diff --git a/crates/ruma-macros/src/api/attribute.rs b/crates/ruma-macros/src/api/attribute.rs
index dc772baa..d0a1d50b 100644
--- a/crates/ruma-macros/src/api/attribute.rs
+++ b/crates/ruma-macros/src/api/attribute.rs
@@ -2,77 +2,147 @@
 
 use syn::{
     parse::{Parse, ParseStream},
-    Ident, Lit, Token, Type,
+    Ident, LitStr, Token, Type,
 };
 
-/// Value type used for request and response struct attributes
-#[allow(clippy::large_enum_variant)]
-pub enum MetaValue {
-    Lit(Lit),
-    Type(Type),
+mod kw {
+    syn::custom_keyword!(body);
+    syn::custom_keyword!(raw_body);
+    syn::custom_keyword!(path);
+    syn::custom_keyword!(query);
+    syn::custom_keyword!(query_map);
+    syn::custom_keyword!(header);
+    syn::custom_keyword!(authentication);
+    syn::custom_keyword!(method);
+    syn::custom_keyword!(error_ty);
+    syn::custom_keyword!(unstable);
+    syn::custom_keyword!(r0);
+    syn::custom_keyword!(stable);
+    syn::custom_keyword!(manual_body_serde);
 }
 
-impl Parse for MetaValue {
+pub enum RequestMeta {
+    NewtypeBody,
+    RawBody,
+    Path,
+    Query,
+    QueryMap,
+    Header(Ident),
+}
+
+impl Parse for RequestMeta {
     fn parse(input: ParseStream<'_>) -> syn::Result<Self> {
-        if input.peek(Lit) {
-            input.parse().map(Self::Lit)
-        } else {
-            input.parse().map(Self::Type)
-        }
-    }
-}
-
-/// Like syn::MetaNameValue, but expects an identifier as the value.
-///
-/// Also, we don't care about the the span of the equals sign, so we don't have the `eq_token` field
-/// from syn::MetaNameValue.
-pub struct MetaNameValue<V> {
-    /// The part left of the equals sign
-    pub name: Ident,
-
-    /// The part right of the equals sign
-    pub value: V,
-}
-
-impl<V: Parse> Parse for MetaNameValue<V> {
-    fn parse(input: ParseStream<'_>) -> syn::Result<Self> {
-        let ident = input.parse()?;
-        let _: Token![=] = input.parse()?;
-        Ok(MetaNameValue { name: ident, value: input.parse()? })
-    }
-}
-
-/// Like syn::Meta, but only parses ruma_api attributes
-pub enum Meta<T> {
-    /// A single word, like `query` in `#[ruma_api(query)]`
-    Word(Ident),
-
-    /// A name-value pair, like `header = CONTENT_TYPE` in `#[ruma_api(header = CONTENT_TYPE)]`
-    NameValue(MetaNameValue<T>),
-}
-
-impl<T: Parse> Meta<T> {
-    /// Check if the given attribute is a ruma_api attribute.
-    ///
-    /// If it is, parse it.
-    pub fn from_attribute(attr: &syn::Attribute) -> syn::Result<Option<Self>> {
-        if attr.path.is_ident("ruma_api") {
-            attr.parse_args().map(Some)
-        } else {
-            Ok(None)
-        }
-    }
-}
-
-impl<T: Parse> Parse for Meta<T> {
-    fn parse(input: ParseStream<'_>) -> syn::Result<Self> {
-        let ident = input.parse()?;
-
-        if input.peek(Token![=]) {
+        let lookahead = input.lookahead1();
+        if lookahead.peek(kw::body) {
+            let _: kw::body = input.parse()?;
+            Ok(Self::NewtypeBody)
+        } else if lookahead.peek(kw::raw_body) {
+            let _: kw::raw_body = input.parse()?;
+            Ok(Self::RawBody)
+        } else if lookahead.peek(kw::path) {
+            let _: kw::path = input.parse()?;
+            Ok(Self::Path)
+        } else if lookahead.peek(kw::query) {
+            let _: kw::query = input.parse()?;
+            Ok(Self::Query)
+        } else if lookahead.peek(kw::query_map) {
+            let _: kw::query_map = input.parse()?;
+            Ok(Self::QueryMap)
+        } else if lookahead.peek(kw::header) {
+            let _: kw::header = input.parse()?;
