diff --git a/tools/test-js-with-node b/tools/test-js-with-node
index 2da6eafff9..79d0145926 100755
--- a/tools/test-js-with-node
+++ b/tools/test-js-with-node
@@ -150,6 +150,7 @@ EXEMPT_FILES = make_set(
         "web/src/narrow_title.js",
         "web/src/navbar_alerts.js",
         "web/src/navigate.js",
+        "web/src/overlay_util.ts",
         "web/src/overlays.ts",
         "web/src/padded_widget.ts",
         "web/src/page_params.ts",
diff --git a/web/src/overlay_util.ts b/web/src/overlay_util.ts
new file mode 100644
index 0000000000..ee5580c771
--- /dev/null
+++ b/web/src/overlay_util.ts
@@ -0,0 +1,15 @@
+import $ from "jquery";
+
+export function disable_scrolling(): void {
+    // Why disable scrolling?
+    // Since fixed / absolute positioned elements don't capture the scroll event unless
+    // they overflow their defined container. Since fixed / absolute elements are not treated
+    // as part of the document flow, we cannot capture `scroll` events on them and prevent propagation
+    // as event bubbling doesn't work naturally.
+    const scrollbar_width = window.innerWidth - document.documentElement.clientWidth;
+    $("html").css({"overflow-y": "hidden", "--disabled-scrollbar-width": `${scrollbar_width}px`});
+}
+
+export function enable_scrolling(): void {
+    $("html").css({"overflow-y": "scroll", "--disabled-scrollbar-width": "0px"});
+}
diff --git a/web/src/overlays.ts b/web/src/overlays.ts
index 426ff2b118..49847c3290 100644
--- a/web/src/overlays.ts
+++ b/web/src/overlays.ts
@@ -2,6 +2,7 @@ import $ from "jquery";
 import Micromodal from "micromodal";
 
 import * as blueslip from "./blueslip";
+import * as overlay_util from "./overlay_util";
 
 type Hook = () => void;
 
@@ -52,20 +53,6 @@ function call_hooks(func_list: Hook[]): void {
     }
 }
 
-export function disable_scrolling(): void {
-    // Why disable scrolling?
-    // Since fixed / absolute positioned elements don't capture the scroll event unless
-    // they overflow their defined container. Since fixed / absolute elements are not treated
-    // as part of the document flow, we cannot capture `scroll` events on them and prevent propagation
-    // as event bubbling doesn't work naturally.
-    const scrollbar_width = window.innerWidth - document.documentElement.clientWidth;
-    $("html").css({"overflow-y": "hidden", "--disabled-scrollbar-width": `${scrollbar_width}px`});
-}
-
-function enable_scrolling(): void {
-    $("html").css({"overflow-y": "scroll", "--disabled-scrollbar-width": "0px"});
-}
-
 export function is_active(): boolean {
     return Boolean(open_overlay_name);
 }
@@ -151,7 +138,7 @@ export function open_overlay(opts: OverlayOptions): void {
         },
     };
 
-    disable_scrolling();
+    overlay_util.disable_scrolling();
     opts.$overlay.addClass("show");
     opts.$overlay.attr("aria-hidden", "false");
     $(".app").attr("aria-hidden", "true");
@@ -263,7 +250,7 @@ export function open_modal(
         if (conf.on_show) {
             conf.on_show();
         }
-        disable_scrolling();
+        overlay_util.disable_scrolling();
         call_hooks(pre_open_hooks);
     }
 
@@ -271,7 +258,7 @@ export function open_modal(
         if (conf.on_hide) {
             conf.on_hide();
         }
-        enable_scrolling();
+        overlay_util.enable_scrolling();
         call_hooks(pre_close_hooks);
     }
 
@@ -309,7 +296,7 @@ export function close_overlay(name: string): void {
     $("#navbar-fixed-container").attr("aria-hidden", "false");
 
     active_overlay.close_handler();
-    enable_scrolling();
+    overlay_util.enable_scrolling();
 }
 
 export function close_active(): void {