diff --git a/web/src/message_list.js b/web/src/message_list.js
index cdfee6684d..e332ddb7a8 100644
--- a/web/src/message_list.js
+++ b/web/src/message_list.js
@@ -537,5 +537,5 @@ export function initialize() {
         excludes_muted_topics: true,
     });
     message_lists.set_home(home_msg_list);
-    message_lists.set_current(home_msg_list);
+    message_lists.update_current_message_list(home_msg_list);
 }
diff --git a/web/src/message_lists.ts b/web/src/message_lists.ts
index 22690d854b..f9c1edc5f6 100644
--- a/web/src/message_lists.ts
+++ b/web/src/message_lists.ts
@@ -55,10 +55,25 @@ export type MessageList = {
 export let home: MessageList | undefined;
 export let current: MessageList | undefined;
 
-export function set_current(msg_list: MessageList): void {
+function set_current(msg_list: MessageList): void {
+    // NOTE: Use update_current_message_list instead of this function.
     current = msg_list;
 }
 
+export function update_current_message_list(msg_list: MessageList): void {
+    if (msg_list !== home) {
+        home?.view.$list.removeClass("focused-message-list");
+    }
+
+    if (current !== home) {
+        // Remove old msg list from DOM.
+        current?.view.$list.remove();
+    }
+
+    set_current(msg_list);
+    current?.view.$list.addClass("focused-message-list");
+}
+
 export function set_home(msg_list: MessageList): void {
     home = msg_list;
 }
diff --git a/web/src/narrow.js b/web/src/narrow.js
index 03a3b5fdad..c2bfc2b73e 100644
--- a/web/src/narrow.js
+++ b/web/src/narrow.js
@@ -87,20 +87,6 @@ export function save_narrow(terms) {
     changehash(new_hash);
 }
 
-export function update_current_message_list(msg_list) {
-    if (msg_list !== message_lists.home) {
-        message_lists.home?.view.$list.removeClass("focused-message-list");
-    }
-
-    if (message_lists.current !== message_lists.home) {
-        // Remove old msg list from DOM.
-        message_lists.current?.view.$list.remove();
-    }
-
-    message_lists.set_current(msg_list);
-    message_lists.current.view.$list.addClass("focused-message-list");
-}
-
 export function activate(raw_terms, opts) {
     /* Main entry point for switching to a new view / message list.
        Note that for historical reasons related to the current
@@ -461,7 +447,7 @@ export function activate(raw_terms, opts) {
         // Show the new set of messages.  It is important to set message_lists.current to
         // the view right as it's being shown, because we rely on message_lists.current
         // being shown for deciding when to condense messages.
-        update_current_message_list(msg_list);
+        message_lists.update_current_message_list(msg_list);
 
         let then_select_offset;
         if (id_info.target_id === id_info.final_select_id) {
@@ -1115,7 +1101,7 @@ export function deactivate() {
         narrow_state.reset_current_filter();
         narrow_state.set_has_shown_message_list_view();
 
-        update_current_message_list(message_lists.home);
+        message_lists.update_current_message_list(message_lists.home);
         message_lists.current.resume_reading();
         condense.condense_and_collapse(message_lists.home.view.$list.find(".message_row"));
 
diff --git a/web/tests/narrow_activate.test.js b/web/tests/narrow_activate.test.js
index 446dcba6c5..1c5a459f48 100644
--- a/web/tests/narrow_activate.test.js
+++ b/web/tests/narrow_activate.test.js
@@ -38,7 +38,7 @@ const message_lists = mock_esm("../src/message_lists", {
             },
         },
     },
-    set_current(msg_list) {
+    update_current_message_list(msg_list) {
         message_lists.current = msg_list;
     },
 });
diff --git a/web/tests/popover_menus_data.test.js b/web/tests/popover_menus_data.test.js
index 9e1687cd8a..7703449e5a 100644
--- a/web/tests/popover_menus_data.test.js
+++ b/web/tests/popover_menus_data.test.js
@@ -9,6 +9,10 @@ const {page_params, realm} = require("./lib/zpage_params");
 const {Filter} = zrequire("filter");
 const {MessageList} = zrequire("message_list");
 const message_lists = zrequire("message_lists");
+message_lists.update_current_message_list = (list) => {
+    message_lists.current = list;
+};
+
 const popover_menus_data = zrequire("popover_menus_data");
 const people = zrequire("people");
 const compose_state = zrequire("compose_state");
@@ -135,7 +139,7 @@ test("my_message_all_actions", () => {
     // Get message with maximum permissions available
     // Initialize message list
     const list = init_message_list();
-    message_lists.set_current(list);
+    message_lists.update_current_message_list(list);
 
     // Assume message has been previously edited.
     // Message is sent by me, and is a stream. I should have all permissions to this message.
@@ -185,7 +189,7 @@ test("not_my_message_view_actions", () => {
     // Get message that is only viewable
 
     const list = init_message_list();
-    message_lists.set_current(list);
+    message_lists.update_current_message_list(list);
 
     // Message is sent by somebody else and is a stream with previous history.
     // I should only be able to view this message with no edit/move permissions.
@@ -225,7 +229,7 @@ test("not_my_message_view_source_and_move", () => {
     // Get message that is movable with viewable source
 
     const list = init_message_list();
-    message_lists.set_current(list);
+    message_lists.update_current_message_list(list);
 
     // Message tests edge case where message it sent by someone else.
     // Message is movable, however--I should have only view permissions with the exception of moving the message.