             let _: Token![=] = input.parse()?;
-            Ok(Meta::NameValue(MetaNameValue { name: ident, value: input.parse()? }))
+            input.parse().map(Self::Header)
         } else {
-            Ok(Meta::Word(ident))
+            Err(lookahead.error())
+        }
+    }
+}
+
+pub enum DeriveRequestMeta {
+    Authentication(Type),
+    Method(Type),
+    ErrorTy(Type),
+    UnstablePath(LitStr),
+    R0Path(LitStr),
+    StablePath(LitStr),
+}
+
+impl Parse for DeriveRequestMeta {
+    fn parse(input: ParseStream<'_>) -> syn::Result<Self> {
+        let lookahead = input.lookahead1();
+        if lookahead.peek(kw::authentication) {
+            let _: kw::authentication = input.parse()?;
+            let _: Token![=] = input.parse()?;
+            input.parse().map(Self::Authentication)
+        } else if lookahead.peek(kw::method) {
+            let _: kw::method = input.parse()?;
+            let _: Token![=] = input.parse()?;
+            input.parse().map(Self::Method)
+        } else if lookahead.peek(kw::error_ty) {
+            let _: kw::error_ty = input.parse()?;
+            let _: Token![=] = input.parse()?;
+            input.parse().map(Self::ErrorTy)
+        } else if lookahead.peek(kw::unstable) {
+            let _: kw::unstable = input.parse()?;
+            let _: Token![=] = input.parse()?;
+            input.parse().map(Self::UnstablePath)
+        } else if lookahead.peek(kw::r0) {
+            let _: kw::r0 = input.parse()?;
+            let _: Token![=] = input.parse()?;
+            input.parse().map(Self::R0Path)
+        } else if lookahead.peek(kw::stable) {
+            let _: kw::stable = input.parse()?;
+            let _: Token![=] = input.parse()?;
+            input.parse().map(Self::StablePath)
+        } else {
+            Err(lookahead.error())
+        }
+    }
+}
+
+pub enum ResponseMeta {
+    NewtypeBody,
+    RawBody,
+    Header(Ident),
+}
+
+impl Parse for ResponseMeta {
+    fn parse(input: ParseStream<'_>) -> syn::Result<Self> {
+        let lookahead = input.lookahead1();
+        if lookahead.peek(kw::body) {
+            let _: kw::body = input.parse()?;
+            Ok(Self::NewtypeBody)
+        } else if lookahead.peek(kw::raw_body) {
+            let _: kw::raw_body = input.parse()?;
+            Ok(Self::RawBody)
+        } else if lookahead.peek(kw::header) {
+            let _: kw::header = input.parse()?;
+            let _: Token![=] = input.parse()?;
+            input.parse().map(Self::Header)
+        } else {
+            Err(lookahead.error())
+        }
+    }
+}
+
+#[allow(clippy::large_enum_variant)]
+pub enum DeriveResponseMeta {
+    ManualBodySerde,
+    ErrorTy(Type),
+}
+
+impl Parse for DeriveResponseMeta {
+    fn parse(input: ParseStream<'_>) -> syn::Result<Self> {
+        let lookahead = input.lookahead1();
+        if lookahead.peek(kw::manual_body_serde) {
+            let _: kw::manual_body_serde = input.parse()?;
+            Ok(Self::ManualBodySerde)
+        } else if lookahead.peek(kw::error_ty) {
+            let _: kw::error_ty = input.parse()?;
+            let _: Token![=] = input.parse()?;
+            input.parse().map(Self::ErrorTy)
+        } else {
+            Err(lookahead.error())
         }
     }
 }
diff --git a/crates/ruma-macros/src/api/request.rs b/crates/ruma-macros/src/api/request.rs
index bf2031b3..77a0c96b 100644
--- a/crates/ruma-macros/src/api/request.rs
+++ b/crates/ruma-macros/src/api/request.rs
@@ -1,7 +1,6 @@
 use std::{
     collections::{BTreeMap, BTreeSet},
     convert::{TryFrom, TryInto},
-    mem,
 };
 
