diff --git a/zerver/actions/message_send.py b/zerver/actions/message_send.py
index b32ed2f996..c18147361d 100644
--- a/zerver/actions/message_send.py
+++ b/zerver/actions/message_send.py
@@ -68,6 +68,7 @@ from zerver.lib.notification_data import (
     get_user_group_mentions_data,
     user_allows_notifications_in_StreamTopic,
 )
+from zerver.lib.query_helpers import query_for_ids
 from zerver.lib.queue import queue_json_publish
 from zerver.lib.recipient_users import recipient_for_user_profiles
 from zerver.lib.stream_subscription import (
@@ -101,7 +102,6 @@ from zerver.models import (
     UserPresence,
     UserProfile,
     UserTopic,
-    query_for_ids,
 )
 from zerver.models.clients import get_client
 from zerver.models.groups import SystemGroups
diff --git a/zerver/lib/message.py b/zerver/lib/message.py
index 25f7bdc860..e0d54dfd47 100644
--- a/zerver/lib/message.py
+++ b/zerver/lib/message.py
@@ -42,6 +42,7 @@ from zerver.lib.exceptions import JsonableError, MissingAuthenticationError
 from zerver.lib.markdown import MessageRenderingResult, markdown_convert, topic_links
 from zerver.lib.markdown import version as markdown_version
 from zerver.lib.mention import MentionData
+from zerver.lib.query_helpers import query_for_ids
 from zerver.lib.request import RequestVariableConversionError
 from zerver.lib.stream_subscription import (
     get_stream_subscriptions_for_user,
@@ -74,7 +75,6 @@ from zerver.models import (
     UserMessage,
     UserProfile,
     UserTopic,
-    query_for_ids,
 )
 from zerver.models.constants import MAX_TOPIC_NAME_LENGTH
 from zerver.models.messages import get_usermessage_by_message_id
diff --git a/zerver/lib/presence.py b/zerver/lib/presence.py
index bb30b11ae6..06e09517da 100644
--- a/zerver/lib/presence.py
+++ b/zerver/lib/presence.py
@@ -6,9 +6,10 @@ from typing import Any, Dict, Mapping, Optional, Sequence, Set
 from django.conf import settings
 from django.utils.timezone import now as timezone_now
 
+from zerver.lib.query_helpers import query_for_ids
 from zerver.lib.timestamp import datetime_to_timestamp
 from zerver.lib.users import check_user_can_access_all_users, get_accessible_user_ids
-from zerver.models import PushDeviceToken, Realm, UserPresence, UserProfile, query_for_ids
+from zerver.models import PushDeviceToken, Realm, UserPresence, UserProfile
 
 
 def get_presence_dicts_for_rows(
diff --git a/zerver/lib/query_helpers.py b/zerver/lib/query_helpers.py
new file mode 100644
index 0000000000..52f1dea666
--- /dev/null
+++ b/zerver/lib/query_helpers.py
@@ -0,0 +1,30 @@
+from typing import List, TypeVar
+
+from django.db import models
+from django_stubs_ext import ValuesQuerySet
+
+ModelT = TypeVar("ModelT", bound=models.Model)
+RowT = TypeVar("RowT")
+
+
+def query_for_ids(
+    query: ValuesQuerySet[ModelT, RowT],
+    user_ids: List[int],
+    field: str,
+) -> ValuesQuerySet[ModelT, RowT]:
+    """
+    This function optimizes searches of the form
+    `user_profile_id in (1, 2, 3, 4)` by quickly
+    building the where clauses.  Profiling shows significant
+    speedups over the normal Django-based approach.
+
+    Use this very carefully!  Also, the caller should
+    guard against empty lists of user_ids.
+    """
+    assert user_ids
+    clause = f"{field} IN %s"
+    query = query.extra(
+        where=[clause],
+        params=(tuple(user_ids),),
+    )
+    return query
diff --git a/zerver/models/__init__.py b/zerver/models/__init__.py
index 149902cfd0..8de3b242bc 100644
--- a/zerver/models/__init__.py
+++ b/zerver/models/__init__.py
@@ -1,9 +1,8 @@
-from typing import List, Tuple, TypeVar, Union
+from typing import List, Tuple, Union
 
 from django.db import models
 from django.db.backends.base.base import BaseDatabaseWrapper
 from django.db.models.sql.compiler import SQLCompiler
-from django_stubs_ext import ValuesQuerySet
 from typing_extensions import override
 
 from zerver.models.alert_words import AlertWord as AlertWord
@@ -98,30 +97,3 @@ class AndNonZero(models.Lookup[int]):
         lhs, lhs_params = self.process_lhs(compiler, connection)
         rhs, rhs_params = self.process_rhs(compiler, connection)
         return f"{lhs} & {rhs} != 0", lhs_params + rhs_params
-
-
-ModelT = TypeVar("ModelT", bound=models.Model)
-RowT = TypeVar("RowT")
-
-
-def query_for_ids(
-    query: ValuesQuerySet[ModelT, RowT],
-    user_ids: List[int],
-    field: str,
-) -> ValuesQuerySet[ModelT, RowT]:
-    """
-    This function optimizes searches of the form
-    `user_profile_id in (1, 2, 3, 4)` by quickly
-    building the where clauses.  Profiling shows significant
-    speedups over the normal Django-based approach.
-
-    Use this very carefully!  Also, the caller should
-    guard against empty lists of user_ids.
-    """
-    assert user_ids
-    clause = f"{field} IN %s"
-    query = query.extra(
-        where=[clause],
-        params=(tuple(user_ids),),
-    )
-    return query