diff --git a/frontend_tests/casper_tests/03-narrow.js b/frontend_tests/casper_tests/03-narrow.js
index 15e2f70df6..e94bcb0450 100644
--- a/frontend_tests/casper_tests/03-narrow.js
+++ b/frontend_tests/casper_tests/03-narrow.js
@@ -290,13 +290,13 @@ expect_stream();
 
 casper.then(check_narrow_title('Verona - Zulip Dev - Zulip'));
 
-casper.thenClick('#global_filters [data-name="home"] a');
+casper.thenClick('.top_left_all_messages a');
 
 expect_home();
 
 casper.then(check_narrow_title('home - Zulip Dev - Zulip'));
 
-casper.thenClick('#global_filters [data-name="private"] a');
+casper.thenClick('.top_left_private_messages a');
 
 expect_all_pm();
 
diff --git a/frontend_tests/node_tests/pm_list.js b/frontend_tests/node_tests/pm_list.js
index c98f937901..3eaac95b82 100644
--- a/frontend_tests/node_tests/pm_list.js
+++ b/frontend_tests/node_tests/pm_list.js
@@ -105,7 +105,7 @@ run_test('build_private_messages_list', () => {
     expected_data.want_show_more_messages_links = true;
     assert.deepEqual(template_data, expected_data);
 
-    $('#global_filters').on = function (action, selector, f) {
+    $('.top_left_private_messages').on = function (action, selector, f) {
         var e = { preventDefault: function () {}, stopPropagation: function () {}};
         f(e);
     };
@@ -127,7 +127,7 @@ run_test('expand_and_update_private_messages', () => {
         return 'fake-dom-for-pm-list';
     };
 
-    var private_li = $("#global_filters > li[data-name='private']");
+    var private_li = $(".top_left_private_messages");
     var alice_li = $.create('alice-li-stub');
     var bob_li = $.create('bob-li-stub');
 
@@ -221,7 +221,7 @@ run_test('expand_and_update_private_messages', () => {
 run_test('update_dom_with_unread_counts', () => {
     var total_value = $.create('total-value-stub');
     var total_count = $.create('total-count-stub');
-    var private_li = $("#global_filters > li[data-name='private']");
+    var private_li = $(".top_left_private_messages");
     private_li.set_find_results('.count', total_count);
     total_count.set_find_results('.value', total_value);
 
diff --git a/frontend_tests/node_tests/top_left_corner.js b/frontend_tests/node_tests/top_left_corner.js
index be60261edc..7f6f3931d2 100644
--- a/frontend_tests/node_tests/top_left_corner.js
+++ b/frontend_tests/node_tests/top_left_corner.js
@@ -64,23 +64,29 @@ run_test('narrowing', () => {
         {operator: 'is', operand: 'mentioned'},
     ]);
     top_left_corner.handle_narrow_activated(filter);
-    assert(top_left_corner.get_global_filter_li('mentioned').hasClass('active-filter'));
+    assert($('.top_left_mentions').hasClass('active-filter'));
+
+    filter = new Filter([
+        {operator: 'is', operand: 'starred'},
+    ]);
+    top_left_corner.handle_narrow_activated(filter);
+    assert($('.top_left_starred_messages').hasClass('active-filter'));
 
     filter = new Filter([
         {operator: 'in', operand: 'home'},
     ]);
     top_left_corner.handle_narrow_activated(filter);
-    assert(top_left_corner.get_global_filter_li('home').hasClass('active-filter'));
+    assert($('.top_left_all_messages').hasClass('active-filter'));
 
     // deactivating narrow
 
     pm_closed = false;
     top_left_corner.handle_narrow_deactivated();
 
-    assert(top_left_corner.get_global_filter_li('home').hasClass('active-filter'));
-    assert(!top_left_corner.get_global_filter_li('mentioned').hasClass('active-filter'));
-    assert(!top_left_corner.get_global_filter_li('private').hasClass('active-filter'));
-    assert(!top_left_corner.get_global_filter_li('starred').hasClass('active-filter'));
+    assert($('.top_left_all_messages').hasClass('active-filter'));
+    assert(!$('.top_left_mentions').hasClass('active-filter'));
+    assert(!$('.top_left_private_messages').hasClass('active-filter'));
+    assert(!$('.top_left_starred_messages').hasClass('active-filter'));
     assert(pm_closed);
 });
 
@@ -101,26 +107,36 @@ run_test('update_count_in_dom', () => {
     };
 
     make_elem(
-        $("#global_filters li[data-name='mentioned']"),
+        $(".top_left_mentions"),
         '<mentioned-count>',
         '<mentioned-value>'
     );
 
     make_elem(
-        $("#global_filters li[data-name='home']"),
+        $(".top_left_all_messages"),
         '<home-count>',
         '<home-value>'
     );
 
