diff --git a/static/js/copy_and_paste.js b/static/js/copy_and_paste.js
new file mode 100644
index 0000000000..2f9653b032
--- /dev/null
+++ b/static/js/copy_and_paste.js
@@ -0,0 +1,142 @@
+var copy_and_paste = (function () {
+
+var exports = {}; // we don't actually export anything yet, but that's ok
+
+function find_boundary_tr(initial_tr, iterate_row) {
+    var j, skip_same_td_check = false;
+    var tr = initial_tr;
+
+    // If the selection boundary is somewhere that does not have a
+    // parent tr, we should let the browser handle the copy-paste
+    // entirely on its own
+    if (tr.length === 0) {
+        return undefined;
+    }
+
+    // If the selection boundary is on a table row that does not have an
+    // associated message id (because the user clicked between messages),
+    // then scan downwards until we hit a table row with a message id.
+    // To ensure we can't enter an infinite loop, bail out (and let the
+    // browser handle the copy-paste on its own) if we don't hit what we
+    // are looking for within 10 rows.
+    for (j = 0; (!tr.is('.message_row')) && j < 10; j++) {
+        tr = iterate_row(tr);
+    }
+    if (j === 10) {
+        return undefined;
+    } else if (j !== 0) {
+        // If we updated tr, then we are not dealing with a selection
+        // that is entirely within one td, and we can skip the same td
+        // check (In fact, we need to because it won't work correctly
+        // in this case)
+        skip_same_td_check = true;
+    }
+    return [rows.id(tr), skip_same_td_check];
+}
+
+
+function copy_handler(e) {
+    var selection = window.getSelection();
+    var i, range, ranges = [], startc, endc, initial_end_tr, start_id, end_id, row, message;
+    var start_data, end_data;
+    var skip_same_td_check = false;
+    var div = $('<div>'), content;
+    for (i = 0; i < selection.rangeCount; i++) {
+        range = selection.getRangeAt(i);
+        ranges.push(range);
+
+        startc = $(range.startContainer);
+        start_data = find_boundary_tr($(startc.parents('.selectable_row, .message_header')[0]), function (row) {
+            return row.next();
+        });
+        if (start_data === undefined) {
+            return;
+        }
+        start_id = start_data[0];
+
+        endc = $(range.endContainer);
+        // If the selection ends in the bottom whitespace, we should act as
+        // though the selection ends on the final message
+        // Chrome seems to like selecting the compose_close button
+        // when you go off the end of the last message
+        if (endc.attr('id') === "bottom_whitespace" || endc.attr('id') === "compose_close") {
+            initial_end_tr = $(".message_row:last");
+            skip_same_td_check = true;
+        } else {
+            initial_end_tr = $(endc.parents('.selectable_row')[0]);
+        }
+        end_data = find_boundary_tr(initial_end_tr, function (row) {
+            return row.prev();
+        });
+        if (end_data === undefined) {
+            return;
+        }
+        end_id = end_data[0];
+
+        if (start_data[1] || end_data[1]) {
+            skip_same_td_check = true;
+        }
+
+        // we should let the browser handle the copy-paste entirely on its own
+        // (In this case, there is no need for our special copy code)
+        if (!skip_same_td_check &&
+            startc.parents('.selectable_row>div')[0] === endc.parents('.selectable_row>div')[0]) {
+            return;
+        }
+        else {
+
+            // Construct a div for what we want to copy (div)
+            for (row = current_msg_list.get_row(start_id);
+                 rows.id(row) <= end_id;
+                 row = rows.next_visible(row))
+            {
+                if (row.prev().hasClass("message_header")) {
+                    content = $('<div>').text(row.prev().text()
+                                                .replace(/\s+/g, " ")
+                                                .replace(/^\s/, "").replace(/\s$/, ""));
+                    div.append($('<p>').append($('<strong>').text(content.text())));
+                }
+
+                message = current_msg_list.get(rows.id(row));
+
+                var message_firstp = $(message.content).slice(0, 1);
+                message_firstp.prepend(message.sender_full_name + ": ");
+                div.append(message_firstp);
+                div.append($(message.content).slice(1));
+            }
+        }
+    }
+
+    if (window.bridge !== undefined) {
+        // If the user is running the desktop app,
+        // convert emoji images to plain text for
+        // copy-paste purposes.
+        ui.replace_emoji_with_text(div);
+    }
+
+    // Select div so that the browser will copy it
+    // instead of copying the original selection
+    div.css({position: 'absolute', 'left': '-99999px'})
+            .attr('id', 'copytempdiv');
+    $('body').append(div);
+    selection.selectAllChildren(div[0]);
+
+    // After the copy has happened, delete the div and
+    // change the selection back to the original selection
+    window.setTimeout(function () {
+        selection = window.getSelection();
+        selection.removeAllRanges();
+        _.each(ranges, function (range) {
+            selection.addRange(range);
+        });
+        $('#copytempdiv').remove();
+    },0);
+}
+
+$(function () {
+    $(document).bind('copy', copy_handler);
+});
+
+
+return exports;
+}());
diff --git a/static/js/ui.js b/static/js/ui.js
index f1e651ed37..021517f6e1 100644
--- a/static/js/ui.js
+++ b/static/js/ui.js
@@ -79,146 +79,12 @@ exports.page_down_the_right_amount = function () {
     viewport.scrollTop(viewport.scrollTop() + delta);
 };
 
