diff --git a/static/js/pointer.js b/static/js/pointer.js
index 451af12dbf..9c6da44cbe 100644
--- a/static/js/pointer.js
+++ b/static/js/pointer.js
@@ -18,7 +18,7 @@ var pointer_update_in_flight = false;
 function update_pointer() {
     if (!pointer_update_in_flight) {
         pointer_update_in_flight = true;
-        return channel.put({
+        return channel.post({
             url:      '/json/users/me/pointer',
             idempotent: true,
             data:     {pointer: pointer.furthest_read},
diff --git a/zerver/tests/test_signup.py b/zerver/tests/test_signup.py
index 7fd0a66c03..3a40b5b454 100644
--- a/zerver/tests/test_signup.py
+++ b/zerver/tests/test_signup.py
@@ -103,6 +103,7 @@ class PublicURLTest(ZulipTestCase):
                            "/json/subscriptions/exists",
                            "/json/subscriptions/property",
                            "/json/fetch_api_key",
+                           "/json/users/me/pointer",
                            "/json/users/me/subscriptions",
                            "/api/v1/users/me/subscriptions",
                            ],
diff --git a/zerver/tests/test_unread.py b/zerver/tests/test_unread.py
index f46db841f9..acdcccc14f 100644
--- a/zerver/tests/test_unread.py
+++ b/zerver/tests/test_unread.py
@@ -24,7 +24,7 @@ class PointerTest(ZulipTestCase):
         self.login("hamlet@zulip.com")
         self.assertEqual(get_user_profile_by_email("hamlet@zulip.com").pointer, -1)
         msg_id = self.send_message("othello@zulip.com", "Verona", Recipient.STREAM)
-        result = self.client_put("/json/users/me/pointer", {"pointer": msg_id})
+        result = self.client_post("/json/users/me/pointer", {"pointer": msg_id})
         self.assert_json_success(result)
         self.assertEqual(get_user_profile_by_email("hamlet@zulip.com").pointer, msg_id)
 
@@ -36,8 +36,8 @@ class PointerTest(ZulipTestCase):
         email = "hamlet@zulip.com"
         self.assertEqual(get_user_profile_by_email(email).pointer, -1)
         msg_id = self.send_message("othello@zulip.com", "Verona", Recipient.STREAM)
-        result = self.client_put("/api/v1/users/me/pointer", {"pointer": msg_id},
-                                 **self.api_auth(email))
+        result = self.client_post("/api/v1/users/me/pointer", {"pointer": msg_id},
+                                  **self.api_auth(email))
         self.assert_json_success(result)
         self.assertEqual(get_user_profile_by_email(email).pointer, msg_id)
 
@@ -49,7 +49,7 @@ class PointerTest(ZulipTestCase):
         """
         self.login("hamlet@zulip.com")
         self.assertEqual(get_user_profile_by_email("hamlet@zulip.com").pointer, -1)
-        result = self.client_put("/json/users/me/pointer", {"foo": 1})
+        result = self.client_post("/json/users/me/pointer", {"foo": 1})
         self.assert_json_error(result, "Missing 'pointer' argument")
         self.assertEqual(get_user_profile_by_email("hamlet@zulip.com").pointer, -1)
 
@@ -61,7 +61,7 @@ class PointerTest(ZulipTestCase):
         """
         self.login("hamlet@zulip.com")
         self.assertEqual(get_user_profile_by_email("hamlet@zulip.com").pointer, -1)
-        result = self.client_put("/json/users/me/pointer", {"pointer": "foo"})
+        result = self.client_post("/json/users/me/pointer", {"pointer": "foo"})
         self.assert_json_error(result, "Bad value for 'pointer': foo")
         self.assertEqual(get_user_profile_by_email("hamlet@zulip.com").pointer, -1)
 
@@ -73,7 +73,7 @@ class PointerTest(ZulipTestCase):
         """
         self.login("hamlet@zulip.com")
         self.assertEqual(get_user_profile_by_email("hamlet@zulip.com").pointer, -1)
-        result = self.client_put("/json/users/me/pointer", {"pointer": -2})
+        result = self.client_post("/json/users/me/pointer", {"pointer": -2})
         self.assert_json_error(result, "Bad value for 'pointer': -2")
         self.assertEqual(get_user_profile_by_email("hamlet@zulip.com").pointer, -1)
 
diff --git a/zerver/tests/tests.py b/zerver/tests/tests.py
index 090dc0dbcc..78e0541b37 100644
--- a/zerver/tests/tests.py
+++ b/zerver/tests/tests.py
@@ -1726,7 +1726,7 @@ class GetProfileTest(ZulipTestCase):
     def common_update_pointer(self, email, pointer):
         # type: (Text, int) -> None
         self.login(email)
-        result = self.client_put("/json/users/me/pointer", {"pointer": pointer})
+        result = self.client_post("/json/users/me/pointer", {"pointer": pointer})
         self.assert_json_success(result)
 
     def common_get_profile(self, email):
@@ -1812,7 +1812,7 @@ class GetProfileTest(ZulipTestCase):
         json = self.common_get_profile("hamlet@zulip.com")
         self.assertEqual(json["pointer"], id2) # pointer does not move backwards
 
-        result = self.client_put("/json/users/me/pointer", {"pointer": 99999999})
+        result = self.client_post("/json/users/me/pointer", {"pointer": 99999999})
         self.assert_json_error(result, "Invalid message ID")
 
     def test_get_all_profiles_avatar_urls(self):
diff --git a/zproject/urls.py b/zproject/urls.py
index c30b927a70..c6ea2bb59a 100644
--- a/zproject/urls.py
+++ b/zproject/urls.py
@@ -225,9 +225,12 @@ v1_api_and_json_patterns = [
     url(r'^users/me$', rest_dispatch,
         {'GET': 'zerver.views.users.get_profile_backend',
          'DELETE': 'zerver.views.users.deactivate_user_own_backend'}),
+    # PUT is currently used by mobile apps, we intend to remove the PUT version
+    # as soon as possible. POST exists to correct the erroneous use of PUT.
     url(r'^users/me/pointer$', rest_dispatch,
         {'GET': 'zerver.views.pointer.get_pointer_backend',
-         'PUT': 'zerver.views.pointer.update_pointer_backend'}),
+         'PUT': 'zerver.views.pointer.update_pointer_backend',
+         'POST': 'zerver.views.pointer.update_pointer_backend'}),
     url(r'^users/me/presence$', rest_dispatch,
         {'POST': 'zerver.views.presence.update_active_status_backend'}),
     # Endpoint used by mobile devices to register their push