diff --git a/frontend_tests/node_tests/message_store.js b/frontend_tests/node_tests/message_store.js
index 1bc79bac03..f8f79266ac 100644
--- a/frontend_tests/node_tests/message_store.js
+++ b/frontend_tests/node_tests/message_store.js
@@ -62,6 +62,7 @@ people.add_in_realm(cindy);
 global.people.initialize_current_user(me.user_id);
 
 var message_store = require('js/message_store.js');
+message_store.initialize();
 
 (function test_insert_recent_private_message() {
     message_store.insert_recent_private_message('1', 1001);
diff --git a/static/js/message_store.js b/static/js/message_store.js
index 59682d271a..99b1dc469f 100644
--- a/static/js/message_store.js
+++ b/static/js/message_store.js
@@ -176,7 +176,7 @@ exports.add_message_metadata = function (message) {
     return message;
 };
 
-util.execute_early(function () {
+exports.initialize = function () {
     $(document).on('message_id_changed', function (event) {
         var old_id = event.old_id;
         var new_id = event.new_id;
@@ -204,7 +204,7 @@ util.execute_early(function () {
             }
         });
     });
-});
+};
 
 return exports;
 
diff --git a/static/js/ui_init.js b/static/js/ui_init.js
index 8b00a44b01..f89a354faa 100644
--- a/static/js/ui_init.js
+++ b/static/js/ui_init.js
@@ -246,6 +246,7 @@ $(function () {
     people.initialize();
     bot_data.initialize(); // Must happen after people.initialize()
     message_fetch.initialize();
+    message_store.initialize();
     markdown.initialize();
     composebox_typeahead.initialize();
     search.initialize();