 use proc_macro2::TokenStream;
@@ -10,11 +9,11 @@ use syn::{
     parse::{Parse, ParseStream},
     parse_quote,
     punctuated::Punctuated,
-    DeriveInput, Field, Generics, Ident, Lifetime, Lit, LitStr, Token, Type,
+    DeriveInput, Field, Generics, Ident, Lifetime, LitStr, Token, Type,
 };
 
 use super::{
-    attribute::{Meta, MetaNameValue, MetaValue},
+    attribute::{DeriveRequestMeta, RequestMeta},
     auth_scheme::AuthScheme,
     util::collect_lifetime_idents,
 };
@@ -62,28 +61,16 @@ pub fn expand_derive_request(input: DeriveInput) -> syn::Result<TokenStream> {
             continue;
         }
 
-        let meta = attr.parse_args_with(Punctuated::<_, Token![,]>::parse_terminated)?;
-        for MetaNameValue { name, value } in meta {
-            match value {
-                MetaValue::Type(t) if name == "authentication" => {
-                    authentication = Some(parse_quote!(#t));
-                }
-                MetaValue::Type(t) if name == "method" => {
-                    method = Some(parse_quote!(#t));
-                }
-                MetaValue::Type(t) if name == "error_ty" => {
-                    error_ty = Some(t);
-                }
-                MetaValue::Lit(Lit::Str(s)) if name == "unstable" => {
-                    unstable_path = Some(s);
-                }
-                MetaValue::Lit(Lit::Str(s)) if name == "r0" => {
-                    r0_path = Some(s);
-                }
-                MetaValue::Lit(Lit::Str(s)) if name == "stable" => {
-                    stable_path = Some(s);
-                }
-                _ => unreachable!("invalid ruma_api({}) attribute", name),
+        let metas =
+            attr.parse_args_with(Punctuated::<DeriveRequestMeta, Token![,]>::parse_terminated)?;
+        for meta in metas {
+            match meta {
+                DeriveRequestMeta::Authentication(t) => authentication = Some(parse_quote!(#t)),
+                DeriveRequestMeta::Method(t) => method = Some(parse_quote!(#t)),
+                DeriveRequestMeta::ErrorTy(t) => error_ty = Some(t),
+                DeriveRequestMeta::UnstablePath(s) => unstable_path = Some(s),
+                DeriveRequestMeta::R0Path(s) => r0_path = Some(s),
+                DeriveRequestMeta::StablePath(s) => stable_path = Some(s),
             }
         }
     }
@@ -405,17 +392,18 @@ enum RequestField {
 
 impl RequestField {
     /// Creates a new `RequestField`.
-    fn new(kind: RequestFieldKind, field: Field, header: Option<Ident>) -> Self {
-        match kind {
-            RequestFieldKind::Body => RequestField::Body(field),
-            RequestFieldKind::Header => {
-                RequestField::Header(field, header.expect("missing header name"))
+    fn new(field: Field, kind_attr: Option<RequestMeta>) -> Self {
+        if let Some(attr) = kind_attr {
+            match attr {
+                RequestMeta::NewtypeBody => RequestField::NewtypeBody(field),
+                RequestMeta::RawBody => RequestField::RawBody(field),
+                RequestMeta::Path => RequestField::Path(field),
+                RequestMeta::Query => RequestField::Query(field),
+                RequestMeta::QueryMap => RequestField::QueryMap(field),
+                RequestMeta::Header(header) => RequestField::Header(field, header),
             }
-            RequestFieldKind::NewtypeBody => RequestField::NewtypeBody(field),
-            RequestFieldKind::RawBody => RequestField::RawBody(field),
-            RequestFieldKind::Path => RequestField::Path(field),
-            RequestFieldKind::Query => RequestField::Query(field),
-            RequestFieldKind::QueryMap => RequestField::QueryMap(field),
+        } else {
+            RequestField::Body(field)
         }
     }
 