+    make_elem(
+        $(".top_left_starred_messages"),
+        '<starred-count>',
+        '<starred-value>'
+    );
+
 
     top_left_corner.update_dom_with_unread_counts(counts);
+    top_left_corner.update_starred_count(444);
 
     assert.equal($('<mentioned-value>').text(), '222');
     assert.equal($('<home-value>').text(), '333');
+    assert.equal($('<starred-value>').text(), '444');
 
     counts.mentioned_message_count = 0;
     top_left_corner.update_dom_with_unread_counts(counts);
+    top_left_corner.update_starred_count(0);
 
     assert(!$('<mentioned-count>').visible());
     assert.equal($('<mentioned-value>').text(), '');
+    assert.equal($('<starred-value>').text(), '');
 });
diff --git a/frontend_tests/node_tests/ui_init.js b/frontend_tests/node_tests/ui_init.js
index 07661fb686..e7b10e5f71 100644
--- a/frontend_tests/node_tests/ui_init.js
+++ b/frontend_tests/node_tests/ui_init.js
@@ -157,7 +157,7 @@ $("#search_query").typeahead = () => {};
 const value_stub = $.create('value');
 const count_stub = $.create('count');
 count_stub.set_find_results('.value', value_stub);
-$("#global_filters li[data-name='starred']").set_find_results('.count', count_stub);
+$(".top_left_starred_messages").set_find_results('.count', count_stub);
 
 
 run_test('initialize_everything', () => {
diff --git a/static/js/click_handlers.js b/static/js/click_handlers.js
index 6262e19ba4..eefe7d8c95 100644
--- a/static/js/click_handlers.js
+++ b/static/js/click_handlers.js
@@ -375,8 +375,7 @@ exports.initialize = function () {
 
     // HOME
 
-    // Capture both the left-sidebar All Messages click and the tab breadcrumb All Messages
-    $(document).on('click', ".home-link[data-name='home']", function (e) {
+    $(document).on('click', ".top_left_all_messages", function (e) {
         ui_util.change_tab_to('#home');
         narrow.deactivate();
         search.update_button_visibility();
diff --git a/static/js/pm_list.js b/static/js/pm_list.js
index 553bc315fd..cbc6486249 100644
--- a/static/js/pm_list.js
+++ b/static/js/pm_list.js
@@ -13,7 +13,7 @@ var zoomed_in = false;
 // left corner of the app.  This was split out from stream_list.js.
 
 function get_filter_li() {
-    return $("#global_filters > li[data-name='private']");
+    return $(".top_left_private_messages");
 }
 
 function update_count_in_dom(count_span, value_span, count) {
@@ -167,12 +167,12 @@ exports.update_private_messages = function () {
         exports.rebuild_recent("");
     } else if (is_pm_filter) {
         exports.rebuild_recent("");
-        $("#global_filters li[data-name='private']").addClass('active-filter');
+        $(".top_left_private_messages").addClass('active-filter');
     }
 };
 
 exports.set_click_handlers = function () {
-    $('#global_filters').on('click', '.show-more-private-messages', function (e) {
+    $('.top_left_private_messages').on('click', '.show-more-private-messages', function (e) {
         popovers.hide_all();
         zoom_in();
         e.preventDefault();
diff --git a/static/js/starred_messages.js b/static/js/starred_messages.js
index 172da5359c..ac5d992041 100644
--- a/static/js/starred_messages.js
+++ b/static/js/starred_messages.js
@@ -40,8 +40,7 @@ exports.rerender_ui = function () {
         count = 0;
     }
 
-    var starred_li = top_left_corner.get_global_filter_li('starred');
-    top_left_corner.update_count_in_dom(starred_li, count);
+    top_left_corner.update_starred_count(count);
 };
 
 return exports;
diff --git a/static/js/top_left_corner.js b/static/js/top_left_corner.js
index 5dddca8f7f..2b26f56efd 100644
--- a/static/js/top_left_corner.js
+++ b/static/js/top_left_corner.js
@@ -2,11 +2,6 @@ var top_left_corner = (function () {
 
 var exports = {};
 
-exports.get_global_filter_li = function (filter_name) {
-    var selector = "#global_filters li[data-name='" + filter_name + "']";
-    return $(selector);
-};
-
 exports.update_count_in_dom = function (unread_count_elem, count) {
     var count_span = unread_count_elem.find('.count');
     var value_span = count_span.find('.value');
@@ -21,13 +16,17 @@ exports.update_count_in_dom = function (unread_count_elem, count) {
     value_span.text(count);
 };
 
+exports.update_starred_count = function (count) {
+    var starred_li = $('.top_left_starred_messages');
+    exports.update_count_in_dom(starred_li, count);
+};
 
 exports.update_dom_with_unread_counts = function (counts) {
     // Note that "Private messages" counts are handled in pm_list.js.
 
