diff --git a/jupyterhub/apihandlers/auth.py b/jupyterhub/apihandlers/auth.py
index 86a0413a..fea04a49 100644
--- a/jupyterhub/apihandlers/auth.py
+++ b/jupyterhub/apihandlers/auth.py
@@ -18,14 +18,14 @@ from .base import BaseHandler, APIHandler
 
 class TokenAPIHandler(APIHandler):
     @token_authenticated
-    async def get(self, token):
+    def get(self, token):
         orm_token = orm.APIToken.find(self.db, token)
         if orm_token is None:
             orm_token = orm.OAuthAccessToken.find(self.db, token)
         if orm_token is None:
             raise web.HTTPError(404)
         if orm_token.user:
-            model = await self.user_model(self.users[orm_token.user])
+            model = self.user_model(self.users[orm_token.user])
         elif orm_token.service:
             model = self.service_model(orm_token.service)
         else:
@@ -71,13 +71,13 @@ class TokenAPIHandler(APIHandler):
         api_token = user.new_api_token(note=note)
         self.write(json.dumps({
             'token': api_token,
-            'user': await self.user_model(user),
+            'user': self.user_model(user),
         }))
 
 
 class CookieAPIHandler(APIHandler):
     @token_authenticated
-    async def get(self, cookie_name, cookie_value=None):
+    def get(self, cookie_name, cookie_value=None):
         cookie_name = quote(cookie_name, safe='')
         if cookie_value is None:
             self.log.warning("Cookie values in request body is deprecated, use `/cookie_name/cookie_value`")
@@ -87,7 +87,7 @@ class CookieAPIHandler(APIHandler):
         user = self._user_for_cookie(cookie_name, cookie_value)
         if user is None:
             raise web.HTTPError(404)
-        self.write(json.dumps(await self.user_model(user)))
+        self.write(json.dumps(self.user_model(user)))
 
 
 class OAuthHandler(BaseHandler, OAuth2Handler):
diff --git a/jupyterhub/apihandlers/base.py b/jupyterhub/apihandlers/base.py
index f43665a2..5b2ae2b4 100644
--- a/jupyterhub/apihandlers/base.py
+++ b/jupyterhub/apihandlers/base.py
@@ -94,7 +94,7 @@ class APIHandler(BaseHandler):
             'message': message or status_message,
         }))
 
-    async def user_model(self, user):
+    def user_model(self, user):
         """Get the JSON model for a User object"""
         if isinstance(user, orm.User):
             user = self.users[user.id]
@@ -107,7 +107,6 @@ class APIHandler(BaseHandler):
             'server': user.url if user.running else None,
             'pending': None,
             'last_activity': user.last_activity.isoformat(),
-            'auth_state': await user.get_auth_state(),
         }
         if '' in user.spawners:
             model['pending'] = user.spawners[''].pending or None
diff --git a/jupyterhub/apihandlers/users.py b/jupyterhub/apihandlers/users.py
index 11e01a3b..2760a2d6 100644
--- a/jupyterhub/apihandlers/users.py
+++ b/jupyterhub/apihandlers/users.py
@@ -24,13 +24,15 @@ class SelfAPIHandler(APIHandler):
             user = self.get_current_user_oauth_token()
         if user is None:
             raise web.HTTPError(403)
-        self.write(json.dumps(await self.user_model(user)))
+        user_ = self.user_model(user)
+        user_['auth_state'] = await user.get_auth_state()
+        self.write(json.dumps(user_))
 
 
 class UserListAPIHandler(APIHandler):
     @admin_only
-    async def get(self):
-        data = [ await self.user_model(u) for u in self.db.query(orm.User) ]
+    def get(self):
+        data = [ self.user_model(u) for u in self.db.query(orm.User) ]
         self.write(json.dumps(data))
 
     @admin_only
@@ -83,7 +85,7 @@ class UserListAPIHandler(APIHandler):
             else:
                 created.append(user)
 
-        self.write(json.dumps([ await self.user_model(u) for u in created ]))
+        self.write(json.dumps([ self.user_model(u) for u in created ]))
         self.set_status(201)
 
 
@@ -104,12 +106,12 @@ def admin_or_self(method):
 
 class UserAPIHandler(APIHandler):
 
-    #@gen.coroutine
     @admin_or_self
     async def get(self, name):
         user = self.find_user(name)
-        user = await self.user_model(user)
-        self.write(json.dumps(user))
+        user_ = self.user_model(user)
+        user_['auth_state'] = await user.get_auth_state()
+        self.write(json.dumps(user_))
 
     @admin_only
     async def post(self, name):
@@ -133,7 +135,7 @@ class UserAPIHandler(APIHandler):
             self.users.delete(user)
             raise web.HTTPError(400, "Failed to create user: %s" % name)
 
-        self.write(json.dumps(await self.user_model(user)))
+        self.write(json.dumps(self.user_model(user)))
         self.set_status(201)
 
     @admin_only
@@ -170,7 +172,9 @@ class UserAPIHandler(APIHandler):
         for key, value in data.items():
             setattr(user, key, value)
         self.db.commit()
-        self.write(json.dumps(await self.user_model(user)))
+        user_ = self.user_model(user)
+        user_['auth_state'] = await user.get_auth_state()
+        self.write(json.dumps(user_))
 
 
 class UserServerAPIHandler(APIHandler):
diff --git a/jupyterhub/tests/test_api.py b/jupyterhub/tests/test_api.py
index 239a27ea..aff2d392 100644
--- a/jupyterhub/tests/test_api.py
+++ b/jupyterhub/tests/test_api.py
@@ -201,7 +201,6 @@ def test_get_users(app):
             'admin': True,
             'server': None,
             'pending': None,
-            'auth_state': None,
         },
         {
             'kind': 'user',
@@ -210,7 +209,6 @@ def test_get_users(app):
             'admin': False,
             'server': None,
             'pending': None,
-            'auth_state': None,
         }
     ]