diff --git a/setup.cfg b/setup.cfg
index 5ebce1c56b..da8eafbb39 100644
--- a/setup.cfg
+++ b/setup.cfg
@@ -16,7 +16,5 @@ ignore =
 
 [flake8]
 max-line-length = 90
-ignore = W503 ; W503 requires that binary operators be at the end, not start, of lines. Erik doesn't like it.
-
-[pep8]
-max-line-length = 90
+#  W503 requires that binary operators be at the end, not start, of lines. Erik doesn't like it.
+ignore = W503
diff --git a/synapse/app/__init__.py b/synapse/app/__init__.py
index 1bc4279807..9c2b627590 100644
--- a/synapse/app/__init__.py
+++ b/synapse/app/__init__.py
@@ -16,13 +16,11 @@
 import sys
 sys.dont_write_bytecode = True
 
-from synapse.python_dependencies import (
-    check_requirements, MissingRequirementError
-)  # NOQA
+from synapse import python_dependencies   # noqa: E402
 
 try:
-    check_requirements()
-except MissingRequirementError as e:
+    python_dependencies.check_requirements()
+except python_dependencies.MissingRequirementError as e:
     message = "\n".join([
         "Missing Requirement: %s" % (e.message,),
         "To install run:",