diff --git a/synapse/appservice/__init__.py b/synapse/appservice/__init__.py
index f7baf578f0..d9ca856c8b 100644
--- a/synapse/appservice/__init__.py
+++ b/synapse/appservice/__init__.py
@@ -62,7 +62,7 @@ class ApplicationService(object):
 
     def _matches_regex(self, test_string, namespace_key):
         if not isinstance(test_string, basestring):
-            logger.warning(
+            logger.error(
                 "Expected a string to test regex against, but got %s",
                 test_string
             )
diff --git a/synapse/appservice/api.py b/synapse/appservice/api.py
index 29bb35d61b..d96caf7f58 100644
--- a/synapse/appservice/api.py
+++ b/synapse/appservice/api.py
@@ -46,6 +46,9 @@ class ApplicationServiceApi(SimpleHttpClient):
                 defer.returnValue(False)
                 return
             logger.warning("query_user to %s received %s", uri, e.code)
+        except Exception as ex:
+            logger.warning("query_user to %s threw exception %s", uri, ex)
+        defer.returnValue(False)
 
     @defer.inlineCallbacks
     def query_alias(self, service, alias):
@@ -62,6 +65,10 @@ class ApplicationServiceApi(SimpleHttpClient):
                 defer.returnValue(False)
                 return
             logger.warning("query_alias to %s received %s", uri, e.code)
+        except Exception as ex:
+            logger.warning("query_alias to %s threw exception %s", uri, ex)
+        defer.returnValue(False)
+
 
     @defer.inlineCallbacks
     def push_bulk(self, service, events):
@@ -82,7 +89,9 @@ class ApplicationServiceApi(SimpleHttpClient):
                 defer.returnValue(True)
         except CodeMessageException as e:
             logger.warning("push_bulk to %s received %s", uri, e.code)
-            defer.returnValue(False)
+        except Exception as ex:
+            logger.warning("push_bulk to %s threw exception %s", uri, ex)
+        defer.returnValue(False)
 
     @defer.inlineCallbacks
     def push(self, service, event):
diff --git a/synapse/handlers/appservice.py b/synapse/handlers/appservice.py
index 2c6d4e2815..ef94215133 100644
--- a/synapse/handlers/appservice.py
+++ b/synapse/handlers/appservice.py
@@ -23,7 +23,6 @@ import synapse.util.stringutils as stringutils
 
 import logging
 
-
 logger = logging.getLogger(__name__)
 
 
@@ -58,6 +57,7 @@ class ApplicationServicesHandler(object):
         yield self.store.update_app_service(app_service)
         defer.returnValue(app_service)
 
+    @defer.inlineCallbacks
     def unregister(self, token):
         logger.info("Unregister as_token=%s", token)
         yield self.store.unregister_app_service(token)
@@ -81,34 +81,45 @@ class ApplicationServicesHandler(object):
         # all services which match that user regex.
         unknown_user = yield self._is_unknown_user(event.sender)
         if unknown_user:
-            user_query_services = yield self._get_services_for_event(
-                event=event,
-                restrict_to=ApplicationService.NS_USERS
-            )
-            for user_service in user_query_services:
-                # this needs to block XXX: Need to feed response back to caller
-                is_known_user = yield self.appservice_api.query_user(
-                    user_service, event.sender
-                )
-                if is_known_user:
-                    # the user exists now,so don't query more ASes.
-                    break
+            yield self.query_user_exists(event)
 
         # Fork off pushes to these services - XXX First cut, best effort
         for service in services:
             self.appservice_api.push(service, event)
 
+    @defer.inlineCallbacks
+    def query_user_exists(self, event):
+        """Check if an application services knows this event.sender exists.
+
+        Args:
+            event: An event sent by the user to query
+        Returns:
+            True if this user exists.
+        """
+        # TODO Would be nice for this to accept a user ID instead of an event.
+        user_query_services = yield self._get_services_for_event(
+            event=event,
+            restrict_to=ApplicationService.NS_USERS
+        )
+        for user_service in user_query_services:
+            is_known_user = yield self.appservice_api.query_user(
+                user_service, event.sender
+            )
+            if is_known_user:
+                defer.returnValue(True)
+        defer.returnValue(False)
 
     @defer.inlineCallbacks
     def query_room_alias_exists(self, room_alias):
         """Check if an application service knows this room alias exists.
 
         Args:
-            room_alias(str): The room alias to query.
+            room_alias(RoomAlias): The room alias to query.
         Returns:
             namedtuple: with keys "room_id" and "servers" or None if no
             association can be found.
         """
+        room_alias = room_alias.to_string()
         alias_query_services = yield self._get_services_for_event(
             event=None,
             restrict_to=ApplicationService.NS_ALIASES,
diff --git a/synapse/notifier.py b/synapse/notifier.py
index e3b6ead620..c7f75ab801 100644
--- a/synapse/notifier.py
+++ b/synapse/notifier.py
@@ -99,6 +99,12 @@ class Notifier(object):
         `extra_users` param.
         """
         yield run_on_reactor()
+
+        # poke any interested application service.
+        self.hs.get_handlers().appservice_handler.notify_interested_services(
+            event
+        )
+
         room_id = event.room_id
 
         room_source = self.event_sources.sources["room"]