diff --git a/frontend_tests/node_tests/activity.js b/frontend_tests/node_tests/activity.js
index a48b376645..4ca3d2ab22 100644
--- a/frontend_tests/node_tests/activity.js
+++ b/frontend_tests/node_tests/activity.js
@@ -43,6 +43,8 @@ global.people.add({
 
 var activity = require('js/activity.js');
 
+activity.update_huddles = function () {};
+
 (function test_sort_users() {
     var users = ['alice@zulip.com', 'fred@zulip.com', 'jill@zulip.com'];
 
diff --git a/static/js/activity.js b/static/js/activity.js
index a9cdc25a40..6554208c6c 100644
--- a/static/js/activity.js
+++ b/static/js/activity.js
@@ -64,6 +64,8 @@ exports.process_loaded_messages = function (messages) {
             }
         }
     });
+
+    exports.update_huddles();
 };
 
 exports.get_huddles = function () {
diff --git a/static/js/message_store.js b/static/js/message_store.js
index 20415d5bc3..451e841cea 100644
--- a/static/js/message_store.js
+++ b/static/js/message_store.js
@@ -341,7 +341,6 @@ exports.update_messages = function update_messages(events) {
 // This function could probably benefit from some refactoring
 exports.do_unread_count_updates = function do_unread_count_updates(messages) {
     activity.process_loaded_messages(messages);
-    activity.update_huddles();
     unread.process_loaded_messages(messages);
     unread.update_unread_counts();
     resize.resize_page_components();