diff --git a/.eslintrc.json b/.eslintrc.json
index 8d2b100c1d..bfd8ca2d7a 100644
--- a/.eslintrc.json
+++ b/.eslintrc.json
@@ -25,6 +25,7 @@
         "popovers": false,
         "server_events": false,
         "ui": false,
+        "ui_state": false,
         "lightbox": false,
         "stream_color": false,
         "people": false,
diff --git a/frontend_tests/node_tests/hotkey.js b/frontend_tests/node_tests/hotkey.js
index 8144e71203..685dbc08b7 100644
--- a/frontend_tests/node_tests/hotkey.js
+++ b/frontend_tests/node_tests/hotkey.js
@@ -116,7 +116,7 @@ function stubbing(func_name_to_stub, test_function) {
     _.each([return_true, return_false], function (is_settings_page) {
         _.each([return_true, return_false], function (home_tab_obscured) {
             hotkey.is_settings_page = is_settings_page;
-            set_global('ui', {home_tab_obscured: home_tab_obscured});
+            set_global('ui_state', {home_tab_obscured: home_tab_obscured});
 
             test_normal_typing();
         });
diff --git a/static/js/click_handlers.js b/static/js/click_handlers.js
index a24baa244d..5ba3f7c92b 100644
--- a/static/js/click_handlers.js
+++ b/static/js/click_handlers.js
@@ -272,7 +272,7 @@ $(function () {
     });
 
     $(".brand").on('click', function (e) {
-        if (ui.home_tab_obscured()) {
+        if (ui_state.home_tab_obscured()) {
             ui.change_tab_to('#home');
         } else {
             narrow.restore_home_state();
diff --git a/static/js/hotkey.js b/static/js/hotkey.js
index d5167163b3..4af2eb6546 100644
--- a/static/js/hotkey.js
+++ b/static/js/hotkey.js
@@ -379,7 +379,7 @@ exports.process_hotkey = function (e, hotkey) {
             return exports.process_shift_tab_key();
     }
 
-    if (hotkey.message_view_only && ui.home_tab_obscured()) {
+    if (hotkey.message_view_only && ui_state.home_tab_obscured()) {
         return false;
     }
 
diff --git a/static/js/narrow.js b/static/js/narrow.js
index 3b0f34a24f..51318039a6 100644
--- a/static/js/narrow.js
+++ b/static/js/narrow.js
@@ -530,7 +530,7 @@ exports.restore_home_state = function () {
     // If we click on the Home link from another nav pane, just go
     // back to the state you were in (possibly still narrowed) before
     // you left the Home pane.
-    if (!ui.home_tab_obscured()) {
+    if (!ui_state.home_tab_obscured()) {
         exports.deactivate();
     }
     navigate.maybe_scroll_to_selected();
diff --git a/static/js/shim.js b/static/js/shim.js
index 244ceb4b18..ef073fc0d5 100644
--- a/static/js/shim.js
+++ b/static/js/shim.js
@@ -13,6 +13,9 @@ var compose_actions = {};
 compose_actions.start = compose.start;
 compose_actions.cancel = compose.cancel;
 
+var ui_state = {};
+ui_state.home_tab_obscured = ui.home_tab_obscured;
+
 var compose_state = {};
 compose_state.has_message_content = compose.has_message_content;
 compose_state.recipient = compose.recipient;
diff --git a/static/js/stream_list.js b/static/js/stream_list.js
index 45452cf127..261aa5af71 100644
--- a/static/js/stream_list.js
+++ b/static/js/stream_list.js
@@ -473,7 +473,7 @@ $(function () {
         if (e.metaKey || e.ctrlKey) {
             return;
         }
-        if (ui.home_tab_obscured()) {
+        if (ui_state.home_tab_obscured()) {
             ui.change_tab_to('#home');
         }
         var stream = $(e.target).parents('li').attr('data-name');
@@ -534,7 +534,7 @@ function maybe_select_stream(e) {
         var topStream = $('#stream_filters li.narrow-filter').first().data('name');
         if (topStream !== undefined) {
             // undefined if there are no results
-            if (ui.home_tab_obscured()) {
+            if (ui_state.home_tab_obscured()) {
                 ui.change_tab_to('#home');
             }
             exports.clear_and_hide_search();
diff --git a/static/js/subs.js b/static/js/subs.js
index 7146d0180d..1ce9059829 100644
--- a/static/js/subs.js
+++ b/static/js/subs.js
@@ -132,7 +132,7 @@ function update_in_home_view(sub, value) {
         var msg_offset;
         var saved_ypos;
         // Save our current scroll position
-        if (ui.home_tab_obscured()) {
+        if (ui_state.home_tab_obscured()) {
             saved_ypos = message_viewport.scrollTop();
         } else if (home_msg_list === current_msg_list &&
                    current_msg_list.selected_row().offset() !== null) {
@@ -145,7 +145,7 @@ function update_in_home_view(sub, value) {
         message_store.add_messages(message_list.all.all_messages(), home_msg_list);
 
         // Ensure we're still at the same scroll position
-        if (ui.home_tab_obscured()) {
+        if (ui_state.home_tab_obscured()) {
             message_viewport.scrollTop(saved_ypos);
         } else if (home_msg_list === current_msg_list) {
             // We pass use_closest to handle the case where the
diff --git a/static/js/topic_list.js b/static/js/topic_list.js
index 500da19524..5e460281d6 100644
--- a/static/js/topic_list.js
+++ b/static/js/topic_list.js
@@ -210,7 +210,7 @@ exports.set_click_handlers = function (callbacks) {
 
         // In a more componentized world, we would delegate some
         // of this stuff back up to our parents.
-        if (ui.home_tab_obscured()) {
+        if (ui_state.home_tab_obscured()) {
             ui.change_tab_to('#home');
         }
 
diff --git a/static/js/tutorial.js b/static/js/tutorial.js
index 09b82f2ad4..477f433002 100644
--- a/static/js/tutorial.js
+++ b/static/js/tutorial.js
@@ -504,7 +504,7 @@ function welcome() {
 }
 
 exports.start = function () {
-    if (ui.home_tab_obscured()) {
+    if (ui_state.home_tab_obscured()) {
         ui.change_tab_to('#home');
     }
     narrow.deactivate();
diff --git a/static/js/ui_init.js b/static/js/ui_init.js
index 1f400d2667..a026cd2937 100644
--- a/static/js/ui_init.js
+++ b/static/js/ui_init.js
@@ -68,7 +68,7 @@ $(function () {
     });
 
     message_viewport.message_pane.mousewheel(function (e, delta) {
-        if (!ui.home_tab_obscured()) {
+        if (!ui_state.home_tab_obscured()) {
             // In the message view, we use a throttled mousewheel handler.
             throttled_mousewheelhandler(e, delta);
         }