diff --git a/zerver/lib/alert_words.py b/zerver/lib/alert_words.py
index 3466789681..70544049d6 100644
--- a/zerver/lib/alert_words.py
+++ b/zerver/lib/alert_words.py
@@ -8,7 +8,8 @@ from zerver.lib.cache import (
     realm_alert_words_automaton_cache_key,
     realm_alert_words_cache_key,
 )
-from zerver.models import AlertWord, Realm, UserProfile, flush_realm_alert_words
+from zerver.models import AlertWord, Realm, UserProfile
+from zerver.models.alert_words import flush_realm_alert_words
 
 
 @cache_with_key(lambda realm: realm_alert_words_cache_key(realm.id), timeout=3600 * 24)
diff --git a/zerver/models/__init__.py b/zerver/models/__init__.py
index 2898b0bcd8..149902cfd0 100644
--- a/zerver/models/__init__.py
+++ b/zerver/models/__init__.py
@@ -2,17 +2,11 @@ from typing import List, Tuple, TypeVar, Union
 
 from django.db import models
 from django.db.backends.base.base import BaseDatabaseWrapper
-from django.db.models import CASCADE
-from django.db.models.signals import post_delete, post_save
 from django.db.models.sql.compiler import SQLCompiler
 from django_stubs_ext import ValuesQuerySet
 from typing_extensions import override
 
-from zerver.lib.cache import (
-    cache_delete,
-    realm_alert_words_automaton_cache_key,
-    realm_alert_words_cache_key,
-)
+from zerver.models.alert_words import AlertWord as AlertWord
 from zerver.models.bots import BotConfigData as BotConfigData
 from zerver.models.bots import BotStorageData as BotStorageData
 from zerver.models.bots import Service as Service
@@ -131,31 +125,3 @@ def query_for_ids(
         params=(tuple(user_ids),),
     )
     return query
-
-
-class AlertWord(models.Model):
-    # Realm isn't necessary, but it's a nice denormalization.  Users
-    # never move to another realm, so it's static, and having Realm
-    # here optimizes the main query on this table, which is fetching
-    # all the alert words in a realm.
-    realm = models.ForeignKey(Realm, db_index=True, on_delete=CASCADE)
-    user_profile = models.ForeignKey(UserProfile, on_delete=CASCADE)
-    # Case-insensitive name for the alert word.
-    word = models.TextField()
-
-    class Meta:
-        unique_together = ("user_profile", "word")
-
-
-def flush_realm_alert_words(realm_id: int) -> None:
-    cache_delete(realm_alert_words_cache_key(realm_id))
-    cache_delete(realm_alert_words_automaton_cache_key(realm_id))
-
-
-def flush_alert_word(*, instance: AlertWord, **kwargs: object) -> None:
-    realm_id = instance.realm_id
-    flush_realm_alert_words(realm_id)
-
-
-post_save.connect(flush_alert_word, sender=AlertWord)
-post_delete.connect(flush_alert_word, sender=AlertWord)
diff --git a/zerver/models/alert_words.py b/zerver/models/alert_words.py
new file mode 100644
index 0000000000..ec04c3400b
--- /dev/null
+++ b/zerver/models/alert_words.py
@@ -0,0 +1,39 @@
+from django.db import models
+from django.db.models import CASCADE
+from django.db.models.signals import post_delete, post_save
+
+from zerver.lib.cache import (
+    cache_delete,
+    realm_alert_words_automaton_cache_key,
+    realm_alert_words_cache_key,
+)
+from zerver.models.realms import Realm
+from zerver.models.users import UserProfile
+
+
+class AlertWord(models.Model):
+    # Realm isn't necessary, but it's a nice denormalization.  Users
+    # never move to another realm, so it's static, and having Realm
+    # here optimizes the main query on this table, which is fetching
+    # all the alert words in a realm.
+    realm = models.ForeignKey(Realm, db_index=True, on_delete=CASCADE)
+    user_profile = models.ForeignKey(UserProfile, on_delete=CASCADE)
+    # Case-insensitive name for the alert word.
+    word = models.TextField()
+
+    class Meta:
+        unique_together = ("user_profile", "word")
+
+
+def flush_realm_alert_words(realm_id: int) -> None:
+    cache_delete(realm_alert_words_cache_key(realm_id))
+    cache_delete(realm_alert_words_automaton_cache_key(realm_id))
+
+
+def flush_alert_word(*, instance: AlertWord, **kwargs: object) -> None:
+    realm_id = instance.realm_id
+    flush_realm_alert_words(realm_id)
+
+
+post_save.connect(flush_alert_word, sender=AlertWord)
+post_delete.connect(flush_alert_word, sender=AlertWord)
diff --git a/zilencer/management/commands/populate_db.py b/zilencer/management/commands/populate_db.py
index c6ec4b0588..ad24b409f3 100644
--- a/zilencer/management/commands/populate_db.py
+++ b/zilencer/management/commands/populate_db.py
@@ -64,8 +64,8 @@ from zerver.models import (
     UserMessage,
     UserPresence,
     UserProfile,
-    flush_alert_word,
 )
+from zerver.models.alert_words import flush_alert_word
 from zerver.models.clients import get_client
 from zerver.models.realms import get_realm
 from zerver.models.recipients import get_or_create_huddle