diff --git a/chatmaild/src/chatmaild/metadata.py b/chatmaild/src/chatmaild/metadata.py
index 74be624..e3f7d7f 100644
--- a/chatmaild/src/chatmaild/metadata.py
+++ b/chatmaild/src/chatmaild/metadata.py
@@ -127,10 +127,10 @@ def main():
         logging.error("vmail dir does not exist: %r", vmail_dir)
         return 1
 
-    notification_dir = vmail_dir / "pending_notifications"
-    notification_dir.mkdir(exist_ok=True)
+    queue_dir = vmail_dir / "pending_notifications"
+    queue_dir.mkdir(exist_ok=True)
     metadata = Metadata(vmail_dir)
-    notifier = Notifier(notification_dir)
+    notifier = Notifier(queue_dir)
     notifier.start_notification_threads(metadata.remove_token_from_addr)
 
     class Handler(StreamRequestHandler):
diff --git a/chatmaild/src/chatmaild/notifier.py b/chatmaild/src/chatmaild/notifier.py
index 52b956a..849d70a 100644
--- a/chatmaild/src/chatmaild/notifier.py
+++ b/chatmaild/src/chatmaild/notifier.py
@@ -68,8 +68,8 @@ class Notifier:
     BASE_DELAY = 8.0  # base seconds for exponential back-off delay
     DROP_DEADLINE = 5 * 60 * 60  #  drop notifications after 5 hours
 
-    def __init__(self, notification_dir):
-        self.notification_dir = notification_dir
+    def __init__(self, queue_dir):
+        self.queue_dir = queue_dir
         max_tries = int(math.log(self.DROP_DEADLINE, self.BASE_DELAY)) + 1
         self.retry_queues = [PriorityQueue() for _ in range(max_tries)]
 
@@ -80,12 +80,12 @@ class Notifier:
         start_ts = int(time.time())
         for token in metadata.get_tokens_for_addr(addr):
             queue_item = PersistentQueueItem.create(
-                self.notification_dir, addr, start_ts, token
+                self.queue_dir, addr, start_ts, token
             )
             self.queue_for_retry(queue_item)
 
     def requeue_persistent_queue_items(self):
-        for queue_path in self.notification_dir.iterdir():
+        for queue_path in self.queue_dir.iterdir():
             if queue_path.name.endswith(".tmp"):
                 logging.warning("removing spurious queue item: %r", queue_path)
                 queue_path.unlink()
diff --git a/chatmaild/src/chatmaild/tests/test_metadata.py b/chatmaild/src/chatmaild/tests/test_metadata.py
index 0481871..d7d156b 100644
--- a/chatmaild/src/chatmaild/tests/test_metadata.py
+++ b/chatmaild/src/chatmaild/tests/test_metadata.py
@@ -17,9 +17,9 @@ from chatmaild.notifier import (
 
 @pytest.fixture
 def notifier(metadata):
-    notification_dir = metadata.vmail_dir.joinpath("pending_notifications")
-    notification_dir.mkdir()
-    return Notifier(notification_dir)
+    queue_dir = metadata.vmail_dir.joinpath("pending_notifications")
+    queue_dir.mkdir()
+    return Notifier(queue_dir)
 
 
 @pytest.fixture
@@ -230,9 +230,9 @@ def test_notifier_thread_connection_failures(
 def test_requeue_removes_tmp_files(notifier, metadata, testaddr, caplog):
     metadata.add_token_to_addr(testaddr, "01234")
     notifier.new_message_for_addr(testaddr, metadata)
-    p = notifier.notification_dir.joinpath("1203981203.tmp")
+    p = notifier.queue_dir.joinpath("1203981203.tmp")
     p.touch()
-    notifier2 = notifier.__class__(notifier.notification_dir)
+    notifier2 = notifier.__class__(notifier.queue_dir)
     notifier2.requeue_persistent_queue_items()
     assert "spurious" in caplog.records[0].msg
     assert not p.exists()