     // mentioned/home have simple integer counts
-    var mentioned_li = exports.get_global_filter_li('mentioned');
-    var home_li = exports.get_global_filter_li('home');
+    var mentioned_li = $('.top_left_mentions');
+    var home_li = $('.top_left_all_messages');
 
     exports.update_count_in_dom(mentioned_li, counts.mentioned_message_count);
     exports.update_count_in_dom(home_li, counts.home_unread_messages);
@@ -37,15 +36,14 @@ exports.update_dom_with_unread_counts = function (counts) {
 };
 
 function deselect_top_left_corner_items() {
-    function remove(name) {
-        var li = exports.get_global_filter_li(name);
-        li.removeClass('active-filter active-sub-filter');
+    function remove(elem) {
+        elem.removeClass('active-filter active-sub-filter');
     }
 
-    remove('home');
-    remove('private');
-    remove('starred');
-    remove('mentioned');
+    remove($('.top_left_all_messages'));
+    remove($('.top_left_private_messages'));
+    remove($('.top_left_starred_messages'));
+    remove($('.top_left_mentions'));
 }
 
 exports.handle_narrow_activated = function (filter) {
@@ -60,15 +58,18 @@ exports.handle_narrow_activated = function (filter) {
     if (ops.length >= 1) {
         filter_name = ops[0];
         if (filter_name === 'home') {
-            filter_li = exports.get_global_filter_li(filter_name);
+            filter_li = $('.top_left_all_messages');
             filter_li.addClass('active-filter');
         }
     }
     ops = filter.operands('is');
     if (ops.length >= 1) {
         filter_name = ops[0];
-        if (filter_name === 'starred' || filter_name === 'mentioned') {
-            filter_li = exports.get_global_filter_li(filter_name);
+        if (filter_name === 'starred') {
+            filter_li = $('.top_left_starred_messages');
+            filter_li.addClass('active-filter');
+        } else if (filter_name === 'mentioned') {
+            filter_li = $('.top_left_mentions');
             filter_li.addClass('active-filter');
         }
     }
@@ -106,7 +107,7 @@ exports.handle_narrow_deactivated = function () {
     deselect_top_left_corner_items();
     pm_list.close();
 
-    var filter_li = exports.get_global_filter_li('home');
+    var filter_li = $('.top_left_all_messages');
     filter_li.addClass('active-filter');
 };
 
diff --git a/templates/zerver/app/left_sidebar.html b/templates/zerver/app/left_sidebar.html
index 815222a0a3..54b5860c8e 100644
--- a/templates/zerver/app/left_sidebar.html
+++ b/templates/zerver/app/left_sidebar.html
@@ -2,7 +2,7 @@
     <div class="bottom_sidebar">
         <ul id="global_filters" class="filters">
             {# Special-case this link so we don't actually go to page top. #}
-            <li data-name="home" class="global-filter active-filter home-link" title="{{ _('All messages') }} (Esc)">
+            <li class="top_left_all_messages global-filter active-filter home-link" title="{{ _('All messages') }} (Esc)">
                 <a href="#">
                     <span class="filter-icon">
                         <i class="fa fa-home" aria-hidden="true"></i>
@@ -14,7 +14,7 @@
                 </a>
                 <span class="arrow stream-sidebar-arrow"><i class="fa fa-chevron-down" aria-hidden="true"></i></span>
             </li>
-            <li data-name="private" class="global-filter" title="{{ _('Private messages') }} (P)">
+            <li class="top_left_private_messages global-filter" title="{{ _('Private messages') }} (P)">
                 <a href="#narrow/is/private">
                     <span class="filter-icon">
                         <i class="fa fa-envelope" aria-hidden="true"></i>
@@ -25,7 +25,7 @@
                     </span>
                 </a>
             </li>
-            <li data-name="starred" class="global-filter">
+            <li class="top_left_starred_messages global-filter">
                 <a href="#narrow/is/starred">
                     <span class="filter-icon">
                         <i class="fa fa-star" aria-hidden="true"></i>
@@ -36,7 +36,7 @@
                     </span>
                 </a>
             </li>
-            <li data-name="mentioned" class="global-filter">
+            <li class="top_left_mentions global-filter">
                 <a href="#narrow/is/mentioned">
                     <span class="filter-icon">
                         <i class="fa fa-at" aria-hidden="true"></i>