diff --git a/syncapi/sync/notifier_test.go b/syncapi/sync/notifier_test.go
index ce1214319..7d979fcc9 100644
--- a/syncapi/sync/notifier_test.go
+++ b/syncapi/sync/notifier_test.go
@@ -33,7 +33,6 @@ var (
 	randomMessageEvent  gomatrixserverlib.HeaderedEvent
 	aliceInviteBobEvent gomatrixserverlib.HeaderedEvent
 	bobLeaveEvent       gomatrixserverlib.HeaderedEvent
-	baseSyncPos         = types.NewStreamToken(0, 0)
 	syncPositionVeryOld = types.NewStreamToken(5, 0)
 	syncPositionBefore  = types.NewStreamToken(11, 0)
 	syncPositionAfter   = types.NewStreamToken(12, 0)
diff --git a/syncapi/types/types.go b/syncapi/types/types.go
index 86f527875..c1b6d7dd5 100644
--- a/syncapi/types/types.go
+++ b/syncapi/types/types.go
@@ -189,6 +189,10 @@ func NewTopologyTokenFromString(tok string) (token TopologyToken, err error) {
 		err = fmt.Errorf("token %s is not a topology token", tok)
 		return
 	}
+	if len(t.Positions) != 2 {
+		err = fmt.Errorf("token %s wrong number of values, got %d want 2", tok, len(t.Positions))
+		return
+	}
 	return TopologyToken{
 		syncToken: *t,
 	}, nil
@@ -212,6 +216,10 @@ func NewStreamTokenFromString(tok string) (token StreamingToken, err error) {
 		err = fmt.Errorf("token %s is not a streaming token", tok)
 		return
 	}
+	if len(t.Positions) != 2 {
+		err = fmt.Errorf("token %s wrong number of values, got %d want 2", tok, len(t.Positions))
+		return
+	}
 	return StreamingToken{
 		syncToken: *t,
 	}, nil