diff --git a/synapse/handlers/room.py b/synapse/handlers/room.py
index 11488cead3be..234211cd75a4 100644
--- a/synapse/handlers/room.py
+++ b/synapse/handlers/room.py
@@ -1070,7 +1070,7 @@ def create(etype: str, content: JsonDict, **kwargs: Any) -> JsonDict:
 
             return e
 
-        async def send(etype: str, content: JsonDict, **kwargs: Any) -> int:
+        async def send(etype: str, content: JsonDict, **kwargs: Any) -> None:
             nonlocal last_sent_event_id
             nonlocal depth
 
@@ -1080,7 +1080,7 @@ async def send(etype: str, content: JsonDict, **kwargs: Any) -> int:
             # allow the room creation to complete.
             (
                 sent_event,
-                last_stream_id,
+                last_sent_stream_id,
             ) = await self.event_creation_handler.create_and_send_nonmember_event(
                 creator,
                 event,
@@ -1095,8 +1095,6 @@ async def send(etype: str, content: JsonDict, **kwargs: Any) -> int:
             last_sent_event_id = sent_event.event_id
             depth += 1
 
-            return last_stream_id
-
         try:
             room_preset_config = self._presets_dict[room_preset_identifier]
         except KeyError:
@@ -1216,9 +1214,7 @@ async def send(etype: str, content: JsonDict, **kwargs: Any) -> int:
 
         # Send each event in order of its insertion into the dictionary
         for (event_type, state_key), content in state_to_send.items():
-            last_sent_stream_id = await send(
-                etype=event_type, state_key=state_key, content=content
-            )
+            await send(etype=event_type, state_key=state_key, content=content)
 
         return last_sent_stream_id, last_sent_event_id, depth