diff --git a/frontend_tests/node_tests/compose.js b/frontend_tests/node_tests/compose.js
index d1d0b6c052..e663ad2dee 100644
--- a/frontend_tests/node_tests/compose.js
+++ b/frontend_tests/node_tests/compose.js
@@ -199,6 +199,7 @@ run_test("validate", () => {
         $("#sending-indicator").hide();
 
         const pm_pill_container = $.create("fake-pm-pill-container");
+        $("#private_message_recipient")[0] = {};
         $("#private_message_recipient").set_parent(pm_pill_container);
         pm_pill_container.set_find_results(".input", $("#private_message_recipient"));
         $("#private_message_recipient").before = noop;
diff --git a/frontend_tests/node_tests/input_pill.js b/frontend_tests/node_tests/input_pill.js
index aef52736c3..15a75308b1 100644
--- a/frontend_tests/node_tests/input_pill.js
+++ b/frontend_tests/node_tests/input_pill.js
@@ -106,6 +106,7 @@ function set_up() {
 
     const pill_input = $.create("pill_input");
 
+    pill_input[0] = {};
     pill_input.before = () => {};
 
     const create_item_from_text = function (text) {