diff --git a/zerver/tests/frontend/common.js b/zerver/tests/frontend/common.js
index 56a047dd41..165ae13750 100644
--- a/zerver/tests/frontend/common.js
+++ b/zerver/tests/frontend/common.js
@@ -192,6 +192,14 @@ exports.ltrim = function (str) {
     return str.replace(/^\s+/g, '');
 };
 
+exports.rtrim = function (str) {
+    return str.replace(/\s+$/g, '');
+};
+
+exports.trim = function (str) {
+    return exports.rtrim(exports.ltrim(str));
+};
+
 // Call get_rendered_messages and then check that the last few headings and
 // bodies match the specified arrays.
 exports.expected_messages = function (table, headings, bodies) {
@@ -201,8 +209,8 @@ exports.expected_messages = function (table, headings, bodies) {
     var msg = exports.get_rendered_messages(table);
 
     casper.test.assertEquals(
-        msg.headings.slice(-headings.length).map(exports.normalize_spaces).map(exports.ltrim),
-        headings.map(exports.ltrim),
+        msg.headings.slice(-headings.length).map(exports.normalize_spaces).map(exports.trim),
+        headings.map(exports.trim),
         'Got expected message headings');
 
     casper.test.assertEquals(