diff --git a/frontend_tests/node_tests/settings_muted_topics.js b/frontend_tests/node_tests/settings_muted_topics.js
index d30fc7c1a4..92895b3257 100644
--- a/frontend_tests/node_tests/settings_muted_topics.js
+++ b/frontend_tests/node_tests/settings_muted_topics.js
@@ -21,10 +21,10 @@ const frontend = {
 };
 stream_data.add_sub(frontend);
 
-run_test("settings", () => {
+run_test("settings", (override) => {
     muting.add_muted_topic(frontend.stream_id, "js", 1577836800);
-    let set_up_topic_ui_called = false;
-    muting_ui.set_up_muted_topics_ui = () => {
+    let populate_list_called = false;
+    override(settings_muted_topics, "populate_list", () => {
         const opts = muting.get_muted_topics();
         assert.deepEqual(opts, [
             {
@@ -35,14 +35,15 @@ run_test("settings", () => {
                 topic: "js",
             },
         ]);
-        set_up_topic_ui_called = true;
-    };
+        populate_list_called = true;
+    });
 
     settings_muted_topics.reset();
     assert.equal(settings_muted_topics.loaded, false);
 
     settings_muted_topics.set_up();
     assert.equal(settings_muted_topics.loaded, true);
+    assert(populate_list_called);
 
     const topic_click_handler = $("body").get_on_handler("click", ".settings-unmute-topic");
     assert.equal(typeof topic_click_handler, "function");
@@ -81,6 +82,5 @@ run_test("settings", () => {
     };
     topic_click_handler.call(topic_fake_this, event);
     assert(unmute_topic_called);
-    assert(set_up_topic_ui_called);
     assert.equal(topic_data_called, 2);
 });
diff --git a/static/js/muting_ui.js b/static/js/muting_ui.js
index 2f0da26a61..e3cc4e8db3 100644
--- a/static/js/muting_ui.js
+++ b/static/js/muting_ui.js
@@ -1,7 +1,6 @@
 import $ from "jquery";
 
 import render_confirm_mute_user from "../templates/confirm_mute_user.hbs";
-import render_muted_topic_ui_row from "../templates/muted_topic_ui_row.hbs";
 import render_topic_muted from "../templates/topic_muted.hbs";
 
 import * as activity from "./activity";
@@ -9,7 +8,6 @@ import * as channel from "./channel";
 import * as confirm_dialog from "./confirm_dialog";
 import * as feedback_widget from "./feedback_widget";
 import {$t} from "./i18n";
-import * as ListWidget from "./list_widget";
 import * as message_lists from "./message_lists";
 import * as muting from "./muting";
 import * as overlays from "./overlays";
@@ -21,7 +19,6 @@ import * as settings_muted_users from "./settings_muted_users";
 import * as stream_data from "./stream_data";
 import * as stream_list from "./stream_list";
 import * as stream_popover from "./stream_popover";
-import * as ui from "./ui";
 import * as unread_ui from "./unread_ui";
 
 function timestamp_ms() {
@@ -43,7 +40,7 @@ export function rerender_on_topic_update() {
         message_lists.home.update_topic_muting_and_rerender();
     }
     if (overlays.settings_open() && settings_muted_topics.loaded) {
-        set_up_muted_topics_ui();
+        settings_muted_topics.populate_list();
     }
 }
 
@@ -92,30 +89,6 @@ export function update_muted_topics(muted_topics) {
     unread_ui.update_unread_counts();
 }
 
-export function set_up_muted_topics_ui() {
-    const muted_topics = muting.get_muted_topics();
-    const muted_topics_table = $("#muted_topics_table");
-    const $search_input = $("#muted_topics_search");
-
-    ListWidget.create(muted_topics_table, muted_topics, {
-        name: "muted-topics-list",
-        modifier(muted_topics) {
-            return render_muted_topic_ui_row({muted_topics});
-        },
-        filter: {
-            element: $search_input,
-            predicate(item, value) {
-                return item.topic.toLocaleLowerCase().includes(value);
-            },
-            onupdate() {
-                ui.reset_scrollbar(muted_topics_table.closest(".progressive-table-wrapper"));
-            },
-        },
-        parent_container: $("#muted-topic-settings"),
-        simplebar_container: $("#muted-topic-settings .progressive-table-wrapper"),
-    });
-}
-
 export function mute_topic(stream_id, topic) {
     const stream_name = stream_data.maybe_get_stream_name(stream_id);
 
diff --git a/static/js/settings_muted_topics.js b/static/js/settings_muted_topics.js
index 43f2574e0d..6129aae3e6 100644
--- a/static/js/settings_muted_topics.js
+++ b/static/js/settings_muted_topics.js
@@ -1,9 +1,38 @@
 import $ from "jquery";
 
+import render_muted_topic_ui_row from "../templates/muted_topic_ui_row.hbs";
+
+import * as ListWidget from "./list_widget";
+import * as muting from "./muting";
 import * as muting_ui from "./muting_ui";
+import * as ui from "./ui";
 
 export let loaded = false;
 
+export function populate_list() {
+    const muted_topics = muting.get_muted_topics();
+    const muted_topics_table = $("#muted_topics_table");
+    const $search_input = $("#muted_topics_search");
+
+    ListWidget.create(muted_topics_table, muted_topics, {
+        name: "muted-topics-list",
+        modifier(muted_topics) {
+            return render_muted_topic_ui_row({muted_topics});
+        },
+        filter: {
+            element: $search_input,
+            predicate(item, value) {
+                return item.topic.toLocaleLowerCase().includes(value);
+            },
+            onupdate() {
+                ui.reset_scrollbar(muted_topics_table.closest(".progressive-table-wrapper"));
+            },
+        },
+        parent_container: $("#muted-topic-settings"),
+        simplebar_container: $("#muted-topic-settings .progressive-table-wrapper"),
+    });
+}
+
 export function set_up() {
     loaded = true;
     $("body").on("click", ".settings-unmute-topic", function (e) {
@@ -17,7 +46,7 @@ export function set_up() {
         $row.remove();
     });
 
-    muting_ui.set_up_muted_topics_ui();
+    populate_list();
 }
 
 export function reset() {
diff --git a/tools/test-js-with-node b/tools/test-js-with-node
index c53ab373f5..5de15edc4b 100755
--- a/tools/test-js-with-node
+++ b/tools/test-js-with-node
@@ -125,6 +125,7 @@ EXEMPT_FILES = {
     "static/js/settings.js",
     "static/js/settings_linkifiers.js",
     "static/js/settings_playgrounds.js",
+    "static/js/settings_muted_topics.js",
     "static/js/settings_muted_users.js",
     "static/js/settings_notifications.js",
     "static/js/settings_org.js",