-function find_boundary_tr(initial_tr, iterate_row) {
-    var j, skip_same_td_check = false;
-    var tr = initial_tr;
-
-    // If the selection boundary is somewhere that does not have a
-    // parent tr, we should let the browser handle the copy-paste
-    // entirely on its own
-    if (tr.length === 0) {
-        return undefined;
-    }
-
-    // If the selection bounary is on a table row that does not have an
-    // associated message id (because the user clicked between messages),
-    // then scan downwards until we hit a table row with a message id.
-    // To ensure we can't enter an infinite loop, bail out (and let the
-    // browser handle the copy-paste on its own) if we don't hit what we
-    // are looking for within 10 rows.
-    for (j = 0; (!tr.is('.message_row')) && j < 10; j++) {
-        tr = iterate_row(tr);
-    }
-    if (j === 10) {
-        return undefined;
-    } else if (j !== 0) {
-        // If we updated tr, then we are not dealing with a selection
-        // that is entirely within one td, and we can skip the same td
-        // check (In fact, we need to because it won't work correctly
-        // in this case)
-        skip_same_td_check = true;
-    }
-    return [rows.id(tr), skip_same_td_check];
-}
-
 exports.replace_emoji_with_text = function (element) {
     element.find(".emoji").replaceWith(function () {
         return $(this).attr("alt");
     });
 };
 
-function copy_handler(e) {
-    var selection = window.getSelection();
-    var i, range, ranges = [], startc, endc, initial_end_tr, start_id, end_id, row, message;
-    var start_data, end_data;
-    var skip_same_td_check = false;
-    var div = $('<div>'), content;
-    for (i = 0; i < selection.rangeCount; i++) {
-        range = selection.getRangeAt(i);
-        ranges.push(range);
-
-        startc = $(range.startContainer);
-        start_data = find_boundary_tr($(startc.parents('.selectable_row, .message_header')[0]), function (row) {
-            return row.next();
-        });
-        if (start_data === undefined) {
-            return;
-        }
-        start_id = start_data[0];
-
-        endc = $(range.endContainer);
-        // If the selection ends in the bottom whitespace, we should act as
-        // though the selection ends on the final message
-        // Chrome seems to like selecting the compose_close button
-        // when you go off the end of the last message
-        if (endc.attr('id') === "bottom_whitespace" || endc.attr('id') === "compose_close") {
-            initial_end_tr = $(".message_row:last");
-            skip_same_td_check = true;
-        } else {
-            initial_end_tr = $(endc.parents('.selectable_row')[0]);
-        }
-        end_data = find_boundary_tr(initial_end_tr, function (row) {
-            return row.prev();
-        });
-        if (end_data === undefined) {
-            return;
-        }
-        end_id = end_data[0];
-
-        if (start_data[1] || end_data[1]) {
-            skip_same_td_check = true;
-        }
-
-        // we should let the browser handle the copy-paste entirely on its own
-        // (In this case, there is no need for our special copy code)
-        if (!skip_same_td_check &&
-            startc.parents('.selectable_row>div')[0] === endc.parents('.selectable_row>div')[0]) {
-            return;
-        }
-        else {
-
-            // Construct a div for what we want to copy (div)
-            for (row = current_msg_list.get_row(start_id);
-                 rows.id(row) <= end_id;
-                 row = rows.next_visible(row))
-            {
-                if (row.prev().hasClass("message_header")) {
-                    content = $('<div>').text(row.prev().text()
-                                                .replace(/\s+/g, " ")
-                                                .replace(/^\s/, "").replace(/\s$/, ""));
-                    div.append($('<p>').append($('<strong>').text(content.text())));
-                }
-
-                message = current_msg_list.get(rows.id(row));
-
-                var message_firstp = $(message.content).slice(0, 1);
-                message_firstp.prepend(message.sender_full_name + ": ");
-                div.append(message_firstp);
-                div.append($(message.content).slice(1));
-            }
-        }
-    }
-
-    if (window.bridge !== undefined) {
-        // If the user is running the desktop app,
-        // convert emoji images to plain text for
-        // copy-paste purposes.
-        exports.replace_emoji_with_text(div);
-    }
-
-    // Select div so that the browser will copy it
-    // instead of copying the original selection
-    div.css({position: 'absolute', 'left': '-99999px'})
-            .attr('id', 'copytempdiv');
-    $('body').append(div);
-    selection.selectAllChildren(div[0]);
-
-    // After the copy has happened, delete the div and
-    // change the selection back to the original selection
-    window.setTimeout(function () {
-        selection = window.getSelection();
-        selection.removeAllRanges();
-        _.each(ranges, function (range) {
-            selection.addRange(range);
-        });
-        $('#copytempdiv').remove();
-    },0);
-}
-
-$(function () {
-    $(document).bind('copy', copy_handler);
-});
-
 /* We use 'visibility' rather than 'display' and jQuery's show() / hide(),
    because we want to reserve space for the email address.  This avoids
    things jumping around slightly when the email address is shown. */
diff --git a/tools/jslint/check-all.js b/tools/jslint/check-all.js
index 7cdebc8cbe..984f9bf0bf 100644
--- a/tools/jslint/check-all.js
+++ b/tools/jslint/check-all.js
@@ -29,6 +29,7 @@ var globals =
     + ' avatar feature_flags search_suggestion referral stream_color Dict'
     + ' Filter summary admin stream_data muting WinChan muting_ui Socket channel gear_menu'
     + ' message_flags bot_data loading favicon resize scroll_bar condense floating_recipient_bar'
+    + ' copy_and_paste'
 
     // colorspace.js
     + ' colorspace'
diff --git a/zproject/settings.py b/zproject/settings.py
index 34a6a948b6..e911bd64c3 100644
--- a/zproject/settings.py
+++ b/zproject/settings.py
@@ -548,6 +548,7 @@ JS_SPECS = {
             'js/ui.js',
             'js/scroll_bar.js',
             'js/gear_menu.js',
+            'js/copy_and_paste.js',
             'js/popovers.js',
             'js/typeahead_helper.js',
             'js/search_suggestion.js',