diff --git a/synapse/replication/tcp/resource.py b/synapse/replication/tcp/resource.py
index 7fc346c7b6..f6a38f5140 100644
--- a/synapse/replication/tcp/resource.py
+++ b/synapse/replication/tcp/resource.py
@@ -30,7 +30,8 @@ from synapse.metrics.background_process_metrics import run_as_background_process
 from synapse.util.metrics import Measure, measure_func
 
 from .protocol import ServerReplicationStreamProtocol
-from .streams import STREAMS_MAP, FederationStream
+from .streams import STREAMS_MAP
+from .streams.federation import FederationStream
 
 stream_updates_counter = Counter("synapse_replication_tcp_resource_stream_updates",
                                  "", ["stream_name"])
diff --git a/synapse/replication/tcp/streams/__init__.py b/synapse/replication/tcp/streams/__init__.py
index edad37aef8..5c715e3bfa 100644
--- a/synapse/replication/tcp/streams/__init__.py
+++ b/synapse/replication/tcp/streams/__init__.py
@@ -25,7 +25,7 @@ Each stream is defined by the following information:
     update_function:    The function that returns a list of updates between two tokens
 """
 
-from . import _base, events
+from . import _base, events, federation
 
 STREAMS_MAP = {
     stream.NAME: stream
@@ -41,7 +41,7 @@ STREAMS_MAP = {
         _base.PublicRoomsStream,
         _base.DeviceListsStream,
         _base.ToDeviceStream,
-        _base.FederationStream,
+        federation.FederationStream,
         _base.TagAccountDataStream,
         _base.AccountDataStream,
         _base.CurrentStateDeltaStream,
diff --git a/synapse/replication/tcp/streams/_base.py b/synapse/replication/tcp/streams/_base.py
index 04e585f8f2..18df89deed 100644
--- a/synapse/replication/tcp/streams/_base.py
+++ b/synapse/replication/tcp/streams/_base.py
@@ -80,10 +80,6 @@ DeviceListsStreamRow = namedtuple("DeviceListsStreamRow", (
 ToDeviceStreamRow = namedtuple("ToDeviceStreamRow", (
     "entity",  # str
 ))
-FederationStreamRow = namedtuple("FederationStreamRow", (
-    "type",  # str, the type of data as defined in the BaseFederationRows
-    "data",  # dict, serialization of a federation.send_queue.BaseFederationRow
-))
 TagAccountDataStreamRow = namedtuple("TagAccountDataStreamRow", (
     "user_id",  # str
     "room_id",  # str
@@ -374,22 +370,6 @@ class ToDeviceStream(Stream):
         super(ToDeviceStream, self).__init__(hs)
 
 
-class FederationStream(Stream):
-    """Data to be sent over federation. Only available when master has federation
-    sending disabled.
-    """
-    NAME = "federation"
-    ROW_TYPE = FederationStreamRow
-
-    def __init__(self, hs):
-        federation_sender = hs.get_federation_sender()
-
-        self.current_token = federation_sender.get_current_token
-        self.update_function = federation_sender.get_replication_rows
-
-        super(FederationStream, self).__init__(hs)
-
-
 class TagAccountDataStream(Stream):
     """Someone added/removed a tag for a room
     """
diff --git a/synapse/replication/tcp/streams/federation.py b/synapse/replication/tcp/streams/federation.py
new file mode 100644
index 0000000000..9aa43aa8d2
--- /dev/null
+++ b/synapse/replication/tcp/streams/federation.py
@@ -0,0 +1,39 @@
+# -*- coding: utf-8 -*-
+# Copyright 2017 Vector Creations Ltd
+# Copyright 2019 New Vector Ltd
+#
+# Licensed under the Apache License, Version 2.0 (the "License");
+# you may not use this file except in compliance with the License.
+# You may obtain a copy of the License at
+#
+#     http://www.apache.org/licenses/LICENSE-2.0
+#
+# Unless required by applicable law or agreed to in writing, software
+# distributed under the License is distributed on an "AS IS" BASIS,
+# WITHOUT WARRANTIES OR CONDITIONS OF ANY KIND, either express or implied.
+# See the License for the specific language governing permissions and
+# limitations under the License.
+from collections import namedtuple
+
+from ._base import Stream
+
+FederationStreamRow = namedtuple("FederationStreamRow", (
+    "type",  # str, the type of data as defined in the BaseFederationRows
+    "data",  # dict, serialization of a federation.send_queue.BaseFederationRow
+))
+
+
+class FederationStream(Stream):
+    """Data to be sent over federation. Only available when master has federation
+    sending disabled.
+    """
+    NAME = "federation"
+    ROW_TYPE = FederationStreamRow
+
+    def __init__(self, hs):
+        federation_sender = hs.get_federation_sender()
+
+        self.current_token = federation_sender.get_current_token
+        self.update_function = federation_sender.get_replication_rows
+
+        super(FederationStream, self).__init__(hs)