diff --git a/docs/admin_api/purge_history_api.rst b/docs/admin_api/purge_history_api.rst
index b4e5bd9d75..a3a17e9f9f 100644
--- a/docs/admin_api/purge_history_api.rst
+++ b/docs/admin_api/purge_history_api.rst
@@ -23,5 +23,5 @@ To delete local events as well, set ``delete_local_events`` in the body:
 .. code:: json
 
    {
-       "delete_local_events": True,
+       "delete_local_events": true
    }
diff --git a/synapse/rest/client/v1/admin.py b/synapse/rest/client/v1/admin.py
index 2ad486c67d..6073cc6fa2 100644
--- a/synapse/rest/client/v1/admin.py
+++ b/synapse/rest/client/v1/admin.py
@@ -131,9 +131,7 @@ class PurgeHistoryRestServlet(ClientV1RestServlet):
 
         body = parse_json_object_from_request(request, allow_empty_body=True)
 
-        delete_local_events = bool(
-            body.get("delete_local_history", False)
-        )
+        delete_local_events = bool(body.get("delete_local_events", False))
 
         yield self.handlers.message_handler.purge_history(
             room_id, event_id,