diff --git a/.eslintrc.json b/.eslintrc.json
index ed13a3f2bf..912bbfa36a 100644
--- a/.eslintrc.json
+++ b/.eslintrc.json
@@ -27,6 +27,7 @@
         "ui": false,
         "ui_state": false,
         "ui_report": false,
+        "ui_util": false,
         "lightbox": false,
         "stream_color": false,
         "people": false,
diff --git a/static/js/click_handlers.js b/static/js/click_handlers.js
index 5ba3f7c92b..a976937619 100644
--- a/static/js/click_handlers.js
+++ b/static/js/click_handlers.js
@@ -102,7 +102,7 @@ $(function () {
 
     $('body').on('click', '.notification', function () {
         var payload = $(this).data("narrow");
-        ui.change_tab_to('#home');
+        ui_util.change_tab_to('#home');
         narrow.activate(payload.raw_operators, payload.opts_notif);
     });
 
@@ -153,7 +153,7 @@ $(function () {
     });
     $("body").on("click", "a", function () {
         if (document.activeElement === this) {
-            ui.blur_active_element();
+            ui_util.blur_active_element();
         }
     });
 
@@ -263,7 +263,7 @@ $(function () {
 
     // Capture both the left-sidebar Home click and the tab breadcrumb Home
     $(document).on('click', ".home-link[data-name='home']", function (e) {
-        ui.change_tab_to('#home');
+        ui_util.change_tab_to('#home');
         narrow.deactivate();
         // We need to maybe scroll to the selected message
         // once we have the proper viewport set up
@@ -273,7 +273,7 @@ $(function () {
 
     $(".brand").on('click', function (e) {
         if (ui_state.home_tab_obscured()) {
-            ui.change_tab_to('#home');
+            ui_util.change_tab_to('#home');
         } else {
             narrow.restore_home_state();
         }
diff --git a/static/js/compose.js b/static/js/compose.js
index 845ffe5d5a..ad26ab7cd6 100644
--- a/static/js/compose.js
+++ b/static/js/compose.js
@@ -262,7 +262,7 @@ exports.start = function (msg_type, opts) {
         compose.message_content(opts.content);
     }
 
-    ui.change_tab_to("#home");
+    ui_util.change_tab_to("#home");
 
     is_composing_message = msg_type;
 
diff --git a/static/js/composebox_typeahead.js b/static/js/composebox_typeahead.js
index 530bb3c6d0..95149af1f9 100644
--- a/static/js/composebox_typeahead.js
+++ b/static/js/composebox_typeahead.js
@@ -122,7 +122,7 @@ function handle_keydown(e) {
             // takes the typeaheads a little time to open after the user finishes typing, which
             // can lead to the focus moving without the autocomplete having a chance to happen.
             if (nextFocus) {
-                ui.focus_on(nextFocus);
+                ui_util.focus_on(nextFocus);
                 nextFocus = false;
             }
 
@@ -149,7 +149,7 @@ function handle_keyup(e) {
     var code = e.keyCode || e.which;
     if (code === 13 || (code === 9 && !e.shiftKey)) { // Enter key or tab key
         if (nextFocus) {
-            ui.focus_on(nextFocus);
+            ui_util.focus_on(nextFocus);
             nextFocus = false;
         }
     }
@@ -480,7 +480,7 @@ exports.initialize = function () {
                 previous_recipients += ", ";
             }
             if (event && event.type === 'click') {
-                ui.focus_on('private_message_recipient');
+                ui_util.focus_on('private_message_recipient');
             }
             return previous_recipients + item.email + ", ";
         },
diff --git a/static/js/hashchange.js b/static/js/hashchange.js
index fd9db6055a..6371dc0f5a 100644
--- a/static/js/hashchange.js
+++ b/static/js/hashchange.js
@@ -91,7 +91,7 @@ exports.parse_narrow = function (hash) {
 };
 
