diff --git a/frontend_tests/node_tests/settings_data.js b/frontend_tests/node_tests/settings_data.js
index f3ff94bb28..36a03320e6 100644
--- a/frontend_tests/node_tests/settings_data.js
+++ b/frontend_tests/node_tests/settings_data.js
@@ -6,7 +6,6 @@ const {zrequire} = require("../zjsunit/namespace");
 const {run_test} = require("../zjsunit/test");
 const {page_params} = require("../zjsunit/zpage_params");
 
-const people = zrequire("people");
 const settings_data = zrequire("settings_data");
 const settings_config = zrequire("settings_config");
 
@@ -23,7 +22,6 @@ const isaac = {
     user_id: 30,
     full_name: "Isaac",
 };
-people.add_active_user(isaac);
 
 run_test("email_for_user_settings", () => {
     const email = settings_data.email_for_user_settings;
@@ -151,12 +149,13 @@ function test_policy(label, policy, validation_func) {
 
         page_params[policy] = settings_config.common_policy_values.by_full_members.code;
         page_params.user_id = 30;
-        people.add_active_user(isaac);
         isaac.date_joined = new Date(Date.now());
+        settings_data.initialize(isaac.date_joined);
         page_params.realm_waiting_period_threshold = 10;
         assert.equal(validation_func(), false);
 
         isaac.date_joined = new Date(Date.now() - 20 * 86400000);
+        settings_data.initialize(isaac.date_joined);
         assert.equal(validation_func(), true);
     });
 }
@@ -215,12 +214,13 @@ function test_message_policy(label, policy, validation_func) {
 
         page_params[policy] = settings_config.common_message_policy_values.by_full_members.code;
         page_params.user_id = 30;
-        people.add_active_user(isaac);
         isaac.date_joined = new Date(Date.now());
         page_params.realm_waiting_period_threshold = 10;
+        settings_data.initialize(isaac.date_joined);
         assert.equal(validation_func(), false);
 
         isaac.date_joined = new Date(Date.now() - 20 * 86400000);
+        settings_data.initialize(isaac.date_joined);
         assert.equal(validation_func(), true);
     });
 }
diff --git a/static/js/settings_data.js b/static/js/settings_data.js
index 5c9a21b066..0d56f30fb6 100644
--- a/static/js/settings_data.js
+++ b/static/js/settings_data.js
@@ -1,7 +1,11 @@
 import {page_params} from "./page_params";
-import * as people from "./people";
 import * as settings_config from "./settings_config";
 
+let user_join_date;
+export function initialize(current_user_join_date) {
+    user_join_date = current_user_join_date;
+}
+
 /*
     This is a close cousin of settings_config,
     but this has a bit more logic, and we
@@ -121,12 +125,10 @@ function user_has_permission(policy_value) {
         return true;
     }
 
-    const person = people.get_by_user_id(page_params.user_id);
-    const current_datetime = new Date(Date.now());
-    const person_date_joined = new Date(person.date_joined);
-    const days = (current_datetime - person_date_joined) / 1000 / 86400;
-
-    return days >= page_params.realm_waiting_period_threshold;
+    const current_datetime = new Date();
+    const person_date_joined = new Date(user_join_date);
+    const user_join_days = (current_datetime - person_date_joined) / 1000 / 86400;
+    return user_join_days >= page_params.realm_waiting_period_threshold;
 }
 
 export function user_can_invite_others_to_realm() {
diff --git a/static/js/ui_init.js b/static/js/ui_init.js
index 1ab9834abd..37770a4c27 100644
--- a/static/js/ui_init.js
+++ b/static/js/ui_init.js
@@ -499,6 +499,7 @@ export function initialize_everything() {
     popover_menus.initialize();
 
     people.initialize(page_params.user_id, people_params);
+    settings_data.initialize(people.get_by_user_id(page_params.user_id).date_joined);
 
     // These components must be initialized early, because other
     // modules' initialization has not been audited for whether they