diff --git a/synapse/rest/client/v2_alpha/account.py b/synapse/rest/client/v2_alpha/account.py
index 5babed7da8..785d01ea52 100644
--- a/synapse/rest/client/v2_alpha/account.py
+++ b/synapse/rest/client/v2_alpha/account.py
@@ -261,7 +261,7 @@ class PasswordResetSubmitTokenServlet(RestServlet):
             request.setResponseCode(e.code)
 
             # Show a failure page with a reason
-            [html_template] = load_jinja2_templates(
+            html_template, = load_jinja2_templates(
                 self.config.email_template_dir,
                 [self.config.email_password_reset_template_failure_html],
             )
diff --git a/synapse/rest/client/v2_alpha/register.py b/synapse/rest/client/v2_alpha/register.py
index 27f4addc41..5c7a5f3579 100644
--- a/synapse/rest/client/v2_alpha/register.py
+++ b/synapse/rest/client/v2_alpha/register.py
@@ -293,7 +293,7 @@ class RegistrationSubmitTokenServlet(RestServlet):
             request.setResponseCode(e.code)
 
             # Show a failure page with a reason
-            [html_template] = load_jinja2_templates(
+            html_template, = load_jinja2_templates(
                 self.config.email_template_dir,
                 [self.config.email_registration_template_failure_html],
             )