diff --git a/synapse/storage/_base.py b/synapse/storage/_base.py
index 962cc270bc..6133d305bd 100644
--- a/synapse/storage/_base.py
+++ b/synapse/storage/_base.py
@@ -27,6 +27,8 @@ import sys
 import time
 import threading
 
+from six import itervalues, iterkeys, iteritems
+from six.moves import intern, range
 
 logger = logging.getLogger(__name__)
 
@@ -143,7 +145,7 @@ class PerformanceCounters(object):
 
     def interval(self, interval_duration, limit=3):
         counters = []
-        for name, (count, cum_time) in self.current_counters.iteritems():
+        for name, (count, cum_time) in iteritems(self.current_counters):
             prev_count, prev_time = self.previous_counters.get(name, (0, 0))
             counters.append((
                 (cum_time - prev_time) / interval_duration,
@@ -549,7 +551,7 @@ class SQLBaseStore(object):
             ", ".join("%s = ?" % (k,) for k in values),
             " AND ".join("%s = ?" % (k,) for k in keyvalues)
         )
-        sqlargs = values.values() + keyvalues.values()
+        sqlargs = list(values.values()) + list(keyvalues.values())
 
         txn.execute(sql, sqlargs)
         if txn.rowcount > 0:
@@ -567,7 +569,7 @@ class SQLBaseStore(object):
             ", ".join(k for k in allvalues),
             ", ".join("?" for _ in allvalues)
         )
-        txn.execute(sql, allvalues.values())
+        txn.execute(sql, list(allvalues.values()))
         # successfully inserted
         return True
 
@@ -635,8 +637,8 @@ class SQLBaseStore(object):
         }
 
         if keyvalues:
-            sql += " WHERE %s" % " AND ".join("%s = ?" % k for k in keyvalues.iterkeys())
-            txn.execute(sql, keyvalues.values())
+            sql += " WHERE %s" % " AND ".join("%s = ?" % k for k in iterkeys(keyvalues))
+            txn.execute(sql, list(keyvalues.values()))
         else:
             txn.execute(sql)
 
@@ -700,7 +702,7 @@ class SQLBaseStore(object):
                 table,
                 " AND ".join("%s = ?" % (k, ) for k in keyvalues)
             )
-            txn.execute(sql, keyvalues.values())
+            txn.execute(sql, list(keyvalues.values()))
         else:
             sql = "SELECT %s FROM %s" % (
                 ", ".join(retcols),
@@ -731,9 +733,12 @@ class SQLBaseStore(object):
         if not iterable:
             defer.returnValue(results)
 
+        # iterables can not be sliced, so convert it to a list first
+        it_list = list(iterable)
+
         chunks = [
-            iterable[i:i + batch_size]
-            for i in xrange(0, len(iterable), batch_size)
+            it_list[i:i + batch_size]
+            for i in range(0, len(it_list), batch_size)
         ]
         for chunk in chunks:
             rows = yield self.runInteraction(
@@ -773,7 +778,7 @@ class SQLBaseStore(object):
         )
         values.extend(iterable)
 
-        for key, value in keyvalues.iteritems():
+        for key, value in iteritems(keyvalues):
             clauses.append("%s = ?" % (key,))
             values.append(value)
 
@@ -796,7 +801,7 @@ class SQLBaseStore(object):
     @staticmethod
     def _simple_update_txn(txn, table, keyvalues, updatevalues):
         if keyvalues:
-            where = "WHERE %s" % " AND ".join("%s = ?" % k for k in keyvalues.iterkeys())
+            where = "WHERE %s" % " AND ".join("%s = ?" % k for k in iterkeys(keyvalues))
         else:
             where = ""
 
@@ -808,7 +813,7 @@ class SQLBaseStore(object):
 
         txn.execute(
             update_sql,
-            updatevalues.values() + keyvalues.values()
+            list(updatevalues.values()) + list(keyvalues.values())
         )
 
         return txn.rowcount
@@ -856,7 +861,7 @@ class SQLBaseStore(object):
             " AND ".join("%s = ?" % (k,) for k in keyvalues)
         )
 
-        txn.execute(select_sql, keyvalues.values())
+        txn.execute(select_sql, list(keyvalues.values()))
 
         row = txn.fetchone()
         if not row:
@@ -894,7 +899,7 @@ class SQLBaseStore(object):
             " AND ".join("%s = ?" % (k, ) for k in keyvalues)
         )
 
-        txn.execute(sql, keyvalues.values())
+        txn.execute(sql, list(keyvalues.values()))
         if txn.rowcount == 0:
             raise StoreError(404, "No row found")
         if txn.rowcount > 1:
@@ -912,7 +917,7 @@ class SQLBaseStore(object):
             " AND ".join("%s = ?" % (k, ) for k in keyvalues)
         )
 
-        return txn.execute(sql, keyvalues.values())
+        return txn.execute(sql, list(keyvalues.values()))
 
     def _simple_delete_many(self, table, column, iterable, keyvalues, desc):
         return self.runInteraction(
@@ -944,7 +949,7 @@ class SQLBaseStore(object):
         )
         values.extend(iterable)
 
-        for key, value in keyvalues.iteritems():
+        for key, value in iteritems(keyvalues):
             clauses.append("%s = ?" % (key,))
             values.append(value)
 
@@ -984,7 +989,7 @@ class SQLBaseStore(object):
         txn.close()
 
         if cache:
-            min_val = min(cache.itervalues())
+            min_val = min(itervalues(cache))
         else:
             min_val = max_value
 
@@ -1099,7 +1104,7 @@ class SQLBaseStore(object):
                 " AND ".join("%s = ?" % (k,) for k in keyvalues),
                 " ? ASC LIMIT ? OFFSET ?"
             )
-            txn.execute(sql, keyvalues.values() + pagevalues)
+            txn.execute(sql, list(keyvalues.values()) + list(pagevalues))
         else:
             sql = "SELECT %s FROM %s ORDER BY %s" % (
                 ", ".join(retcols),