diff --git a/zephyr/static/js/dom_access.js b/zephyr/static/js/dom_access.js
index 49ddf073ae..91d41b97e7 100644
--- a/zephyr/static/js/dom_access.js
+++ b/zephyr/static/js/dom_access.js
@@ -1,13 +1,18 @@
+// We need to andSelf() because more often than not, the next item
+// *is* a .message_row, so nextUntil returns an empty set (except for
+// when it's in a bookend).
+// (This could probably be further optimized by handling that case
+// explicitly first, since it's also the common case.)
 function get_next_visible(message_row) {
     if (message_row === undefined)
         return [];
-    return message_row.nextAll('.message_row').filter(':first');
+    return message_row.nextUntil('.message_row').andSelf().next('.message_row');
 }
 
 function get_prev_visible(message_row) {
     if (message_row === undefined)
         return [];
-    return message_row.prevAll('.message_row').filter(':first');
+    return message_row.prevUntil('.message_row').andSelf().prev('.message_row');
 }
 
 function get_first_visible() {