diff --git a/synapse/push/__init__.py b/synapse/push/__init__.py
index 00f3513c23..8c6f0a6571 100644
--- a/synapse/push/__init__.py
+++ b/synapse/push/__init__.py
@@ -37,14 +37,14 @@ class Pusher(object):
 
     INEQUALITY_EXPR = re.compile("^([=<>]*)([0-9]*)$")
 
-    def __init__(self, _hs, instance_handle, user_name, app_id,
+    def __init__(self, _hs, profile_tag, user_name, app_id,
                  app_display_name, device_display_name, pushkey, pushkey_ts,
                  data, last_token, last_success, failing_since):
         self.hs = _hs
         self.evStreamHandler = self.hs.get_handlers().event_stream_handler
         self.store = self.hs.get_datastore()
         self.clock = self.hs.get_clock()
-        self.instance_handle = instance_handle
+        self.profile_tag = profile_tag
         self.user_name = user_name
         self.app_id = app_id
         self.app_display_name = app_display_name
@@ -147,9 +147,9 @@ class Pusher(object):
                 return False
             return fnmatch.fnmatch(val.upper(), pat.upper())
         elif condition['kind'] == 'device':
-            if 'instance_handle' not in condition:
+            if 'profile_tag' not in condition:
                 return True
-            return condition['instance_handle'] == self.instance_handle
+            return condition['profile_tag'] == self.profile_tag
         elif condition['kind'] == 'contains_display_name':
             # This is special because display names can be different
             # between rooms and so you can't really hard code it in a rule.
diff --git a/synapse/push/httppusher.py b/synapse/push/httppusher.py
index 7c6953c989..5788db4eba 100644
--- a/synapse/push/httppusher.py
+++ b/synapse/push/httppusher.py
@@ -24,12 +24,12 @@ logger = logging.getLogger(__name__)
 
 
 class HttpPusher(Pusher):
-    def __init__(self, _hs, instance_handle, user_name, app_id,
+    def __init__(self, _hs, profile_tag, user_name, app_id,
                  app_display_name, device_display_name, pushkey, pushkey_ts,
                  data, last_token, last_success, failing_since):
         super(HttpPusher, self).__init__(
             _hs,
-            instance_handle,
+            profile_tag,
             user_name,
             app_id,
             app_display_name,
diff --git a/synapse/push/pusherpool.py b/synapse/push/pusherpool.py
index 4892c21e7b..5a525befd7 100644
--- a/synapse/push/pusherpool.py
+++ b/synapse/push/pusherpool.py
@@ -55,7 +55,7 @@ class PusherPool:
         self._start_pushers(pushers)
 
     @defer.inlineCallbacks
-    def add_pusher(self, user_name, instance_handle, kind, app_id,
+    def add_pusher(self, user_name, profile_tag, kind, app_id,
                    app_display_name, device_display_name, pushkey, lang, data):
         # we try to create the pusher just to validate the config: it
         # will then get pulled out of the database,
@@ -64,7 +64,7 @@ class PusherPool:
         self._create_pusher({
             "user_name": user_name,
             "kind": kind,
-            "instance_handle": instance_handle,
+            "profile_tag": profile_tag,
             "app_id": app_id,
             "app_display_name": app_display_name,
             "device_display_name": device_display_name,
@@ -77,18 +77,18 @@ class PusherPool:
             "failing_since": None
         })
         yield self._add_pusher_to_store(
-            user_name, instance_handle, kind, app_id,
+            user_name, profile_tag, kind, app_id,
             app_display_name, device_display_name,
             pushkey, lang, data
         )
 
     @defer.inlineCallbacks
-    def _add_pusher_to_store(self, user_name, instance_handle, kind, app_id,
+    def _add_pusher_to_store(self, user_name, profile_tag, kind, app_id,
                              app_display_name, device_display_name,
                              pushkey, lang, data):
         yield self.store.add_pusher(
             user_name=user_name,
-            instance_handle=instance_handle,
+            profile_tag=profile_tag,
             kind=kind,
             app_id=app_id,
             app_display_name=app_display_name,
@@ -104,7 +104,7 @@ class PusherPool:
         if pusherdict['kind'] == 'http':
             return HttpPusher(
                 self.hs,
-                instance_handle=pusherdict['instance_handle'],
+                profile_tag=pusherdict['profile_tag'],
                 user_name=pusherdict['user_name'],
                 app_id=pusherdict['app_id'],
                 app_display_name=pusherdict['app_display_name'],
diff --git a/synapse/rest/client/v1/push_rule.py b/synapse/rest/client/v1/push_rule.py
index faa7919fbb..348adb9c0d 100644
--- a/synapse/rest/client/v1/push_rule.py
+++ b/synapse/rest/client/v1/push_rule.py
@@ -112,7 +112,7 @@ class PushRuleRestServlet(ClientV1RestServlet):
         if device:
             conditions.append({
                 'kind': 'device',
-                'instance_handle': device
+                'profile_tag': device
             })
 
