diff --git a/src/service/client/mod.rs b/src/service/client/mod.rs
index 8492714da..24c839213 100644
--- a/src/service/client/mod.rs
+++ b/src/service/client/mod.rs
@@ -13,7 +13,7 @@ pub struct Service {
 	pub extern_media: reqwest::Client,
 	pub well_known: reqwest::Client,
 	pub federation: reqwest::Client,
-	pub synapse: reqwest::Client,
+	pub federation_slow: reqwest::Client,
 	pub sender: reqwest::Client,
 	pub appservice: reqwest::Client,
 	pub pusher: reqwest::Client,
@@ -85,7 +85,7 @@ impl crate::Service for Service {
 				.redirect(redirect::Policy::limited(3))
 				.build()?,
 
-			synapse: base(config)?
+			federation_slow: base(config)?
 				.dns_resolver(resolver.resolver.hooked.clone())
 				.connect_timeout(Duration::from_secs(config.federation_conn_timeout))
 				.read_timeout(Duration::from_secs(config.federation_timeout.saturating_mul(6)))
diff --git a/src/service/federation/execute.rs b/src/service/federation/execute.rs
index ee588df7c..5a0d7a3dd 100644
--- a/src/service/federation/execute.rs
+++ b/src/service/federation/execute.rs
@@ -39,8 +39,8 @@ impl super::Service {
 	}
 
 	/// Like execute() but with a very large timeout
-	#[tracing::instrument(skip_all, name = "synapse", level = "debug")]
-	pub async fn execute_synapse<'i, T>(
+	#[tracing::instrument(skip_all, name = "request_slow", level = "debug")]
+	pub async fn execute_slow<'i, T>(
 		&self,
 		dest: &ServerName,
 		request: T,
@@ -52,7 +52,7 @@ impl super::Service {
 			> + Debug
 			+ Send,
 	{
-		let client = &self.services.client.synapse;
+		let client = &self.services.client.federation_slow;
 		self.execute_signed(client, dest, request).await
 	}
 
diff --git a/src/service/rooms/membership/mod.rs b/src/service/rooms/membership/mod.rs
index 0cbad3509..5ef56d1d5 100644
--- a/src/service/rooms/membership/mod.rs
+++ b/src/service/rooms/membership/mod.rs
@@ -394,7 +394,7 @@ impl Service {
 		let send_join_response = match self
 			.services
 			.sending
-			.send_synapse_request(&remote_server, send_join_request)
+			.send_slow_federation_request(&remote_server, send_join_request)
 			.await
 		{
 			| Ok(response) => response,
diff --git a/src/service/sending/mod.rs b/src/service/sending/mod.rs
index 026a7132f..b43098af3 100644
--- a/src/service/sending/mod.rs
+++ b/src/service/sending/mod.rs
@@ -311,7 +311,7 @@ impl Service {
 
 	/// Like send_federation_request() but with a very large timeout
 	#[inline]
-	pub async fn send_synapse_request<'i, T>(
+	pub async fn send_slow_federation_request<'i, T>(
 		&self,
 		dest: &ServerName,
 		request: T,
@@ -323,10 +323,7 @@ impl Service {
 			> + Debug
 			+ Send,
 	{
-		self.services
-			.federation
-			.execute_synapse(dest, request)
-			.await
+		self.services.federation.execute_slow(dest, request).await
 	}
 
 	/// Send an unauthenticated federation request with no X-Matrix header.