diff --git a/synapse/rest/client/v2_alpha/sync.py b/synapse/rest/client/v2_alpha/sync.py
index abf22e4dc1..683bba4cf6 100644
--- a/synapse/rest/client/v2_alpha/sync.py
+++ b/synapse/rest/client/v2_alpha/sync.py
@@ -20,7 +20,7 @@ from synapse.http.servlet import (
     parse_json_object_from_request,
 )
 from synapse.handlers.sync import (
-    SyncConfig, SyncPaginationConfig, SYNC_PAGINATION_TAGS_INCLUDE_ALL,
+    SyncConfig, SyncPaginationConfig, SYNC_PAGINATION_TAGS_IGNORE,
 )
 from synapse.types import SyncNextBatchToken
 from synapse.events.utils import (
@@ -151,7 +151,7 @@ class SyncRestServlet(RestServlet):
             pagination_config=SyncPaginationConfig(
                 order=pagination_config["order"],
                 limit=pagination_config["limit"],
-                tags=pagination_config.get("tags", SYNC_PAGINATION_TAGS_INCLUDE_ALL),
+                tags=pagination_config.get("tags", SYNC_PAGINATION_TAGS_IGNORE),
             ) if pagination_config else None,
         )