 function activate_home_tab() {
-    ui.change_tab_to("#home");
+    ui_util.change_tab_to("#home");
     narrow.deactivate();
     floating_recipient_bar.update();
 }
@@ -120,7 +120,7 @@ function do_hashchange(from_reload) {
     var hash = window.location.hash.split("/");
     switch (hash[0]) {
     case "#narrow":
-        ui.change_tab_to("#home");
+        ui_util.change_tab_to("#home");
         var operators = exports.parse_narrow(hash);
         if (operators === undefined) {
             // If the narrow URL didn't parse, clear
@@ -146,16 +146,16 @@ function do_hashchange(from_reload) {
         activate_home_tab();
         break;
     case "#streams":
-        ui.change_tab_to("#streams");
+        ui_util.change_tab_to("#streams");
         break;
     case "#drafts":
-        ui.change_tab_to("#drafts");
+        ui_util.change_tab_to("#drafts");
         break;
     case "#administration":
-        ui.change_tab_to("#administration");
+        ui_util.change_tab_to("#administration");
         break;
     case "#settings":
-        ui.change_tab_to("#settings");
+        ui_util.change_tab_to("#settings");
         break;
     }
     return false;
@@ -295,7 +295,7 @@ exports.close_modals = function () {
 
 exports.exit_modal = function (callback) {
     if (should_ignore(window.location.hash)) {
-        ui.blur_active_element();
+        ui_util.blur_active_element();
         ignore.flag = true;
         window.location.hash = ignore.prev || "#";
         if (typeof callback === "function") {
diff --git a/static/js/message_edit.js b/static/js/message_edit.js
index d3b71b4064..9869c09e54 100644
--- a/static/js/message_edit.js
+++ b/static/js/message_edit.js
@@ -374,9 +374,9 @@ exports.edit_last_sent_message = function () {
         message_edit.start(msg_row, function () {
             var editability_type = message_edit.get_editability(msg, 5);
             if (editability_type === message_edit.editability_types.TOPIC_ONLY) {
-                ui.focus_on('message_edit_topic');
+                ui_util.focus_on('message_edit_topic');
             } else {
-                ui.focus_on('message_edit_content');
+                ui_util.focus_on('message_edit_content');
             }
         });
     }
diff --git a/static/js/narrow.js b/static/js/narrow.js
index 51318039a6..d8f180a712 100644
--- a/static/js/narrow.js
+++ b/static/js/narrow.js
@@ -275,7 +275,7 @@ exports.activate = function (raw_operators, opts) {
     $("#zfilt").addClass("focused_table");
     $("#zhome").removeClass("focused_table");
 
-    ui.change_tab_to('#home');
+    ui_util.change_tab_to('#home');
     message_list.narrowed = msg_list;
     current_msg_list = message_list.narrowed;
 
diff --git a/static/js/pointer.js b/static/js/pointer.js
index d3c9d79f87..9774b9aaba 100644
--- a/static/js/pointer.js
+++ b/static/js/pointer.js
@@ -64,7 +64,7 @@ exports.fast_forward_pointer = function () {
             unread_ops.mark_all_as_read(function () {
                 pointer.furthest_read = data.max_message_id;
                 unconditionally_send_pointer_update().then(function () {
-                    ui.change_tab_to('#home');
+                    ui_util.change_tab_to('#home');
                     reload.initiate({immediate: true,
                                      save_pointer: false,
                                      save_narrow: false,
diff --git a/static/js/search.js b/static/js/search.js
index 4c3075cc87..54d0e20339 100644
--- a/static/js/search.js
+++ b/static/js/search.js
@@ -4,7 +4,7 @@ var exports = {};
 
 function narrow_or_search_for_term(search_string) {
     var search_query_box = $("#search_query");
-    ui.change_tab_to('#home');
+    ui_util.change_tab_to('#home');
     var operators = Filter.parse(search_string);
     narrow.activate(operators, {trigger: 'search'});
 
diff --git a/static/js/stream_list.js b/static/js/stream_list.js
index 261aa5af71..8e41c77fdb 100644
--- a/static/js/stream_list.js
+++ b/static/js/stream_list.js
@@ -474,7 +474,7 @@ $(function () {
             return;
         }
         if (ui_state.home_tab_obscured()) {
-            ui.change_tab_to('#home');
+            ui_util.change_tab_to('#home');
         }
         var stream = $(e.target).parents('li').attr('data-name');
         popovers.hide_all();
@@ -535,7 +535,7 @@ function maybe_select_stream(e) {
         if (topStream !== undefined) {
             // undefined if there are no results
             if (ui_state.home_tab_obscured()) {
-                ui.change_tab_to('#home');
+                ui_util.change_tab_to('#home');
             }
             exports.clear_and_hide_search();
             narrow.by('stream', topStream, {select_first_unread: true, trigger: 'sidebar enter key'});
diff --git a/static/js/subs.js b/static/js/subs.js
index ece72dd553..1f4ca43f70 100644
--- a/static/js/subs.js
+++ b/static/js/subs.js
@@ -1394,7 +1394,7 @@ function focus_on_narrowed_stream() {
 
