diff --git a/synapse/api/filtering.py b/synapse/api/filtering.py
index 116060ee7f..6c13ada5df 100644
--- a/synapse/api/filtering.py
+++ b/synapse/api/filtering.py
@@ -193,7 +193,7 @@ class Filter(object):
         sender = event.get("sender", None)
         if not sender:
             # Presence events have their 'sender' in content.user_id
-            sender = event.get("conntent", {}).get("user_id", None)
+            sender = event.get("content", {}).get("user_id", None)
 
         return self.check_fields(
             event.get("room_id", None),
diff --git a/tests/api/test_filtering.py b/tests/api/test_filtering.py
index 16ee6bbe6a..1a4e439d30 100644
--- a/tests/api/test_filtering.py
+++ b/tests/api/test_filtering.py
@@ -13,26 +13,24 @@
 # See the License for the specific language governing permissions and
 # limitations under the License.
 
-from collections import namedtuple
 from tests import unittest
 from twisted.internet import defer
 
-from mock import Mock, NonCallableMock
+from mock import Mock
 from tests.utils import (
     MockHttpResource, DeferredMockCallable, setup_test_homeserver
 )
 
 from synapse.types import UserID
-from synapse.api.filtering import FilterCollection, Filter
+from synapse.api.filtering import Filter
+from synapse.events import FrozenEvent
 
 user_localpart = "test_user"
 # MockEvent = namedtuple("MockEvent", "sender type room_id")
 
 
 def MockEvent(**kwargs):
-    ev = NonCallableMock(spec_set=kwargs.keys())
-    ev.configure_mock(**kwargs)
-    return ev
+    return FrozenEvent(kwargs)
 
 
 class FilteringTestCase(unittest.TestCase):