@@ -477,55 +465,22 @@ impl TryFrom<Field> for RequestField {
     type Error = syn::Error;
 
     fn try_from(mut field: Field) -> syn::Result<Self> {
-        let mut field_kind = None;
-        let mut header = None;
+        let (mut api_attrs, attrs) =
+            field.attrs.into_iter().partition::<Vec<_>, _>(|attr| attr.path.is_ident("ruma_api"));
+        field.attrs = attrs;
 
-        for attr in mem::take(&mut field.attrs) {
-            let meta = match Meta::from_attribute(&attr)? {
-                Some(m) => m,
-                None => {
-                    field.attrs.push(attr);
-                    continue;
-                }
-            };
-
-            if field_kind.is_some() {
+        let kind_attr = match api_attrs.as_slice() {
+            [] => None,
+            [_] => Some(api_attrs.pop().unwrap().parse_args::<RequestMeta>()?),
+            _ => {
                 return Err(syn::Error::new_spanned(
-                    attr,
-                    "There can only be one field kind attribute",
+                    &api_attrs[1],
+                    "multiple field kind attribute found, there can only be one",
                 ));
             }
+        };
 
-            field_kind = Some(match meta {
-                Meta::Word(ident) => match &ident.to_string()[..] {
-                    "body" => RequestFieldKind::NewtypeBody,
-                    "raw_body" => RequestFieldKind::RawBody,
-                    "path" => RequestFieldKind::Path,
-                    "query" => RequestFieldKind::Query,
-                    "query_map" => RequestFieldKind::QueryMap,
-                    _ => {
-                        return Err(syn::Error::new_spanned(
-                            ident,
-                            "Invalid #[ruma_api] argument, expected one of \
-                            `body`, `raw_body`, `path`, `query`, `query_map`",
-                        ));
-                    }
-                },
-                Meta::NameValue(MetaNameValue { name, value }) => {
-                    if name != "header" {
-                        return Err(syn::Error::new_spanned(
-                            name,
-                            "Invalid #[ruma_api] argument with value, expected `header`",
-                        ));
-                    }
-
-                    header = Some(value);
-                    RequestFieldKind::Header
-                }
-            });
-        }
-
-        Ok(RequestField::new(field_kind.unwrap_or(RequestFieldKind::Body), field, header))
+        Ok(RequestField::new(field, kind_attr))
     }
 }
 
@@ -540,15 +495,3 @@ impl ToTokens for RequestField {
         self.field().to_tokens(tokens)
     }
 }
-
-/// The types of fields that a request can have, without their values.
-#[derive(Clone, Copy, PartialEq, Eq)]
-enum RequestFieldKind {
-    Body,
-    Header,
-    NewtypeBody,
-    RawBody,
-    Path,
-    Query,
-    QueryMap,
-}
diff --git a/crates/ruma-macros/src/api/response.rs b/crates/ruma-macros/src/api/response.rs
index b7c7c84a..0017524b 100644
--- a/crates/ruma-macros/src/api/response.rs
+++ b/crates/ruma-macros/src/api/response.rs
@@ -1,6 +1,5 @@
 use std::{
     convert::{TryFrom, TryInto},
-    mem,
     ops::Not,
 };
 
@@ -13,7 +12,7 @@ use syn::{
     DeriveInput, Field, Generics, Ident, Lifetime, Token, Type,
 };
 
-use super::attribute::{Meta, MetaNameValue};
+use super::attribute::{DeriveResponseMeta, ResponseMeta};
 use crate::util::import_ruma_common;
 
 mod incoming;
@@ -33,18 +32,12 @@ pub fn expand_derive_response(input: DeriveInput) -> syn::Result<TokenStream> {
             continue;
         }
 
