diff --git a/frontend_tests/node_tests/activity.js b/frontend_tests/node_tests/activity.js
index 29d1da42d8..55ba7e78f4 100644
--- a/frontend_tests/node_tests/activity.js
+++ b/frontend_tests/node_tests/activity.js
@@ -240,6 +240,8 @@ presence.presence_info[mark.user_id] = { status: activity.IDLE };
 presence.presence_info[norbert.user_id] = { status: activity.ACTIVE };
 presence.presence_info[zoe.user_id] = { status: activity.ACTIVE };
 
+activity.set_user_list_filter();
+
 (function test_presence_list_full_update() {
     var users = activity.build_user_sidebar();
     assert.deepEqual(users, [{
@@ -369,6 +371,7 @@ $('.user-list-filter').is = function (sel) {
     };
     compose_actions.start = function () {};
 
+    activity.set_user_list_filter_handlers();
     var keydown_handler = $('.user-list-filter').get_on_handler('keydown');
     keydown_handler(e);
 }());
@@ -504,7 +507,7 @@ presence.presence_info[zoe.user_id] = { status: activity.ACTIVE };
 
 // Reset jquery here.
 set_global('$', global.make_zjquery());
-activity.initialize_filter_state();
+activity.set_user_list_filter();
 
 (function test_insert_unfiltered_user_with_filter() {
     // This test only tests that we do not explode when
diff --git a/static/js/activity.js b/static/js/activity.js
index 465b79529f..55b31c1e77 100644
--- a/static/js/activity.js
+++ b/static/js/activity.js
@@ -488,9 +488,14 @@ exports.initialize = function () {
                       page_params.initial_servertime);
     delete page_params.presences;
 
+    exports.set_user_list_filter();
+
     exports.build_user_sidebar();
     exports.update_huddles();
 
+    exports.set_user_list_filter_handlers();
+
+    $('#clear_search_people_button').on('click', exports.clear_search);
     // Let the server know we're here, but pass "false" for
     // want_redraw, since we just got all this info in page_params.
     focus_ping(false);
@@ -598,21 +603,18 @@ function focus_user_filter(e) {
     update_clear_search_button();
 }
 
-exports.initialize_filter_state = function () {
+exports.set_user_list_filter = function () {
     meta.$user_list_filter = $(".user-list-filter");
+};
 
+exports.set_user_list_filter_handlers = function () {
     meta.$user_list_filter.expectOne()
         .on('click', focus_user_filter)
         .on('input', update_users_for_search)
         .on('keydown', maybe_select_person)
         .on('blur', update_clear_search_button);
-    $('#clear_search_people_button').on('click', exports.clear_search);
 };
 
-$(function () {
-    exports.initialize_filter_state();
-});
-
 return exports;
 
 }());