diff --git a/evennia/server/portal/portalsessionhandler.py b/evennia/server/portal/portalsessionhandler.py
index 746ab40a67..6b465cc0f7 100644
--- a/evennia/server/portal/portalsessionhandler.py
+++ b/evennia/server/portal/portalsessionhandler.py
@@ -464,6 +464,6 @@ class PortalSessionHandler(SessionHandler):
                         log_trace()
 
 
-_portal_sessionhandler_class = class_from_module(settings.PORTAL_SESSION_HANDLER_CLASS)
+_PORTAL_SESSION_HANDLER_CLASS = class_from_module(settings.PORTAL_SESSION_HANDLER_CLASS)
 
-PORTAL_SESSIONS = _portal_sessionhandler_class()
+PORTAL_SESSIONS = _PORTAL_SESSION_HANDLER_CLASS()
diff --git a/evennia/server/portal/ssh.py b/evennia/server/portal/ssh.py
index 3a47dde433..1fcf296058 100644
--- a/evennia/server/portal/ssh.py
+++ b/evennia/server/portal/ssh.py
@@ -73,7 +73,7 @@ and put them here:
     _PRIVATE_KEY_FILE, _PUBLIC_KEY_FILE
 )
 
-_BASE_SESSION = class_from_module(settings.BASE_SESSION_CLASS)
+_BASE_SESSION_CLASS = class_from_module(settings.BASE_SESSION_CLASS)
 
 
 # not used atm
@@ -85,7 +85,7 @@ class SSHServerFactory(protocol.ServerFactory):
         return "SSH"
 
 
-class SshProtocol(Manhole, _BASE_SESSION):
+class SshProtocol(Manhole, _BASE_SESSION_CLASS):
     """
     Each account connecting over ssh gets this protocol assigned to
     them.  All communication between game and account goes through
diff --git a/evennia/server/portal/ssl.py b/evennia/server/portal/ssl.py
index 03aea685d4..ce58fdf778 100644
--- a/evennia/server/portal/ssl.py
+++ b/evennia/server/portal/ssl.py
@@ -43,10 +43,10 @@ example (linux, using the openssl program):
     {exestring}
 """
 
-_TELNET_PROTOCOL = class_from_module(settings.TELNET_PROTOCOL_CLASS)
+_TELNET_PROTOCOL_CLASS = class_from_module(settings.TELNET_PROTOCOL_CLASS)
 
 
-class SSLProtocol(_TELNET_PROTOCOL):
+class SSLProtocol(_TELNET_PROTOCOL_CLASS):
     """
     Communication is the same as telnet, except data transfer
     is done with encryption.
diff --git a/evennia/server/portal/telnet.py b/evennia/server/portal/telnet.py
index c45f57d6e0..62ef3d7338 100644
--- a/evennia/server/portal/telnet.py
+++ b/evennia/server/portal/telnet.py
@@ -55,7 +55,7 @@ _HTTP_WARNING = bytes(
 )
 
 
-_BASE_SESSION = class_from_module(settings.BASE_SESSION_CLASS)
+_BASE_SESSION_CLASS = class_from_module(settings.BASE_SESSION_CLASS)
 
 
 
@@ -67,7 +67,7 @@ class TelnetServerFactory(protocol.ServerFactory):
         return "Telnet"
 
 
-class TelnetProtocol(Telnet, StatefulTelnetProtocol, _BASE_SESSION):
+class TelnetProtocol(Telnet, StatefulTelnetProtocol, _BASE_SESSION_CLASS):
     """
     Each player connecting over telnet (ie using most traditional mud
     clients) gets a telnet protocol instance assigned to them.  All
diff --git a/evennia/server/portal/webclient.py b/evennia/server/portal/webclient.py
index d56e0a2815..f38e39fabc 100644
--- a/evennia/server/portal/webclient.py
+++ b/evennia/server/portal/webclient.py
@@ -37,10 +37,10 @@ CLOSE_NORMAL = WebSocketServerProtocol.CLOSE_STATUS_CODE_NORMAL
 #   called when the browser is navigating away from the page
 GOING_AWAY = WebSocketServerProtocol.CLOSE_STATUS_CODE_GOING_AWAY
 
-_BASE_SESSION = class_from_module(settings.BASE_SESSION_CLASS)
+_BASE_SESSION_CLASS = class_from_module(settings.BASE_SESSION_CLASS)
 
 
-class WebSocketClient(WebSocketServerProtocol, _BASE_SESSION):
+class WebSocketClient(WebSocketServerProtocol, _BASE_SESSION_CLASS):
     """
     Implements the server-side of the Websocket connection.
     """
diff --git a/evennia/server/session.py b/evennia/server/session.py
index 093472e820..f322c551cf 100644
--- a/evennia/server/session.py
+++ b/evennia/server/session.py
@@ -35,9 +35,6 @@ class Session(object):
 
     """
 
-    # names of attributes that should be affected by syncing.
-    _attrs_to_sync = settings.SESSION_SYNC_ATTRS
-
     def init_session(self, protocol_key, address, sessionhandler):
         """
         Initialize the Session. This should be called by the protocol when
@@ -104,9 +101,7 @@ class Session(object):
                 the keys given by self._attrs_to_sync.
 
         """
-        return dict(
-            (key, value) for key, value in self.__dict__.items() if key in self._attrs_to_sync
-        )
+        return {attr: getattr(self, attr, None) for attr in settings.SESSION_SYNC_ATTRS}
 
     def load_sync_data(self, sessdata):
         """
diff --git a/evennia/server/sessionhandler.py b/evennia/server/sessionhandler.py
index 23850318f2..b25d25ebb4 100644
--- a/evennia/server/sessionhandler.py
+++ b/evennia/server/sessionhandler.py
@@ -859,8 +859,8 @@ class ServerSessionHandler(SessionHandler):
 
 
 # import class from settings
-_session_handler_class = class_from_module(settings.SERVER_SESSION_HANDLER_CLASS)
+_SESSION_HANDLER_CLASS = class_from_module(settings.SERVER_SESSION_HANDLER_CLASS)
 
 # Instantiate class. These globals are used to provide singleton-like behavior.
-SESSION_HANDLER = _session_handler_class()
+SESSION_HANDLER = _SESSION_HANDLER_CLASS()
 SESSIONS = SESSION_HANDLER  # legacy