-        let metas = attr.parse_args_with(Punctuated::<Meta<Type>, Token![,]>::parse_terminated)?;
+        let metas =
+            attr.parse_args_with(Punctuated::<DeriveResponseMeta, Token![,]>::parse_terminated)?;
         for meta in metas {
             match meta {
-                Meta::Word(w) if w == "manual_body_serde" => {
-                    manual_body_serde = true;
-                }
-                Meta::NameValue(MetaNameValue { name, value }) if name == "error_ty" => {
-                    error_ty = Some(value);
-                }
-                Meta::Word(name) | Meta::NameValue(MetaNameValue { name, .. }) => {
-                    unreachable!("invalid ruma_api({}) attribute", name);
-                }
+                DeriveResponseMeta::ManualBodySerde => manual_body_serde = true,
+                DeriveResponseMeta::ErrorTy(t) => error_ty = Some(t),
             }
         }
     }
@@ -180,6 +173,19 @@ enum ResponseField {
 }
 
 impl ResponseField {
+    /// Creates a new `ResponseField`.
+    fn new(field: Field, kind_attr: Option<ResponseMeta>) -> Self {
+        if let Some(attr) = kind_attr {
+            match attr {
+                ResponseMeta::NewtypeBody => ResponseField::NewtypeBody(field),
+                ResponseMeta::RawBody => ResponseField::RawBody(field),
+                ResponseMeta::Header(header) => ResponseField::Header(field, header),
+            }
+        } else {
+            ResponseField::Body(field)
+        }
+    }
+
     /// Gets the inner `Field` value.
     fn field(&self) -> &Field {
         match self {
@@ -226,58 +232,22 @@ impl TryFrom<Field> for ResponseField {
             ));
         }
 
-        let mut field_kind = None;
-        let mut header = None;
+        let (mut api_attrs, attrs) =
+            field.attrs.into_iter().partition::<Vec<_>, _>(|attr| attr.path.is_ident("ruma_api"));
+        field.attrs = attrs;
 
-        for attr in mem::take(&mut field.attrs) {
-            let meta = match Meta::from_attribute(&attr)? {
-                Some(m) => m,
-                None => {
-                    field.attrs.push(attr);
-                    continue;
-                }
-            };
-
-            if field_kind.is_some() {
+        let kind_attr = match api_attrs.as_slice() {
+            [] => None,
+            [_] => Some(api_attrs.pop().unwrap().parse_args::<ResponseMeta>()?),
+            _ => {
                 return Err(syn::Error::new_spanned(
-                    attr,
-                    "There can only be one field kind attribute",
+                    &api_attrs[1],
+                    "multiple field kind attribute found, there can only be one",
                 ));
             }
+        };
 
-            field_kind = Some(match meta {
-                Meta::Word(ident) => match &ident.to_string()[..] {
-                    "body" => ResponseFieldKind::NewtypeBody,
-                    "raw_body" => ResponseFieldKind::RawBody,
-                    _ => {
-                        return Err(syn::Error::new_spanned(
-                            ident,
-                            "Invalid #[ruma_api] argument with value, expected `body`",
-                        ));
-                    }
-                },
-                Meta::NameValue(MetaNameValue { name, value }) => {
-                    if name != "header" {
-                        return Err(syn::Error::new_spanned(
-                            name,
-                            "Invalid #[ruma_api] argument with value, expected `header`",
-                        ));
-                    }
-
-                    header = Some(value);
-                    ResponseFieldKind::Header
-                }
-            });
-        }
-
-        Ok(match field_kind.unwrap_or(ResponseFieldKind::Body) {
-            ResponseFieldKind::Body => ResponseField::Body(field),
-            ResponseFieldKind::Header => {
-                ResponseField::Header(field, header.expect("missing header name"))
-            }
-            ResponseFieldKind::NewtypeBody => ResponseField::NewtypeBody(field),
-            ResponseFieldKind::RawBody => ResponseField::RawBody(field),
-        })
+        Ok(ResponseField::new(field, kind_attr))
     }
 }
 
@@ -293,14 +263,6 @@ impl ToTokens for ResponseField {
     }
 }
 
-/// The types of fields that a response can have, without their values.
-enum ResponseFieldKind {
-    Body,
-    Header,
-    NewtypeBody,
-    RawBody,
-}
-
 fn has_lifetime(ty: &Type) -> bool {
     struct Visitor {
         found_lifetime: bool,