 exports.show_and_focus_on_narrow = function () {
     $(document).one('subs_page_loaded.zulip', focus_on_narrowed_stream);
-    ui.change_tab_to("#streams");
+    ui_util.change_tab_to("#streams");
 };
 
 // *Synchronously* check if a stream exists.
diff --git a/static/js/topic_list.js b/static/js/topic_list.js
index 5e460281d6..1a70517f42 100644
--- a/static/js/topic_list.js
+++ b/static/js/topic_list.js
@@ -211,7 +211,7 @@ exports.set_click_handlers = function (callbacks) {
         // In a more componentized world, we would delegate some
         // of this stuff back up to our parents.
         if (ui_state.home_tab_obscured()) {
-            ui.change_tab_to('#home');
+            ui_util.change_tab_to('#home');
         }
 
         var stream = $(e.target).parents('ul').attr('data-stream');
diff --git a/static/js/tutorial.js b/static/js/tutorial.js
index 477f433002..1316433ad7 100644
--- a/static/js/tutorial.js
+++ b/static/js/tutorial.js
@@ -505,7 +505,7 @@ function welcome() {
 
 exports.start = function () {
     if (ui_state.home_tab_obscured()) {
-        ui.change_tab_to('#home');
+        ui_util.change_tab_to('#home');
     }
     narrow.deactivate();
 
diff --git a/static/js/ui.js b/static/js/ui.js
index 02ea0a9b49..b42831dfba 100644
--- a/static/js/ui.js
+++ b/static/js/ui.js
@@ -19,25 +19,6 @@ exports.home_tab_obscured = function () {
     return false;
 };
 
-exports.change_tab_to = function (tabname) {
-    $('#gear-menu a[href="' + tabname + '"]').tab('show');
-};
-
-exports.focus_on = function (field_id) {
-    // Call after autocompleting on a field, to advance the focus to
-    // the next input field.
-
-    // Bootstrap's typeahead does not expose a callback for when an
-    // autocomplete selection has been made, so we have to do this
-    // manually.
-    $("#" + field_id).focus();
-};
-
-exports.blur_active_element = function () {
-    // this blurs anything that may perhaps be actively focused on.
-    document.activeElement.blur();
-};
-
 function amount_to_paginate() {
     // Some day we might have separate versions of this function
     // for Page Up vs. Page Down, but for now it's the same
diff --git a/static/js/ui_util.js b/static/js/ui_util.js
new file mode 100644
index 0000000000..3d5cfdec28
--- /dev/null
+++ b/static/js/ui_util.js
@@ -0,0 +1,32 @@
+var ui_util = (function () {
+
+var exports = {};
+
+// Add functions to this that have no non-trivial
+// dependencies other than jQuery.
+
+exports.change_tab_to = function (tabname) {
+    $('#gear-menu a[href="' + tabname + '"]').tab('show');
+};
+
+exports.focus_on = function (field_id) {
+    // Call after autocompleting on a field, to advance the focus to
+    // the next input field.
+
+    // Bootstrap's typeahead does not expose a callback for when an
+    // autocomplete selection has been made, so we have to do this
+    // manually.
+    $("#" + field_id).focus();
+};
+
+exports.blur_active_element = function () {
+    // this blurs anything that may perhaps be actively focused on.
+    document.activeElement.blur();
+};
+
+return exports;
+}());
+
+if (typeof module !== 'undefined') {
+    module.exports = ui_util;
+}
diff --git a/zproject/settings.py b/zproject/settings.py
index c72e4cab6c..9f06d18b50 100644
--- a/zproject/settings.py
+++ b/zproject/settings.py
@@ -852,6 +852,7 @@ JS_SPECS = {
             'js/floating_recipient_bar.js',
             'js/lightbox.js',
             'js/ui.js',
+            'js/ui_util.js',
             'js/pointer.js',
             'js/click_handlers.js',
             'js/scroll_bar.js',