diff --git a/zerver/lib/actions.py b/zerver/lib/actions.py
index af5a917fae..0724eb2d28 100644
--- a/zerver/lib/actions.py
+++ b/zerver/lib/actions.py
@@ -135,7 +135,7 @@ def delete_all_user_sessions():
     for session in Session.objects.all():
         delete_session(session)
 
-def do_deactivate(user_profile, log=True, _cascade=True):
+def do_deactivate_user(user_profile, log=True, _cascade=True):
     if not user_profile.is_active:
         return
 
@@ -160,7 +160,7 @@ def do_deactivate(user_profile, log=True, _cascade=True):
         bot_profiles = UserProfile.objects.filter(is_bot=True, is_active=True,
                                                   bot_owner=user_profile)
         for profile in bot_profiles:
-            do_deactivate(profile, _cascade=False)
+            do_deactivate_user(profile, _cascade=False)
 
 def do_change_user_email(user_profile, new_email):
     old_email = user_profile.email
@@ -1055,7 +1055,7 @@ def do_activate_user(user_profile, log=True, join_date=timezone.now()):
 
     notify_created_user(user_profile)
 
-def do_reactivate(user_profile):
+def do_reactivate_user(user_profile):
     # Unlike do_activate_user, this is meant for re-activating existing users,
     # so it doesn't reset their password, etc.
     user_profile.is_active = True
diff --git a/zerver/management/commands/deactivate_user.py b/zerver/management/commands/deactivate_user.py
index 8f23ca5cb2..0f78903f67 100644
--- a/zerver/management/commands/deactivate_user.py
+++ b/zerver/management/commands/deactivate_user.py
@@ -4,7 +4,7 @@ from optparse import make_option
 
 from django.core.management.base import BaseCommand
 
-from zerver.lib.actions import do_deactivate, user_sessions
+from zerver.lib.actions import do_deactivate_user, user_sessions
 from zerver.models import get_user_profile_by_email, UserProfile
 
 class Command(BaseCommand):
@@ -43,5 +43,5 @@ class Command(BaseCommand):
             print "This was a dry run. Pass -f to actually deactivate."
             exit(1)
 
-        do_deactivate(user_profile)
+        do_deactivate_user(user_profile)
         print "Sessions deleted, user deactivated."
diff --git a/zerver/tests.py b/zerver/tests.py
index b0b546ad6e..1703facb16 100644
--- a/zerver/tests.py
+++ b/zerver/tests.py
@@ -20,7 +20,7 @@ from zerver.lib.actions import check_send_message, gather_subscriptions, \
     create_stream_if_needed, do_add_subscription, compute_mit_user_fullname, \
     do_add_realm_emoji, do_remove_realm_emoji, check_message, do_create_user, \
     set_default_streams, get_emails_from_user_ids, \
-    do_deactivate, do_reactivate
+    do_deactivate_user, do_reactivate_user
 from zerver.lib.rate_limiter import add_ratelimit_rule, remove_ratelimit_rule
 from zerver.lib import bugdown
 from zerver.lib import cache
@@ -841,9 +841,9 @@ class UserChangesTest(AuthedTestCase):
 class ActivateTest(AuthedTestCase):
     def test_basics(self):
         user = get_user_profile_by_email('hamlet@zulip.com')
-        do_deactivate(user)
+        do_deactivate_user(user)
         self.assertFalse(user.is_active)
-        do_reactivate(user)
+        do_reactivate_user(user)
         self.assertTrue(user.is_active)
 
     def test_api(self):
diff --git a/zerver/views/__init__.py b/zerver/views/__init__.py
index e857ea400c..916eb4f8a1 100644
--- a/zerver/views/__init__.py
+++ b/zerver/views/__init__.py
@@ -35,7 +35,7 @@ from zerver.lib.actions import bulk_remove_subscriptions, \
     recipient_for_emails, extract_recipients, do_events_register, \
     get_status_dict, do_change_enable_offline_email_notifications, \
     do_update_message, internal_prep_message, \
-    do_send_messages, get_default_subs, do_deactivate, do_reactivate, \
+    do_send_messages, get_default_subs, do_deactivate_user, do_reactivate_user, \
     user_email_is_unique, do_invite_users, do_refer_friend, compute_mit_user_fullname, \
     do_add_alert_words, do_remove_alert_words, do_set_alert_words, get_subscriber_emails, \
     do_set_muted_topics, do_rename_stream, \
@@ -2028,7 +2028,7 @@ def deactivate_user_backend(request, user_profile, email):
     if not user_profile.can_admin_user(target):
         return json_error('Insufficient permission')
 
-    do_deactivate(target)
+    do_deactivate_user(target)
     return json_success({})
 
 def reactivate_user_backend(request, user_profile, email):
@@ -2040,7 +2040,7 @@ def reactivate_user_backend(request, user_profile, email):
     if not user_profile.can_admin_user(target):
         return json_error('Insufficient permission')
 
-    do_reactivate(target)
+    do_reactivate_user(target)
     return json_success({})
 
 def avatar(request, email):
diff --git a/zilencer/management/commands/populate_db.py b/zilencer/management/commands/populate_db.py
index d1282f33f3..d8dfa5cae5 100644
--- a/zilencer/management/commands/populate_db.py
+++ b/zilencer/management/commands/populate_db.py
@@ -9,7 +9,7 @@ from zerver.models import Message, UserProfile, Stream, Recipient, Client, \
     get_huddle_hash, clear_database, get_client, get_user_profile_by_id, \
     email_to_domain, email_to_username
 from zerver.lib.actions import do_send_message, set_default_streams, \
-    do_activate_user, do_deactivate, do_change_password
+    do_activate_user, do_deactivate_user, do_change_password
 from zerver.lib.parallel import run_parallel
 from django.db.models import Count
 from django.conf import settings
@@ -560,7 +560,7 @@ def restore_saved_messages():
             continue
         elif message_type == "user_deactivated":
             user_profile = users[old_message["user"]]
-            do_deactivate(user_profile, log=False)
+            do_deactivate_user(user_profile, log=False)
             continue
         elif message_type == "user_change_password":
             # Just handle these the slow way