diff --git a/synapse/api/filtering.py b/synapse/api/filtering.py
index 21fe72d6c2..8bc95aa394 100644
--- a/synapse/api/filtering.py
+++ b/synapse/api/filtering.py
@@ -91,8 +91,57 @@ class Filtering(object):
         #   * For senders/rooms: Literal match only
         #   * "not_" checks take presedence (e.g. if "m.*" is in both 'types'
         #     and 'not_types' then it is treated as only being in 'not_types')
+        
+        # room checks
+        if hasattr(event, "room_id"):
+            room_id = event.room_id
+            allow_rooms = definition["rooms"] if "rooms" in definition else None
+            reject_rooms = (
+                definition["not_rooms"] if "not_rooms" in definition else None
+            )
+            if reject_rooms and room_id in reject_rooms:
+                return False
+            if allow_rooms and room_id not in allow_rooms:
+                return False
+
+        # sender checks
+        if hasattr(event, "sender"):
+            # Should we be including event.state_key for some event types?
+            sender = event.sender
+            allow_senders = (
+                definition["senders"] if "senders" in definition else None
+            )
+            reject_senders = (
+                definition["not_senders"] if "not_senders" in definition else None
+            )
+            if reject_senders and sender in reject_senders:
+                return False
+            if allow_senders and sender not in allow_senders:
+                return False
+
+        # type checks
+        if "not_types" in definition:
+            for def_type in definition["not_types"]:
+                if self._event_matches_type(event, def_type):
+                    return False
+        if "types" in definition:
+            included = False
+            for def_type in definition["types"]:
+                if self._event_matches_type(event, def_type):
+                    included = True
+                    break
+            if not included:
+                return False
+
         return True
 
+    def _event_matches_type(self, event, def_type):
+        if def_type.endswith("*"):
+            type_prefix = def_type[:-1]
+            return event.type.startswith(type_prefix)
+        else:
+            return event.type == def_type
+
     def _check_valid_filter(self, user_filter):
         """Check if the provided filter is valid.
 
diff --git a/tests/api/test_filtering.py b/tests/api/test_filtering.py
index 188fbfb91e..4d40d88b00 100644
--- a/tests/api/test_filtering.py
+++ b/tests/api/test_filtering.py
@@ -13,7 +13,7 @@
 # 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
 
@@ -27,6 +27,7 @@ from synapse.server import HomeServer
 
 
 user_localpart = "test_user"
+MockEvent = namedtuple("MockEvent", "sender type room_id")
 
 class FilteringTestCase(unittest.TestCase):
 
@@ -55,6 +56,48 @@ class FilteringTestCase(unittest.TestCase):
 
         self.datastore = hs.get_datastore()
 
+    def test_definition_include_literal_types(self):
+        definition = {
+            "types": ["m.room.message", "org.matrix.foo.bar"]
+        }
+        event = MockEvent(
+            sender="@foo:bar",
+            type="m.room.message",
+            room_id="!foo:bar"
+        )
+
+        self.assertTrue(
+            self.filtering._passes_definition(definition, event)
+        )
+
+    def test_definition_include_wildcard_types(self):
+        definition = {
+            "types": ["m.*", "org.matrix.foo.bar"]
+        }
+        event = MockEvent(
+            sender="@foo:bar",
+            type="m.room.message",
+            room_id="!foo:bar"
+        )
+
+        self.assertTrue(
+            self.filtering._passes_definition(definition, event)
+        )
+
+    def test_definition_exclude_unknown_types(self):
+        definition = {
+            "types": ["m.room.message", "org.matrix.foo.bar"]
+        }
+        event = MockEvent(
+            sender="@foo:bar",
+            type="now.for.something.completely.different",
+            room_id="!foo:bar"
+        )
+
+        self.assertFalse(
+            self.filtering._passes_definition(definition, event)
+        )
+
     @defer.inlineCallbacks
     def test_add_filter(self):
         user_filter = {