diff --git a/clientapi/routing/login.go b/clientapi/routing/login.go
index 25b003032..02d958152 100644
--- a/clientapi/routing/login.go
+++ b/clientapi/routing/login.go
@@ -47,9 +47,6 @@ type passwordRequest struct {
 	// Thus a pointer is needed to differentiate between the two
 	InitialDisplayName *string `json:"initial_device_display_name"`
 	DeviceID           *string `json:"device_id"`
-	Identifier         struct {
-		User string `json:"user"`
-	} `json:"identifier"`
 }
 
 type loginResponse struct {
@@ -82,15 +79,13 @@ func Login(
 		if resErr != nil {
 			return *resErr
 		}
-		if r.User == "" && r.Identifier.User == "" {
+		if r.User == "" {
 			return util.JSONResponse{
 				Code: http.StatusBadRequest,
 				JSON: jsonerror.BadJSON("'user' must be supplied."),
 			}
 		}
-		if r.User == "" {
-			r.User = r.Identifier.User
-		}
+
 		util.GetLogger(req.Context()).WithField("user", r.User).Info("Processing login request")
 
 		localpart, err := userutil.ParseUsernameParam(r.User, &cfg.Matrix.ServerName)