diff --git a/src/github.com/matrix-org/dendrite/clientapi/auth/storage/accounts/storage.go b/src/github.com/matrix-org/dendrite/clientapi/auth/storage/accounts/storage.go
index 7317721d0..cd6abc09a 100644
--- a/src/github.com/matrix-org/dendrite/clientapi/auth/storage/accounts/storage.go
+++ b/src/github.com/matrix-org/dendrite/clientapi/auth/storage/accounts/storage.go
@@ -31,7 +31,7 @@ type Database struct {
 	profiles profilesStatements
 }
 
-// NewDatabase creates a new accounts database
+// NewDatabase creates a new accounts and profiles database
 func NewDatabase(dataSourceName string, serverName gomatrixserverlib.ServerName) (*Database, error) {
 	var db *sql.DB
 	var err error
@@ -62,20 +62,26 @@ func (d *Database) GetAccountByPassword(localpart, plaintextPassword string) (*a
 	return d.accounts.selectAccountByLocalpart(localpart)
 }
 
+// GetProfileByLocalpart returns the profile associated with the given localpart.
+// Returns sql.ErrNoRows if no profile exists which matches the given localpart.
 func (d *Database) GetProfileByLocalpart(localpart string) (*authtypes.Profile, error) {
 	return d.profiles.selectProfileByLocalpart(localpart)
 }
 
+// SetAvatarURL updates the avatar URL of the profile associated with the given
+// localpart. Returns an error if something went wrong with the SQL query
 func (d *Database) SetAvatarURL(localpart string, avatarURL string) error {
 	return d.profiles.setAvatarURL(localpart, avatarURL)
 }
 
+// SetDisplayName updates the display name of the profile associated with the given
+// localpart. Returns an error if something went wrong with the SQL query
 func (d *Database) SetDisplayName(localpart string, displayName string) error {
 	return d.profiles.setDisplayName(localpart, displayName)
 }
 
-// CreateAccount makes a new account with the given login name and password. If no password is supplied,
-// the account will be a passwordless account.
+// CreateAccount makes a new account with the given login name and password, and creates an empty profile
+// for this account. If no password is supplied, the account will be a passwordless account.
 func (d *Database) CreateAccount(localpart, plaintextPassword string) (*authtypes.Account, error) {
 	hash, err := hashPassword(plaintextPassword)
 	if err != nil {
diff --git a/src/github.com/matrix-org/dendrite/clientapi/readers/profile.go b/src/github.com/matrix-org/dendrite/clientapi/readers/profile.go
index d854e0be9..65e4dca10 100644
--- a/src/github.com/matrix-org/dendrite/clientapi/readers/profile.go
+++ b/src/github.com/matrix-org/dendrite/clientapi/readers/profile.go
@@ -39,6 +39,7 @@ type displayName struct {
 	DisplayName string `json:"displayname"`
 }
 
+// GetProfile implements GET /profile/{userID}
 func GetProfile(
 	req *http.Request, accountDB *accounts.Database, userID string,
 ) util.JSONResponse {
@@ -66,6 +67,7 @@ func GetProfile(
 	}
 }
 
+// AvatarURL implements GET and PUT /profile/{userID}/avatar_url
 func AvatarURL(
 	req *http.Request, accountDB *accounts.Database, userID string,
 ) util.JSONResponse {
@@ -115,6 +117,7 @@ func AvatarURL(
 	}
 }
 
+// DisplayName implements GET and PUT /profile/{userID}/displayname
 func DisplayName(
 	req *http.Request, accountDB *accounts.Database, userID string,
 ) util.JSONResponse {