diff --git a/frontend_tests/node_tests/compose.js b/frontend_tests/node_tests/compose.js
new file mode 100644
index 0000000000..062d51200e
--- /dev/null
+++ b/frontend_tests/node_tests/compose.js
@@ -0,0 +1,64 @@
+set_global('$', function () {
+});
+
+set_global('page_params', {
+    use_websockets: false,
+});
+
+set_global('document', {
+    location: {
+    },
+});
+
+add_dependencies({
+    stream_data: 'js/stream_data',
+    util: 'js/util',
+});
+
+var compose = require('js/compose.js');
+
+(function test_set_focused_recipient() {
+    var sub = {
+        stream_id: 101,
+        name: 'social',
+        subscribed: true,
+    };
+    stream_data.add_sub('social', sub);
+
+    var page = {
+        '#stream': 'social',
+        '#subject': 'lunch',
+        '#new_message_content': 'burrito',
+        '#private_message_recipient': 'alice@example.com,    bob@example.com',
+    };
+
+    global.$ = function (selector) {
+        return {
+            val: function () {
+                return page[selector];
+            },
+        };
+    };
+
+    compose.composing = function () {
+        return 'stream';
+    };
+
+    global.$.trim = function (s) {
+        return s;
+    };
+
+
+    var message = compose.snapshot_message();
+    assert.equal(message.to, 'social');
+    assert.equal(message.subject, 'lunch');
+    assert.equal(message.content, 'burrito');
+
+    compose.composing = function () {
+        return 'private';
+    };
+    message = compose.snapshot_message();
+    assert.deepEqual(message.to, ['alice@example.com', 'bob@example.com']);
+    assert.equal(message.content, 'burrito');
+
+}());