diff --git a/static/js/narrow.js b/static/js/narrow.js
index 5efad11ff0..e2c095bc43 100644
--- a/static/js/narrow.js
+++ b/static/js/narrow.js
@@ -98,6 +98,12 @@ exports.activate = function (raw_operators, opts) {
         opts.then_select_id = parseInt(filter.operands("id")[0], 10);
     }
 
+    if (opts.use_initial_narrow_pointer) {
+        opts.then_select_id = page_params.initial_narrow_pointer;
+        opts.then_select_offset = page_params.initial_narrow_offset;
+        home_msg_list.pre_narrow_offset = page_params.initial_offset;
+    }
+
     var select_first_unread = (opts.then_select_id === -1);
     var then_select_id = opts.then_select_id;
     var then_select_offset;
@@ -106,7 +112,9 @@ exports.activate = function (raw_operators, opts) {
         unread.messages_read_in_narrow = false;
     }
 
-    if (!select_first_unread && current_msg_list.get_row(then_select_id).length > 0) {
+    if (opts.then_select_offset) {
+        then_select_offset = opts.then_select_offset;
+    } else if (!select_first_unread && current_msg_list.get_row(then_select_id).length > 0) {
         then_select_offset = current_msg_list.get_row(then_select_id).offset().top;
     }
 
@@ -130,13 +138,6 @@ exports.activate = function (raw_operators, opts) {
         current_msg_list.pre_narrow_offset = current_msg_list.selected_row().offset().top;
     }
 
-    if (opts.use_initial_narrow_pointer) {
-        then_select_id = page_params.initial_narrow_pointer;
-        then_select_offset = page_params.initial_narrow_offset;
-        select_first_unread = false;
-        home_msg_list.pre_narrow_offset = page_params.initial_offset;
-    }
-
     var msg_list_opts = {
         collapse_messages: ! narrow_state.get_current_filter().is_search(),
         muting_enabled: muting_enabled,