diff --git a/web/src/click_handlers.js b/web/src/click_handlers.js
index c08c774ae8..8d7496ebc5 100644
--- a/web/src/click_handlers.js
+++ b/web/src/click_handlers.js
@@ -41,6 +41,7 @@ import * as starred_messages_ui from "./starred_messages_ui";
 import * as stream_list from "./stream_list";
 import * as stream_popover from "./stream_popover";
 import * as topic_list from "./topic_list";
+import * as topic_zoom from "./topic_zoom";
 import * as ui_util from "./ui_util";
 import {parse_html} from "./ui_util";
 import * as user_topics from "./user_topics";
@@ -729,6 +730,10 @@ export function initialize() {
             );
             const scroll_position = $left_sidebar_scrollbar.scrollTop();
 
+            if (topic_zoom.is_zoomed_in()) {
+                topic_zoom.zoom_out();
+            }
+
             // This next bit of logic is a bit subtle; this header
             // button scrolls to the top of the direct messages
             // section is uncollapsed but out of view; otherwise, we
diff --git a/web/src/pm_list.js b/web/src/pm_list.js
index 648e3569f6..e0c07bc432 100644
--- a/web/src/pm_list.js
+++ b/web/src/pm_list.js
@@ -5,7 +5,6 @@ import * as pm_list_data from "./pm_list_data";
 import * as pm_list_dom from "./pm_list_dom";
 import * as resize from "./resize";
 import * as scroll_util from "./scroll_util";
-import * as topic_zoom from "./topic_zoom";
 import * as ui_util from "./ui_util";
 import * as vdom from "./vdom";
 
@@ -100,11 +99,6 @@ export function update_private_messages() {
 }
 
 export function expand() {
-    // Only one thing can be zoomed at a time.
-    if (topic_zoom.is_zoomed_in()) {
-        topic_zoom.zoom_out();
-    }
-
     private_messages_collapsed = false;
 
     $("#toggle_private_messages_section_icon").addClass("fa-caret-down");
@@ -193,9 +187,6 @@ export function toggle_private_messages_section() {
 
 function zoom_in() {
     zoomed = true;
-    if (topic_zoom.is_zoomed_in()) {
-        topic_zoom.zoom_out();
-    }
     update_private_messages();
     $(".private_messages_container").removeClass("zoom-out").addClass("zoom-in");
     $("#streams_list").hide();