23 +509,23 @@ def process_rows_for_federation(federation_sender, rows):
         parsed_row.add_to_buffer(buff)
 
     for destination, states in buff.presence.iteritems():
-        federation_sender.send_presence(destination, states)
+        transaction_queue.send_presence(destination, states)
 
     for destination, edu_map in buff.keyed_edus.iteritems():
         for key, edu in edu_map.items():
-            federation_sender.send_edu(
+            transaction_queue.send_edu(
                 edu.destination, edu.edu_type, edu.content, key=key,
             )
 
     for destination, edu_list in buff.edus.iteritems():
         for edu in edu_list:
-            federation_sender.send_edu(
+            transaction_queue.send_edu(
                 edu.destination, edu.edu_type, edu.content, key=None,
             )
 
     for destination, failure_list in buff.failures.iteritems():
         for failure in failure_list:
-            federation_sender.send_failure(destination, failure)
+            transaction_queue.send_failure(destination, failure)
 
     for destination in buff.device_destinations:
-        federation_sender.send_device_messages(destination)
+        transaction_queue.send_device_messages(destination)