diff --git a/web/src/settings_user_topics.ts b/web/src/settings_user_topics.ts
index a9853eb33f..ec289b41f0 100644
--- a/web/src/settings_user_topics.ts
+++ b/web/src/settings_user_topics.ts
@@ -61,26 +61,30 @@ export function populate_list(): void {
 export function set_up(): void {
     loaded = true;
 
-    $("body").on("change", ".settings_user_topic_visibility_policy", function (e) {
-        const $row = $(this).closest("tr");
-        const stream_id_string = $row.attr("data-stream-id");
-        assert(stream_id_string !== undefined);
-        const stream_id = Number.parseInt(stream_id_string, 10);
-        const topic = $row.attr("data-topic");
-        assert(topic !== undefined);
-        const visibility_policy = this.value;
+    $("body").on(
+        "change",
+        "select.settings_user_topic_visibility_policy",
+        function (this: HTMLSelectElement, e) {
+            const $row = $(this).closest("tr");
+            const stream_id_string = $row.attr("data-stream-id");
+            assert(stream_id_string !== undefined);
+            const stream_id = Number.parseInt(stream_id_string, 10);
+            const topic = $row.attr("data-topic");
+            assert(topic !== undefined);
+            const visibility_policy = Number(this.value);
 
-        e.stopPropagation();
+            e.stopPropagation();
 
-        user_topics.set_user_topic_visibility_policy(
-            stream_id,
-            topic,
-            visibility_policy,
-            false,
-            false,
-            $row.closest("#user-topic-settings").find(".alert-notification"),
-        );
-    });
+            user_topics.set_user_topic_visibility_policy(
+                stream_id,
+                topic,
+                visibility_policy,
+                false,
+                false,
+                $row.closest("#user-topic-settings").find(".alert-notification"),
+            );
+        },
+    );
 
     populate_list();
 }
diff --git a/web/tests/settings_user_topics.test.js b/web/tests/settings_user_topics.test.js
index 232ea5909d..3c14b2b618 100644
--- a/web/tests/settings_user_topics.test.js
+++ b/web/tests/settings_user_topics.test.js
@@ -52,7 +52,7 @@ run_test("settings", ({override, override_rewire}) => {
 
     const topic_change_handler = $("body").get_on_handler(
         "change",
-        ".settings_user_topic_visibility_policy",
+        "select.settings_user_topic_visibility_policy",
     );
     assert.equal(typeof topic_change_handler, "function");
 
@@ -104,8 +104,11 @@ run_test("settings", ({override, override_rewire}) => {
             user_topic_visibility_policy_changed = true;
         },
     );
-    $topic_fake_this.value = user_topics.all_visibility_policies.UNMUTED;
-    topic_change_handler.call($topic_fake_this, event);
+    const topic_fake_this = {
+        to_$: () => $topic_fake_this,
+        value: user_topics.all_visibility_policies.UNMUTED,
+    };
+    topic_change_handler.call(topic_fake_this, event);
     assert.ok(user_topic_visibility_policy_changed);
     assert.equal(topic_data_called, 2);
 });