         if 'actions' not in req_obj:
@@ -195,7 +195,7 @@ class PushRuleRestServlet(ClientV1RestServlet):
 
             for r in rules:
                 conditions = json.loads(r['conditions'])
-                ih = _instance_handle_from_conditions(conditions)
+                ih = _profile_tag_from_conditions(conditions)
                 if ih == spec['device'] and r['priority_class'] == priority_class:
                     yield self.hs.get_datastore().delete_push_rule(
                         user.to_string(), spec['rule_id']
@@ -239,19 +239,19 @@ class PushRuleRestServlet(ClientV1RestServlet):
 
             if r['priority_class'] > PushRuleRestServlet.PRIORITY_CLASS_MAP['override']:
                 # per-device rule
-                instance_handle = _instance_handle_from_conditions(r["conditions"])
+                profile_tag = _profile_tag_from_conditions(r["conditions"])
                 r = _strip_device_condition(r)
-                if not instance_handle:
+                if not profile_tag:
                     continue
-                if instance_handle not in rules['device']:
-                    rules['device'][instance_handle] = {}
-                    rules['device'][instance_handle] = (
+                if profile_tag not in rules['device']:
+                    rules['device'][profile_tag] = {}
+                    rules['device'][profile_tag] = (
                         _add_empty_priority_class_arrays(
-                            rules['device'][instance_handle]
+                            rules['device'][profile_tag]
                         )
                     )
 
-                rulearray = rules['device'][instance_handle][template_name]
+                rulearray = rules['device'][profile_tag][template_name]
             else:
                 rulearray = rules['global'][template_name]
 
@@ -282,13 +282,13 @@ class PushRuleRestServlet(ClientV1RestServlet):
             if path[0] == '':
                 defer.returnValue((200, rules['device']))
 
-            instance_handle = path[0]
+            profile_tag = path[0]
             path = path[1:]
-            if instance_handle not in rules['device']:
+            if profile_tag not in rules['device']:
                 ret = {}
                 ret = _add_empty_priority_class_arrays(ret)
                 defer.returnValue((200, ret))
-            ruleset = rules['device'][instance_handle]
+            ruleset = rules['device'][profile_tag]
             result = _filter_ruleset_with_path(ruleset, path)
             defer.returnValue((200, result))
         else:
@@ -304,14 +304,14 @@ def _add_empty_priority_class_arrays(d):
     return d
 
 
-def _instance_handle_from_conditions(conditions):
+def _profile_tag_from_conditions(conditions):
     """
     Given a list of conditions, return the instance handle of the
     device rule if there is one
     """
     for c in conditions:
         if c['kind'] == 'device':
-            return c['instance_handle']
+            return c['profile_tag']
     return None
 
 
diff --git a/synapse/rest/client/v1/pusher.py b/synapse/rest/client/v1/pusher.py
index 353a4a6589..e10d2576d2 100644
--- a/synapse/rest/client/v1/pusher.py
+++ b/synapse/rest/client/v1/pusher.py
@@ -41,7 +41,7 @@ class PusherRestServlet(ClientV1RestServlet):
             )
             defer.returnValue((200, {}))
 
