diff --git a/frontend_tests/node_tests/markdown.js b/frontend_tests/node_tests/markdown.js
index d2d5da5ada..78f305c8c8 100644
--- a/frontend_tests/node_tests/markdown.js
+++ b/frontend_tests/node_tests/markdown.js
@@ -44,6 +44,11 @@ add_dependencies({
     util: 'js/util.js',
 });
 
+set_global('Image', function () {
+  return {};
+});
+emoji.initialize();
+
 var doc = "";
 set_global('document', doc);
 
diff --git a/static/js/emoji.js b/static/js/emoji.js
index 593978fe01..763ccde488 100644
--- a/static/js/emoji.js
+++ b/static/js/emoji.js
@@ -19,19 +19,6 @@ var zulip_emoji = {
     deactivated: false,
 };
 
-_.each(emoji_codes.names, function (value) {
-    var base_name = emoji_codes.name_to_codepoint[value];
-    default_emojis.push({emoji_name: value,
-                         codepoint: emoji_codes.name_to_codepoint[value],
-                         emoji_url: "/static/generated/emoji/images/emoji/unicode/" + base_name + ".png"});
-});
-
-_.each(emoji_codes.codepoints, function (value) {
-    default_unicode_emojis.push({emoji_name: value,
-                                 codepoint: value,
-                                 emoji_url: "/static/generated/emoji/images/emoji/unicode/" + value + ".png"});
-});
-
 exports.update_emojis = function update_emojis(realm_emojis) {
     // exports.all_realm_emojis is emptied before adding the realm-specific emoji to it.
     // This makes sure that in case of deletion, the deleted realm_emojis don't
@@ -79,14 +66,28 @@ exports.update_emojis = function update_emojis(realm_emojis) {
 };
 
 exports.initialize = function initialize() {
+
+    _.each(emoji_codes.names, function (value) {
+        var base_name = emoji_codes.name_to_codepoint[value];
+        default_emojis.push({emoji_name: value,
+                             codepoint: emoji_codes.name_to_codepoint[value],
+                             emoji_url: "/static/generated/emoji/images/emoji/unicode/" + base_name + ".png"});
+    });
+
+    _.each(emoji_codes.codepoints, function (value) {
+        default_unicode_emojis.push({emoji_name: value,
+                                     codepoint: value,
+                                     emoji_url: "/static/generated/emoji/images/emoji/unicode/" + value + ".png"});
+    });
+
+    exports.update_emojis(page_params.realm_emoji);
+
     // Load the sprite image in the background so that the browser
     // can cache it for later use.
     var sprite = new Image();
     sprite.src = '/static/generated/emoji/sheet_google_32.png';
 };
 
-exports.update_emojis(page_params.realm_emoji);
-
 exports.build_emoji_upload_widget = function () {
 
     var get_file_input = function () {
diff --git a/static/js/ui_init.js b/static/js/ui_init.js
index 960823781a..914451812e 100644
--- a/static/js/ui_init.js
+++ b/static/js/ui_init.js
@@ -251,7 +251,8 @@ $(function () {
     people.initialize();
     bot_data.initialize(); // Must happen after people.initialize()
     message_fetch.initialize();
-    markdown.initialize();
+    emoji.initialize();
+    markdown.initialize(); // Must happen after emoji.initialize()
     composebox_typeahead.initialize();
     search.initialize();
     tutorial.initialize();
@@ -262,7 +263,6 @@ $(function () {
     pointer.initialize();
     unread_ui.initialize();
     activity.initialize();
-    emoji.initialize();
     emoji_picker.initialize();
     compose_fade.initialize();
     pm_list.initialize();