diff --git a/synapse/http/matrixfederationclient.py b/synapse/http/matrixfederationclient.py
index 764b151d9a..454c3d4ab1 100644
--- a/synapse/http/matrixfederationclient.py
+++ b/synapse/http/matrixfederationclient.py
@@ -16,7 +16,6 @@
 
 from twisted.internet import defer, reactor, protocol
 from twisted.internet.error import DNSLookupError
-from twisted.python.failure import Failure
 from twisted.web.client import readBody, _AgentBase, _URI
 from twisted.web.http_headers import Headers
 from twisted.web._newclient import ResponseDone