diff --git a/src/github.com/matrix-org/dendrite/clientapi/httputil/parse.go b/src/github.com/matrix-org/dendrite/clientapi/httputil/parse.go
index 0c8c8e6c6..110d28e70 100644
--- a/src/github.com/matrix-org/dendrite/clientapi/httputil/parse.go
+++ b/src/github.com/matrix-org/dendrite/clientapi/httputil/parse.go
@@ -22,39 +22,25 @@ import (
 	"github.com/matrix-org/util"
 )
 
-// ParseIntParam takes a request and parses the query param to an int
-// returns 0 when not present and -1 when parsing failed as int
-func ParseIntParam(req *http.Request, param string) (int64, *util.JSONResponse) {
-	paramStr := req.URL.Query().Get(param)
-	if paramStr == "" {
-		return 0, &util.JSONResponse{
-			Code: http.StatusBadRequest,
-			JSON: jsonerror.MissingArgument(fmt.Sprintf("Param %s not found", param)),
-		}
-	}
-	paramInt, err := strconv.ParseInt(paramStr, 0, 64)
-	if err != nil {
-		return -1, &util.JSONResponse{
-			Code: http.StatusBadRequest,
-			JSON: jsonerror.InvalidArgumentValue(
-				fmt.Sprintf("Param %s is no valid int (%s)", param, err.Error()),
-			),
-		}
-	}
-	return paramInt, nil
-}
-
 // ParseTSParam takes a req (typically from an application service) and parses a Time object
 // from the req if it exists in the query parameters. If it doesn't exist, the
 // current time is returned.
 func ParseTSParam(req *http.Request) (time.Time, *util.JSONResponse) {
-	ts, err := ParseIntParam(req, "ts")
+	// Use the ts parameter's value for event time if present
+	tsStr := req.URL.Query().Get("ts")
+	if tsStr == "" {
+		return time.Now(), nil
+	}
+
+	// The parameter exists, parse into a Time object
+	ts, err := strconv.ParseInt(tsStr, 10, 64)
 	if err != nil {
-		if ts == 0 {
-			// param was not available
-			return time.Now(), nil
+		return time.Time{}, &util.JSONResponse{
+			Code: http.StatusBadRequest,
+			JSON: jsonerror.InvalidArgumentValue(
+				fmt.Sprintf("Param 'ts' is no valid int (%s)", err.Error()),
+			),
 		}
-		return time.Time{}, err
 	}
 
 	return time.Unix(ts/1000, 0), nil