diff --git a/zerver/lib/push_notifications.py b/zerver/lib/push_notifications.py
index 159c55f22e..5ec89f1dc9 100644
--- a/zerver/lib/push_notifications.py
+++ b/zerver/lib/push_notifications.py
@@ -146,18 +146,22 @@ def _do_push_to_apns_service(user, message, apns_connection):
     frame = message.get_frame()
     apns_connection.gateway_server.send_notification_multiple(frame)
 
+def send_apple_push_notification_to_user(user, alert, **extra_data):
+    # type: (UserProfile, Text, **Any) -> None
+    devices = PushDeviceToken.objects.filter(user=user, kind=PushDeviceToken.APNS)
+    send_apple_push_notification(user, devices, alert, **extra_data)
+
 # Send a push notification to the desired clients
 # extra_data is a dict that will be passed to the
 # mobile app
 @statsd_increment("apple_push_notification")
-def send_apple_push_notification(user, alert, **extra_data):
-    # type: (UserProfile, Text, **Any) -> None
+def send_apple_push_notification(user, devices, alert, **extra_data):
+    # type: (UserProfile, List[PushDeviceToken], Text, **Any) -> None
     if not connection and not dbx_connection:
         logging.error("Attempting to send push notification, but no connection was found. "
                       "This may be because we could not find the APNS Certificate file.")
         return
 
-    devices = PushDeviceToken.objects.filter(user=user, kind=PushDeviceToken.APNS)
     # Plain b64 token kept for debugging purposes
     tokens = [(b64_to_hex(device.token), device.ios_app_id, device.token)
               for device in devices]
@@ -273,12 +277,13 @@ def handle_push_notification(user_profile_id, missed_message):
             return
         sender_str = message.sender.full_name
 
-        apple = num_push_devices_for_user(user_profile, kind=PushDeviceToken.APNS)
         android_devices = [device for device in
                            PushDeviceToken.objects.filter(user=user_profile,
                                                           kind=PushDeviceToken.GCM)]
+        apple_devices = list(PushDeviceToken.objects.filter(user=user_profile,
+                                                            kind=PushDeviceToken.APNS))
 
-        if apple or android_devices:
+        if apple_devices or android_devices:
             # TODO: set badge count in a better way
             # Determine what alert string to display based on the missed messages
             if message.recipient.type == Recipient.HUDDLE:
@@ -290,9 +295,10 @@ def handle_push_notification(user_profile_id, missed_message):
             else:
                 alert = "New Zulip mentions and private messages from %s" % (sender_str,)
 
-            if apple:
+            if apple_devices:
                 apple_extra_data = {'message_ids': [message.id]}
-                send_apple_push_notification(user_profile, alert, badge=1, zulip=apple_extra_data)
+                send_apple_push_notification(user_profile, apple_devices, alert,
+                                             badge=1, zulip=apple_extra_data)
 
             if android_devices:
                 content = message.content
diff --git a/zerver/models.py b/zerver/models.py
index 44173e0cf6..d36b0d1e87 100644
--- a/zerver/models.py
+++ b/zerver/models.py
@@ -721,7 +721,7 @@ class PushDeviceToken(models.Model):
     # sent to us from each device:
     #   - APNS token if kind == APNS
     #   - GCM registration id if kind == GCM
-    token = models.CharField(max_length=4096, unique=True) # type: Text
+    token = models.CharField(max_length=4096, unique=True) # type: bytes
     last_updated = models.DateTimeField(auto_now=True) # type: datetime.datetime
 
     # The user who's device this is
diff --git a/zerver/tests/test_push_notifications.py b/zerver/tests/test_push_notifications.py
index cd06a21710..6d6e1a497b 100644
--- a/zerver/tests/test_push_notifications.py
+++ b/zerver/tests/test_push_notifications.py
@@ -179,7 +179,7 @@ class SendNotificationTest(PushNotificationTest):
             self.assertEqual(set(message.tokens), set(self.tokens))
 
         mock_send.side_effect = test_send
-        apn.send_apple_push_notification(self.user_profile, "test alert")
+        apn.send_apple_push_notification_to_user(self.user_profile, "test alert")
         self.assertEqual(mock_send.call_count, 1)
 
     @mock.patch('apns.GatewayConnection.send_notification_multiple')
@@ -200,7 +200,7 @@ class SendNotificationTest(PushNotificationTest):
     def test_connection_single_none(self, mock_push, mock_info, mock_warn):
         # type: (mock.MagicMock, mock.MagicMock, mock.MagicMock) -> None
         apn.connection = None
-        apn.send_apple_push_notification(self.user_profile, "test alert")
+        apn.send_apple_push_notification_to_user(self.user_profile, "test alert")
 
     @mock.patch('logging.error')
     @mock.patch('apns.GatewayConnection.send_notification_multiple')
@@ -208,7 +208,7 @@ class SendNotificationTest(PushNotificationTest):
         # type: (mock.MagicMock, mock.MagicMock) -> None
         apn.connection = None
         apn.dbx_connection = None
-        apn.send_apple_push_notification(self.user_profile, "test alert")
+        apn.send_apple_push_notification_to_user(self.user_profile, "test alert")
 
 class APNsFeedbackTest(PushNotificationTest):
     @mock.patch('logging.info')