diff --git a/appservice/appservice.go b/appservice/appservice.go
index 1cd5d57fa..68cf52e79 100644
--- a/appservice/appservice.go
+++ b/appservice/appservice.go
@@ -30,6 +30,7 @@ import (
 	"github.com/matrix-org/dendrite/appservice/workers"
 	"github.com/matrix-org/dendrite/clientapi/auth/storage/accounts"
 	"github.com/matrix-org/dendrite/clientapi/auth/storage/devices"
+	"github.com/matrix-org/dendrite/internal"
 	"github.com/matrix-org/dendrite/internal/basecomponent"
 	"github.com/matrix-org/dendrite/internal/config"
 	"github.com/matrix-org/dendrite/internal/transactions"
@@ -120,7 +121,7 @@ func generateAppServiceAccount(
 	// Create an account for the application service
 	_, err := accountsDB.CreateAccount(ctx, as.SenderLocalpart, "", as.ID)
 	if err != nil {
-		if errors.Is(err, accounts.ErrUserExists) { // This account already exists
+		if errors.Is(err, internal.ErrUserExists) { // This account already exists
 			return nil
 		}
 		return err
diff --git a/clientapi/auth/storage/accounts/interface.go b/clientapi/auth/storage/accounts/interface.go
index 7e1313850..4d1941a23 100644
--- a/clientapi/auth/storage/accounts/interface.go
+++ b/clientapi/auth/storage/accounts/interface.go
@@ -55,6 +55,3 @@ type Database interface {
 // Err3PIDInUse is the error returned when trying to save an association involving
 // a third-party identifier which is already associated to a local user.
 var Err3PIDInUse = errors.New("This third-party identifier is already in use")
-
-// ErrUserExists is returned if a username already exists in the database.
-var ErrUserExists = errors.New("Username already exists")
diff --git a/clientapi/auth/storage/accounts/postgres/storage.go b/clientapi/auth/storage/accounts/postgres/storage.go
index d961ab1f1..4be5dca94 100644
--- a/clientapi/auth/storage/accounts/postgres/storage.go
+++ b/clientapi/auth/storage/accounts/postgres/storage.go
@@ -21,7 +21,6 @@ import (
 	"strconv"
 
 	"github.com/matrix-org/dendrite/clientapi/auth/authtypes"
-	"github.com/matrix-org/dendrite/clientapi/auth/storage/accounts"
 	"github.com/matrix-org/dendrite/internal"
 	"github.com/matrix-org/dendrite/internal/sqlutil"
 	"github.com/matrix-org/gomatrixserverlib"
@@ -165,7 +164,7 @@ func (d *Database) createAccount(
 	}
 	if err := d.profiles.insertProfile(ctx, txn, localpart); err != nil {
 		if internal.IsUniqueConstraintViolationErr(err) {
-			return nil, accounts.ErrUserExists
+			return nil, internal.ErrUserExists
 		}
 		return nil, err
 	}
diff --git a/clientapi/auth/storage/accounts/sqlite3/storage.go b/clientapi/auth/storage/accounts/sqlite3/storage.go
index 0b5542796..4b4367082 100644
--- a/clientapi/auth/storage/accounts/sqlite3/storage.go
+++ b/clientapi/auth/storage/accounts/sqlite3/storage.go
@@ -22,7 +22,6 @@ import (
 	"sync"
 
 	"github.com/matrix-org/dendrite/clientapi/auth/authtypes"
-	"github.com/matrix-org/dendrite/clientapi/auth/storage/accounts"
 	"github.com/matrix-org/dendrite/internal"
 	"github.com/matrix-org/dendrite/internal/sqlutil"
 	"github.com/matrix-org/gomatrixserverlib"
@@ -174,7 +173,7 @@ func (d *Database) createAccount(
 	}
 	if err := d.profiles.insertProfile(ctx, txn, localpart); err != nil {
 		if errors.Is(err, sqlite3.ErrConstraint) {
-			return nil, accounts.ErrUserExists
+			return nil, internal.ErrUserExists
 		}
 		return nil, err
 	}
diff --git a/clientapi/routing/register.go b/clientapi/routing/register.go
index 63f155afd..d356db2cb 100644
--- a/clientapi/routing/register.go
+++ b/clientapi/routing/register.go
@@ -830,7 +830,7 @@ func completeRegistration(
 
 	acc, err := accountDB.CreateAccount(ctx, username, password, appserviceID)
 	if err != nil {
-		if errors.Is(err, accounts.ErrUserExists) { // user already exists
+		if errors.Is(err, internal.ErrUserExists) { // user already exists
 			return util.JSONResponse{
 				Code: http.StatusBadRequest,
 				JSON: jsonerror.UserInUse("Desired user ID is already taken."),
diff --git a/internal/sql.go b/internal/sql.go
index d6a5a3086..b8a706f1d 100644
--- a/internal/sql.go
+++ b/internal/sql.go
@@ -16,11 +16,15 @@ package internal
 
 import (
 	"database/sql"
+	"errors"
 	"fmt"
 	"runtime"
 	"time"
 )
 
+// ErrUserExists is returned if a username already exists in the database.
+var ErrUserExists = errors.New("Username already exists")
+
 // A Transaction is something that can be committed or rolledback.
 type Transaction interface {
 	// Commit the transaction