diff --git a/frontend_tests/node_tests/compose.js b/frontend_tests/node_tests/compose.js
index 0dba20978a..031ea4b0bc 100644
--- a/frontend_tests/node_tests/compose.js
+++ b/frontend_tests/node_tests/compose.js
@@ -79,7 +79,7 @@ people.add(bob);
     };
 
 
-    var message = compose.snapshot_message();
+    var message = compose.create_message_object();
     assert.equal(message.to, 'social');
     assert.equal(message.subject, 'lunch');
     assert.equal(message.content, 'burrito');
@@ -87,7 +87,7 @@ people.add(bob);
     global.compose_state.composing = function () {
         return 'private';
     };
-    message = compose.snapshot_message();
+    message = compose.create_message_object();
     assert.deepEqual(message.to, ['alice@example.com', 'bob@example.com']);
     assert.equal(message.to_user_ids, '31,32');
     assert.equal(message.content, 'burrito');
diff --git a/frontend_tests/node_tests/drafts.js b/frontend_tests/node_tests/drafts.js
index a249b232e3..b4b053aafb 100644
--- a/frontend_tests/node_tests/drafts.js
+++ b/frontend_tests/node_tests/drafts.js
@@ -20,6 +20,8 @@ set_global('localStorage', {
         ls_container = {};
     },
 });
+set_global('compose', {});
+set_global('compose_state', {});
 
 function stub_timestamp(timestamp, func) {
     var original_func = Date.prototype.getTime;
@@ -38,6 +40,7 @@ var draft_1 = {
 };
 var draft_2 = {
     private_message_recipient: "aaron@zulip.com",
+    reply_to: "aaron@zulip.com",
     type: "private",
     content: "Test Private Message",
 };
@@ -93,3 +96,32 @@ var draft_2 = {
          assert.deepEqual(ls.get("drafts"), {});
     }());
 }());
+
+(function test_snapshot_message() {
+    function stub_draft(draft) {
+        global.compose_state.composing = function () {
+            return draft.type;
+        };
+        global.compose.message_content = function () {
+            return draft.content;
+        };
+        global.compose_state.recipient = function () {
+            return draft.private_message_recipient;
+        };
+        global.compose.stream_name = function () {
+            return draft.stream;
+        };
+        global.compose.subject = function () {
+            return draft.subject;
+        };
+    }
+
+    stub_draft(draft_1);
+    assert.deepEqual(drafts.snapshot_message(), draft_1);
+
+    stub_draft(draft_2);
+    assert.deepEqual(drafts.snapshot_message(), draft_2);
+
+    stub_draft({});
+    assert.equal(drafts.snapshot_message(), undefined);
+}());
diff --git a/static/js/compose.js b/static/js/compose.js
index fa72d42e91..f08a72b447 100644
--- a/static/js/compose.js
+++ b/static/js/compose.js
@@ -356,17 +356,8 @@ function create_message_object() {
     }
     return message;
 }
-
-exports.snapshot_message = function () {
-    if (!compose_state.composing() || (exports.message_content() === "")) {
-        // If you aren't in the middle of composing the body of a
-        // message, don't try to snapshot.
-        return;
-    }
-
-    // Save what we can.
-    return create_message_object();
-};
+// Export for testing
+exports.create_message_object = create_message_object;
 
 function compose_error(error_text, bad_input) {
     $('#send-status').removeClass(status_classes)
diff --git a/static/js/drafts.js b/static/js/drafts.js
index 97631dc4b6..d10a6d8627 100644
--- a/static/js/drafts.js
+++ b/static/js/drafts.js
@@ -63,8 +63,35 @@ var draft_model = (function () {
 
 exports.draft_model = draft_model;
 
+exports.snapshot_message = function () {
+    if (!compose_state.composing() || (compose.message_content() === "")) {
+        // If you aren't in the middle of composing the body of a
+        // message, don't try to snapshot.
+        return;
+    }
+
+    // Save what we can.
+    var message = {
+        type: compose_state.composing(),
+        content: compose.message_content(),
+    };
+    if (message.type === "private") {
+        var recipient = compose_state.recipient();
+        message.reply_to = recipient;
+        message.private_message_recipient = recipient;
+    } else {
+        message.stream = compose.stream_name();
+        var subject = compose.subject();
+        if (subject === "") {
+          subject = compose.empty_topic_placeholder();
+        }
+        message.subject = subject;
+    }
+    return message;
+};
+
 exports.update_draft = function () {
-    var draft = compose.snapshot_message();
+    var draft = drafts.snapshot_message();
     var draft_id = $("#new_message_content").data("draft-id");
 
     if (draft_id !== undefined) {