diff --git a/frontend_tests/node_tests/markdown.js b/frontend_tests/node_tests/markdown.js
index e9dbd0b517..125eecc86b 100644
--- a/frontend_tests/node_tests/markdown.js
+++ b/frontend_tests/node_tests/markdown.js
@@ -771,10 +771,16 @@ test("backend_only_linkifiers", () => {
 });
 
 test("translate_emoticons_to_names", () => {
+    const get_emoticon_translations = emoji.get_emoticon_translations;
+
+    function translate_emoticons_to_names(src) {
+        return markdown.translate_emoticons_to_names({src, get_emoticon_translations});
+    }
+
     // Simple test
     const test_text = "Testing :)";
     const expected = "Testing :smile:";
-    const result = markdown.translate_emoticons_to_names(test_text);
+    const result = translate_emoticons_to_names(test_text);
     assert.equal(result, expected);
 
     // Extensive tests.
@@ -813,7 +819,7 @@ test("translate_emoticons_to_names", () => {
                 expected: `Hello ${full_name}!`,
             },
         ]) {
-            const result = markdown.translate_emoticons_to_names(original);
+            const result = translate_emoticons_to_names(original);
             assert.equal(result, expected);
         }
     }
diff --git a/static/js/markdown.js b/static/js/markdown.js
index 230579dda1..befe396238 100644
--- a/static/js/markdown.js
+++ b/static/js/markdown.js
@@ -39,9 +39,9 @@ function contains_preview_link(content) {
     return preview_regexes.some((re) => re.test(content));
 }
 
-export function translate_emoticons_to_names(text) {
+export function translate_emoticons_to_names({src, get_emoticon_translations}) {
     // Translates emoticons in a string to their colon syntax.
-    let translated = text;
+    let translated = src;
     let replacement_text;
     const terminal_symbols = ",.;?!()[] \"'\n\t"; // From composebox_typeahead
     const symbols_except_space = terminal_symbols.replace(" ", "");
@@ -67,7 +67,7 @@ export function translate_emoticons_to_names(text) {
         return match;
     };
 
-    for (const translation of helpers.get_emoticon_translations()) {
+    for (const translation of get_emoticon_translations()) {
         // We can't pass replacement_text directly into
         // emoticon_replacer, because emoticon_replacer is
         // a callback for `replace()`.  Instead we just mutate
@@ -490,7 +490,10 @@ export function parse({raw_content, helper_config}) {
 
         // In this scenario, the message has to be from the user, so the only
         // requirement should be that they have the setting on.
-        return translate_emoticons_to_names(src);
+        return translate_emoticons_to_names({
+            src,
+            get_emoticon_translations: helper_config.get_emoticon_translations,
+        });
     }
 
     // Disable headings