-        reqd = ['instance_handle', 'kind', 'app_id', 'app_display_name',
+        reqd = ['profile_tag', 'kind', 'app_id', 'app_display_name',
                 'device_display_name', 'pushkey', 'lang', 'data']
         missing = []
         for i in reqd:
@@ -54,7 +54,7 @@ class PusherRestServlet(ClientV1RestServlet):
         try:
             yield pusher_pool.add_pusher(
                 user_name=user.to_string(),
-                instance_handle=content['instance_handle'],
+                profile_tag=content['profile_tag'],
                 kind=content['kind'],
                 app_id=content['app_id'],
                 app_display_name=content['app_display_name'],
diff --git a/synapse/storage/pusher.py b/synapse/storage/pusher.py
index f253c9e2c3..e2a662a6c7 100644
--- a/synapse/storage/pusher.py
+++ b/synapse/storage/pusher.py
@@ -29,7 +29,7 @@ class PusherStore(SQLBaseStore):
     @defer.inlineCallbacks
     def get_pushers_by_app_id_and_pushkey(self, app_id_and_pushkey):
         sql = (
-            "SELECT id, user_name, kind, instance_handle, app_id,"
+            "SELECT id, user_name, kind, profile_tag, app_id,"
             "app_display_name, device_display_name, pushkey, ts, data, "
             "last_token, last_success, failing_since "
             "FROM pushers "
@@ -45,7 +45,7 @@ class PusherStore(SQLBaseStore):
                 "id": r[0],
                 "user_name": r[1],
                 "kind": r[2],
-                "instance_handle": r[3],
+                "profile_tag": r[3],
                 "app_id": r[4],
                 "app_display_name": r[5],
                 "device_display_name": r[6],
@@ -64,7 +64,7 @@ class PusherStore(SQLBaseStore):
     @defer.inlineCallbacks
     def get_all_pushers(self):
         sql = (
-            "SELECT id, user_name, kind, instance_handle, app_id,"
+            "SELECT id, user_name, kind, profile_tag, app_id,"
             "app_display_name, device_display_name, pushkey, ts, data, "
             "last_token, last_success, failing_since "
             "FROM pushers"
@@ -77,7 +77,7 @@ class PusherStore(SQLBaseStore):
                 "id": r[0],
                 "user_name": r[1],
                 "kind": r[2],
-                "instance_handle": r[3],
+                "profile_tag": r[3],
                 "app_id": r[4],
                 "app_display_name": r[5],
                 "device_display_name": r[6],
@@ -94,7 +94,7 @@ class PusherStore(SQLBaseStore):
         defer.returnValue(ret)
 
     @defer.inlineCallbacks
-    def add_pusher(self, user_name, instance_handle, kind, app_id,
+    def add_pusher(self, user_name, profile_tag, kind, app_id,
                    app_display_name, device_display_name,
                    pushkey, pushkey_ts, lang, data):
         try:
@@ -107,7 +107,7 @@ class PusherStore(SQLBaseStore):
                 dict(
                     user_name=user_name,
                     kind=kind,
-                    instance_handle=instance_handle,
+                    profile_tag=profile_tag,
                     app_display_name=app_display_name,
                     device_display_name=device_display_name,
                     ts=pushkey_ts,
@@ -158,7 +158,7 @@ class PushersTable(Table):
         "id",
         "user_name",
         "kind",
-        "instance_handle",
+        "profile_tag",
         "app_id",
         "app_display_name",
         "device_display_name",
diff --git a/synapse/storage/schema/delta/v12.sql b/synapse/storage/schema/delta/v12.sql
index a6867cba62..16c2258ca4 100644
--- a/synapse/storage/schema/delta/v12.sql
+++ b/synapse/storage/schema/delta/v12.sql
@@ -24,7 +24,7 @@ CREATE TABLE IF NOT EXISTS rejections(
 CREATE TABLE IF NOT EXISTS pushers (
   id INTEGER PRIMARY KEY AUTOINCREMENT,
   user_name TEXT NOT NULL,
-  instance_handle varchar(32) NOT NULL,
+  profile_tag varchar(32) NOT NULL,
   kind varchar(8) NOT NULL,
   app_id varchar(64) NOT NULL,
   app_display_name varchar(64) NOT NULL,
diff --git a/synapse/storage/schema/pusher.sql b/synapse/storage/schema/pusher.sql
index 8c4dfd5c1b..3735b11547 100644
--- a/synapse/storage/schema/pusher.sql
+++ b/synapse/storage/schema/pusher.sql
@@ -16,7 +16,7 @@
 CREATE TABLE IF NOT EXISTS pushers (
   id INTEGER PRIMARY KEY AUTOINCREMENT,
   user_name TEXT NOT NULL,
-  instance_handle varchar(32) NOT NULL,
+  profile_tag varchar(32) NOT NULL,
   kind varchar(8) NOT NULL,
   app_id varchar(64) NOT NULL,
   app_display_name varchar(64) NOT NULL,