diff --git a/web/src/click_handlers.js b/web/src/click_handlers.js
index f6aa89e494..6c4979a6c7 100644
--- a/web/src/click_handlers.js
+++ b/web/src/click_handlers.js
@@ -713,7 +713,7 @@ export function initialize() {
 
     $("body").on(
         "click",
-        ".private_messages_container.zoom-out #private_messages_section_header",
+        ".direct-messages-container.zoom-out #private_messages_section_header",
         (e) => {
             if ($(e.target).closest("#show_all_private_messages").length === 1) {
                 // Let the browser handle the "all direct messages" widget.
@@ -747,7 +747,7 @@ export function initialize() {
      * this click handler rather than just a link. */
     $("body").on(
         "click",
-        ".private_messages_container.zoom-in #private_messages_section_header",
+        ".direct-messages-container.zoom-in #private_messages_section_header",
         (e) => {
             e.preventDefault();
             e.stopPropagation();
diff --git a/web/src/pm_list.js b/web/src/pm_list.js
index e69d5bdb80..a073817bd9 100644
--- a/web/src/pm_list.js
+++ b/web/src/pm_list.js
@@ -21,7 +21,7 @@ let zoomed = false;
 
 function get_private_messages_section_header() {
     return $(
-        ".private_messages_container #private_messages_section #private_messages_section_header",
+        ".direct-messages-container #private_messages_section #private_messages_section_header",
     );
 }
 
@@ -118,11 +118,11 @@ export function update_dom_with_unread_counts(counts) {
 }
 
 export function highlight_all_private_messages_view() {
-    $(".private_messages_container").addClass("active_private_messages_section");
+    $(".direct-messages-container").addClass("active_private_messages_section");
 }
 
 function unhighlight_all_private_messages_view() {
-    $(".private_messages_container").removeClass("active_private_messages_section");
+    $(".direct-messages-container").removeClass("active_private_messages_section");
 }
 
 function scroll_pm_into_view($target_li) {
@@ -188,7 +188,7 @@ export function toggle_private_messages_section() {
 function zoom_in() {
     zoomed = true;
     update_private_messages();
-    $(".private_messages_container").removeClass("zoom-out").addClass("zoom-in");
+    $(".direct-messages-container").removeClass("zoom-out").addClass("zoom-in");
     $("#streams_list").hide();
     $(".left-sidebar .right-sidebar-items").hide();
 }
@@ -196,20 +196,20 @@ function zoom_in() {
 function zoom_out() {
     zoomed = false;
     update_private_messages();
-    $(".private_messages_container").removeClass("zoom-in").addClass("zoom-out");
+    $(".direct-messages-container").removeClass("zoom-in").addClass("zoom-out");
     $("#streams_list").show();
     $(".left-sidebar .right-sidebar-items").show();
 }
 
 export function initialize() {
-    $(".private_messages_container").on("click", "#show-more-direct-messages", (e) => {
+    $(".direct-messages-container").on("click", "#show-more-direct-messages", (e) => {
         e.stopPropagation();
         e.preventDefault();
 
         zoom_in();
     });
 
-    $(".private_messages_container").on("click", "#hide-more-direct-messages", (e) => {
+    $(".direct-messages-container").on("click", "#hide-more-direct-messages", (e) => {
         e.stopPropagation();
         e.preventDefault();
 
diff --git a/web/src/tippyjs.js b/web/src/tippyjs.js
index 087210b61c..46698ed19d 100644
--- a/web/src/tippyjs.js
+++ b/web/src/tippyjs.js
@@ -423,7 +423,7 @@ export function initialize() {
     delegate("body", {
         target: "#pm_tooltip_container",
         onShow(instance) {
-            if ($(".private_messages_container").hasClass("zoom-in")) {
+            if ($(".direct-messages-container").hasClass("zoom-in")) {
                 return false;
             }
 
diff --git a/web/styles/dark_theme.css b/web/styles/dark_theme.css
index 9a5d8d64ae..0f6cf91d24 100644
--- a/web/styles/dark_theme.css
+++ b/web/styles/dark_theme.css
@@ -224,7 +224,7 @@
     .app-main,
     .column-middle,
     #streams_header,
-    .private_messages_container {
+    .direct-messages-container {
         background-color: var(--color-background);
     }
 
diff --git a/web/styles/left_sidebar.css b/web/styles/left_sidebar.css
index 71a39a2da1..c1dd1d059b 100644
--- a/web/styles/left_sidebar.css
+++ b/web/styles/left_sidebar.css
@@ -219,7 +219,7 @@ li.show-more-topics {
     width: 100%;
 }
 
-.private_messages_container {
+.direct-messages-container {
     margin-right: 16px;
     margin-left: 6px;
     z-index: 1;
@@ -1168,7 +1168,7 @@ li.topic-list-item {
         display: none;
     }
 
-    &.private_messages_container ul.pm-list {
+    &.direct-messages-container ul.pm-list {
         margin-bottom: $bottom_scrolling_buffer;
     }
 
diff --git a/web/templates/left_sidebar.hbs b/web/templates/left_sidebar.hbs
index 9933e86e1d..ffe0b71177 100644
--- a/web/templates/left_sidebar.hbs
+++ b/web/templates/left_sidebar.hbs
@@ -129,7 +129,7 @@
         </ul>
     </div>
 
-    <div id="private_messages_sticky_header" class="private_messages_container zoom-out hidden-for-spectators">
+    <div id="private_messages_sticky_header" class="direct-messages-container zoom-out hidden-for-spectators">
         <div id="private_messages_section">
             <div id="private_messages_section_header" class="zoom-out zoom-in-sticky">
                 <span id="pm_tooltip_container">
@@ -148,7 +148,7 @@
     </div>
     {{~!-- squash whitespace --~}}
     <div id="left_sidebar_scroll_container" class="scrolling_list" data-simplebar>
-        <div class="private_messages_container zoom-out hidden-for-spectators">
+        <div class="direct-messages-container zoom-out hidden-for-spectators">
             <div id="private_messages_list"></div>
         </div>
 
diff --git a/web/tests/pm_list.test.js b/web/tests/pm_list.test.js
index c61e66b2ab..3a71cec08e 100644
--- a/web/tests/pm_list.test.js
+++ b/web/tests/pm_list.test.js
@@ -18,7 +18,7 @@ run_test("update_dom_with_unread_counts", () => {
 
     const $total_count = $.create("total-count-stub");
     const $private_li = $(
-        ".private_messages_container #private_messages_section #private_messages_section_header",
+        ".direct-messages-container #private_messages_section #private_messages_section_header",
     );
     $private_li.set_find_results(".unread_count", $total_count);