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 110d28e70..ee6033416 100644
--- a/src/github.com/matrix-org/dendrite/clientapi/httputil/parse.go
+++ b/src/github.com/matrix-org/dendrite/clientapi/httputil/parse.go
@@ -17,15 +17,12 @@ import (
 	"net/http"
 	"strconv"
 	"time"
-
-	"github.com/matrix-org/dendrite/clientapi/jsonerror"
-	"github.com/matrix-org/util"
 )
 
 // 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) {
+func ParseTSParam(req *http.Request) (time.Time, error) {
 	// Use the ts parameter's value for event time if present
 	tsStr := req.URL.Query().Get("ts")
 	if tsStr == "" {
@@ -35,12 +32,7 @@ func ParseTSParam(req *http.Request) (time.Time, *util.JSONResponse) {
 	// The parameter exists, parse into a Time object
 	ts, err := strconv.ParseInt(tsStr, 10, 64)
 	if err != 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{}, fmt.Errorf("Param 'ts' is no valid int (%s)", err.Error())
 	}
 
 	return time.Unix(ts/1000, 0), nil
diff --git a/src/github.com/matrix-org/dendrite/clientapi/routing/createroom.go b/src/github.com/matrix-org/dendrite/clientapi/routing/createroom.go
index 9a10c33ae..a7187c495 100644
--- a/src/github.com/matrix-org/dendrite/clientapi/routing/createroom.go
+++ b/src/github.com/matrix-org/dendrite/clientapi/routing/createroom.go
@@ -147,9 +147,12 @@ func createRoom(
 		return *resErr
 	}
 
-	evTime, resErr := httputil.ParseTSParam(req)
-	if resErr != nil {
-		return *resErr
+	evTime, err := httputil.ParseTSParam(req)
+	if err != nil {
+		return util.JSONResponse{
+			Code: http.StatusBadRequest,
+			JSON: jsonerror.InvalidArgumentValue(err.Error()),
+		}
 	}
 	// TODO: visibility/presets/raw initial state/creation content
 	// TODO: Create room alias association
diff --git a/src/github.com/matrix-org/dendrite/clientapi/routing/joinroom.go b/src/github.com/matrix-org/dendrite/clientapi/routing/joinroom.go
index 834c1b73a..98c7cd6a7 100644
--- a/src/github.com/matrix-org/dendrite/clientapi/routing/joinroom.go
+++ b/src/github.com/matrix-org/dendrite/clientapi/routing/joinroom.go
@@ -52,9 +52,12 @@ func JoinRoomByIDOrAlias(
 		return *resErr
 	}
 
-	evTime, resErr := httputil.ParseTSParam(req)
-	if resErr != nil {
-		return *resErr
+	evTime, err := httputil.ParseTSParam(req)
+	if err != nil {
+		return util.JSONResponse{
+			Code: http.StatusBadRequest,
+			JSON: jsonerror.InvalidArgumentValue(err.Error()),
+		}
 	}
 
 	localpart, _, err := gomatrixserverlib.SplitID('@', device.UserID)
diff --git a/src/github.com/matrix-org/dendrite/clientapi/routing/membership.go b/src/github.com/matrix-org/dendrite/clientapi/routing/membership.go
index d2873d0fa..b308de79a 100644
--- a/src/github.com/matrix-org/dendrite/clientapi/routing/membership.go
+++ b/src/github.com/matrix-org/dendrite/clientapi/routing/membership.go
@@ -50,9 +50,12 @@ func SendMembership(
 		return *reqErr
 	}
 
-	evTime, resErr := httputil.ParseTSParam(req)
-	if resErr != nil {
-		return *resErr
+	evTime, err := httputil.ParseTSParam(req)
+	if err != nil {
+		return util.JSONResponse{
+			Code: http.StatusBadRequest,
+			JSON: jsonerror.InvalidArgumentValue(err.Error()),
+		}
 	}
 
 	inviteStored, err := threepid.CheckAndProcessInvite(
diff --git a/src/github.com/matrix-org/dendrite/clientapi/routing/profile.go b/src/github.com/matrix-org/dendrite/clientapi/routing/profile.go
index e80e290b7..e57d16fbf 100644
--- a/src/github.com/matrix-org/dendrite/clientapi/routing/profile.go
+++ b/src/github.com/matrix-org/dendrite/clientapi/routing/profile.go
@@ -107,9 +107,12 @@ func SetAvatarURL(
 		return httputil.LogThenError(req, err)
 	}
 
-	evTime, resErr := httputil.ParseTSParam(req)
-	if resErr != nil {
-		return *resErr
+	evTime, err := httputil.ParseTSParam(req)
+	if err != nil {
+		return util.JSONResponse{
+			Code: http.StatusBadRequest,
+			JSON: jsonerror.InvalidArgumentValue(err.Error()),
+		}
 	}
 
 	oldProfile, err := accountDB.GetProfileByLocalpart(req.Context(), localpart)
@@ -201,9 +204,12 @@ func SetDisplayName(
 		return httputil.LogThenError(req, err)
 	}
 
-	evTime, resErr := httputil.ParseTSParam(req)
-	if resErr != nil {
-		return *resErr
+	evTime, err := httputil.ParseTSParam(req)
+	if err != nil {
+		return util.JSONResponse{
+			Code: http.StatusBadRequest,
+			JSON: jsonerror.InvalidArgumentValue(err.Error()),
+		}
 	}
 
 	oldProfile, err := accountDB.GetProfileByLocalpart(req.Context(), localpart)
diff --git a/src/github.com/matrix-org/dendrite/clientapi/routing/sendevent.go b/src/github.com/matrix-org/dendrite/clientapi/routing/sendevent.go
index e7c2c13bf..e916e451e 100644
--- a/src/github.com/matrix-org/dendrite/clientapi/routing/sendevent.go
+++ b/src/github.com/matrix-org/dendrite/clientapi/routing/sendevent.go
@@ -104,9 +104,12 @@ func generateSendEvent(
 		return nil, resErr
 	}
 
-	evTime, resErr := httputil.ParseTSParam(req)
-	if resErr != nil {
-		return nil, resErr
+	evTime, err := httputil.ParseTSParam(req)
+	if err != nil {
+		return nil, &util.JSONResponse{
+			Code: http.StatusBadRequest,
+			JSON: jsonerror.InvalidArgumentValue(err.Error()),
+		}
 	}
 
 	// create the new event and set all the fields we can
@@ -116,7 +119,7 @@ func generateSendEvent(
 		Type:     eventType,
 		StateKey: stateKey,
 	}
-	err := builder.SetContent(r)
+	err = builder.SetContent(r)
 	if err != nil {
 		resErr := httputil.LogThenError(req, err)
 		return nil, &resErr