diff --git a/static/js/avatar.js b/static/js/avatar.js
index e25b773826..9428533d78 100644
--- a/static/js/avatar.js
+++ b/static/js/avatar.js
@@ -71,7 +71,7 @@ exports.build_user_avatar_widget = function (upload_function) {
     if (settings_account.user_can_change_avatar()) {
         return upload_widget.build_direct_upload_widget(
             get_file_input,
-            $("#user_avatar_file_input_error").expectOne(),
+            $("#user-avatar-upload-widget .image_file_input_error").expectOne(),
             $("#user-avatar-upload-widget .image_upload_button").expectOne(),
             upload_function,
             page_params.max_avatar_file_size_mib
diff --git a/static/js/settings_account.js b/static/js/settings_account.js
index 90adc6d29d..edf8d50a15 100644
--- a/static/js/settings_account.js
+++ b/static/js/settings_account.js
@@ -590,7 +590,7 @@ exports.set_up = function () {
             contentType: false,
             success: function () {
                 display_avatar_upload_complete();
-                $("#user_avatar_file_input_error").hide();
+                $("#user-avatar-upload-widget .image_file_input_error").hide();
                 $("#user-avatar-source").hide();
                 // Rest of the work is done via the user_events -> avatar_url event we will get
             },
@@ -599,7 +599,7 @@ exports.set_up = function () {
                 if (page_params.avatar_source === 'G') {
                     $("#user-avatar-source").show();
                 }
-                const $error = $("#user_avatar_file_input_error");
+                const $error = $("#user-avatar-upload-widget .image_file_input_error");
                 $error.text(JSON.parse(xhr.responseText).msg);
                 $error.show();
             },
diff --git a/static/templates/settings/image_upload_widget.hbs b/static/templates/settings/image_upload_widget.hbs
index f00b9b189a..e7194ff961 100644
--- a/static/templates/settings/image_upload_widget.hbs
+++ b/static/templates/settings/image_upload_widget.hbs
@@ -18,5 +18,5 @@
     {{/if}}
     <img class="image-block" src="{{ image }}"/>
     <input type="file" name="file_input" class="notvisible image_file_input"  value="{{t upload_text }}" />
-    <div id="user_avatar_file_input_error" class="text-error"></div>
+    <div class="image_file_input_error text-error"></div>
 </div>