diff --git a/frontend_tests/node_tests/narrow_state.js b/frontend_tests/node_tests/narrow_state.js
index 702556b3df..3754ec3ac2 100644
--- a/frontend_tests/node_tests/narrow_state.js
+++ b/frontend_tests/node_tests/narrow_state.js
@@ -30,7 +30,6 @@ run_test('stream', () => {
         ['search', 'yo'],
     ]);
     assert(narrow_state.active());
-    assert(!narrow_state.is_reading_mode());
 
     assert.equal(narrow_state.stream(), 'Test');
     assert.equal(narrow_state.stream_id(), test_stream.stream_id);
@@ -59,7 +58,6 @@ run_test('narrowed', () => {
     assert(!narrow_state.narrowed_to_topic());
     assert(!narrow_state.narrowed_by_stream_reply());
     assert.equal(narrow_state.stream_id(), undefined);
-    assert(narrow_state.is_reading_mode());
 
     set_filter([['stream', 'Foo']]);
     assert(!narrow_state.narrowed_to_pms());
@@ -69,7 +67,6 @@ run_test('narrowed', () => {
     assert(!narrow_state.narrowed_to_search());
     assert(!narrow_state.narrowed_to_topic());
     assert(narrow_state.narrowed_by_stream_reply());
-    assert(narrow_state.is_reading_mode());
 
     set_filter([['pm-with', 'steve@zulip.com']]);
     assert(narrow_state.narrowed_to_pms());
@@ -79,7 +76,6 @@ run_test('narrowed', () => {
     assert(!narrow_state.narrowed_to_search());
     assert(!narrow_state.narrowed_to_topic());
     assert(!narrow_state.narrowed_by_stream_reply());
-    assert(narrow_state.is_reading_mode());
 
     set_filter([['stream', 'Foo'], ['topic', 'bar']]);
     assert(!narrow_state.narrowed_to_pms());
@@ -89,7 +85,6 @@ run_test('narrowed', () => {
     assert(!narrow_state.narrowed_to_search());
     assert(narrow_state.narrowed_to_topic());
     assert(!narrow_state.narrowed_by_stream_reply());
-    assert(narrow_state.is_reading_mode());
 
     set_filter([['search', 'grail']]);
     assert(!narrow_state.narrowed_to_pms());
@@ -99,7 +94,6 @@ run_test('narrowed', () => {
     assert(narrow_state.narrowed_to_search());
     assert(!narrow_state.narrowed_to_topic());
     assert(!narrow_state.narrowed_by_stream_reply());
-    assert(!narrow_state.is_reading_mode());
 });
 
 run_test('operators', () => {
diff --git a/static/js/filter.js b/static/js/filter.js
index 43134bd936..4ac779e850 100644
--- a/static/js/filter.js
+++ b/static/js/filter.js
@@ -489,25 +489,6 @@ Filter.prototype = {
         return _.isEqual(term_types, wanted_term_types);
     },
 
-    is_reading_mode: function () {
-        // We only turn on "reading mode" for filters that
-        // have contiguous messages for a narrow, as opposed
-        // to "random access" queries like search:<keyword>
-        // or id:<number> that jump you to parts of the message
-        // view where you might only care about reading the
-        // current message.
-        const term_types = this.sorted_term_types();
-        const wanted_list = [
-            ['stream'],
-            ['stream', 'topic'],
-            ['is-private'],
-            ['pm-with'],
-        ];
-        return _.any(wanted_list, function (wanted_types) {
-            return _.isEqual(wanted_types, term_types);
-        });
-    },
-
     can_bucket_by: function () {
         // TODO: in ES6 use spread operator
         //
diff --git a/static/js/narrow_state.js b/static/js/narrow_state.js
index e574f0891c..0c60245d01 100644
--- a/static/js/narrow_state.js
+++ b/static/js/narrow_state.js
@@ -18,14 +18,6 @@ exports.filter = function () {
     return current_filter;
 };
 
-exports.is_reading_mode = function () {
-    if (current_filter === undefined) {
-        return true;
-    }
-
-    return current_filter.is_reading_mode();
-};
-
 exports.operators = function () {
     if (current_filter === undefined) {
         return new Filter(page_params.narrow).operators();