diff --git a/web/src/reactions.ts b/web/src/reactions.ts
index df3354f72d..19f7633b74 100644
--- a/web/src/reactions.ts
+++ b/web/src/reactions.ts
@@ -394,7 +394,7 @@ export let insert_new_reaction = (
                 message_reactions: [context],
             },
         };
-        const $msg_reaction_section = render_message_reactions(reaction_section_context);
+        const $msg_reaction_section = $(render_message_reactions(reaction_section_context));
         $rows.find(".messagebox-content").append($msg_reaction_section);
     } else {
         const $new_reaction = $(render_message_reaction(context));
diff --git a/web/tests/reactions.test.cjs b/web/tests/reactions.test.cjs
index b1b4b47ac5..528b94b585 100644
--- a/web/tests/reactions.test.cjs
+++ b/web/tests/reactions.test.cjs
@@ -890,8 +890,8 @@ test("insert_new_reaction (first reaction)", ({mock_template, override_rewire})
     $rows.set_find_results(".messagebox-content", $messagebox_content);
 
     let append_called = false;
-    $messagebox_content.append = (element) => {
-        assert.equal(element, "<msg-reactions-section-stub>");
+    $messagebox_content.append = ($element) => {
+        assert.equal($element.selector, "<msg-reactions-section-stub>");
         append_called = true;
     };