diff --git a/synapse/app/homeserver.py b/synapse/app/homeserver.py
index 495149466c..40e3561ee5 100755
--- a/synapse/app/homeserver.py
+++ b/synapse/app/homeserver.py
@@ -37,6 +37,7 @@ import logging
 import logging.config
 import sqlite3
 import os
+import re
 
 logger = logging.getLogger(__name__)
 
@@ -255,8 +256,14 @@ def setup():
 
     logger.info("Server hostname: %s", args.host)
 
+    if re.search(":[0-9]+$", args.host):
+        domain_with_port = args.host
+    else:
+        domain_with_port = "%s:%s" % (args.host, args.port)
+
     hs = SynapseHomeServer(
         args.host,
+        domain_with_port=domain_with_port,
         upload_dir=os.path.abspath("uploads"),
         db_name=db_name,
     )
diff --git a/synapse/http/server.py b/synapse/http/server.py
index d1f99460c1..66f966fcaa 100644
--- a/synapse/http/server.py
+++ b/synapse/http/server.py
@@ -325,7 +325,9 @@ class ContentRepoResource(resource.Resource):
 
             # FIXME (erikj): These should use constants.
             file_name = os.path.basename(fname)
-            url = "http://%s/matrix/content/%s" % (self.hs.hostname, file_name)
+            url = "http://%s/matrix/content/%s" % (
+                self.hs.domain_with_port, file_name
+            )
 
             respond_with_json_bytes(request, 200,
                                     json.dumps({"content_token": url}),
diff --git a/synapse/rest/register.py b/synapse/rest/register.py
index eb457562b9..f17ec11cf4 100644
--- a/synapse/rest/register.py
+++ b/synapse/rest/register.py
@@ -33,10 +33,10 @@ class RegisterRestServlet(RestServlet):
         try:
             register_json = json.loads(request.content.read())
             if "password" in register_json:
-                password = register_json["password"]
+                password = register_json["password"].encode("utf-8")
 
             if type(register_json["user_id"]) == unicode:
-                desired_user_id = register_json["user_id"]
+                desired_user_id = register_json["user_id"].encode("utf-8")
                 if urllib.quote(desired_user_id) != desired_user_id:
                     raise SynapseError(
                         400,
diff --git a/synapse/storage/schema/im.sql b/synapse/storage/schema/im.sql
index 7f4e758892..e92f21ef3b 100644
--- a/synapse/storage/schema/im.sql
+++ b/synapse/storage/schema/im.sql
@@ -98,5 +98,6 @@ CREATE TABLE IF NOT EXISTS rooms(
 
 CREATE TABLE IF NOT EXISTS room_hosts(
     room_id TEXT NOT NULL,
-    host TEXT NOT NULL
+    host TEXT NOT NULL,
+    CONSTRAINT room_hosts_uniq UNIQUE (room_id, host) ON CONFLICT IGNORE
 );