diff --git a/frontend_tests/node_tests/narrow_activate.js b/frontend_tests/node_tests/narrow_activate.js
index c5984b7504..7c973637be 100644
--- a/frontend_tests/node_tests/narrow_activate.js
+++ b/frontend_tests/node_tests/narrow_activate.js
@@ -165,7 +165,7 @@ function stub_message_list() {
         assert.deepEqual(opts, {
             cont: opts.cont,
             then_select_id: selected_id,
-            use_initial_narrow_pointer: false,
+            use_first_unread_anchor: false,
         });
     };
 
diff --git a/static/js/message_fetch.js b/static/js/message_fetch.js
index 3f8eb5c794..b51498a009 100644
--- a/static/js/message_fetch.js
+++ b/static/js/message_fetch.js
@@ -137,7 +137,7 @@ exports.load_messages_for_narrow = function (opts) {
         num_before: consts.narrow_before,
         num_after: consts.narrow_after,
         msg_list: msg_list,
-        use_first_unread_anchor: opts.use_initial_narrow_pointer,
+        use_first_unread_anchor: opts.use_first_unread_anchor,
         cont: function (data) {
             msg_list.fetch_status.finish_initial_narrow({
                 found_oldest: data.found_oldest,
diff --git a/static/js/narrow.js b/static/js/narrow.js
index 870e9698d9..d1606ced67 100644
--- a/static/js/narrow.js
+++ b/static/js/narrow.js
@@ -215,7 +215,7 @@ exports.activate = function (raw_operators, opts) {
     var defer_selecting_closest = message_list.narrowed.empty();
     message_fetch.load_messages_for_narrow({
         then_select_id: then_select_id,
-        use_initial_narrow_pointer: opts.use_initial_narrow_pointer,
+        use_first_unread_anchor: opts.select_first_unread && then_select_id === -1,
         cont: function () {
             if (defer_selecting_closest) {
                 maybe_select_closest();