diff --git a/frontend_tests/casper_tests/09-navigation.js b/frontend_tests/casper_tests/09-navigation.js
index 7bd73431aa..912587034f 100644
--- a/frontend_tests/casper_tests/09-navigation.js
+++ b/frontend_tests/casper_tests/09-navigation.js
@@ -32,7 +32,7 @@ function then_navigate_to_settings() {
                 casper.click('a[href^="#settings"]');
                 casper.waitUntilVisible('#settings_page', function () {
                     casper.test.assertExists('#settings_page', "Settings page is active");
-                    casper.click("#settings_page .exit");
+                    casper.click('#settings_page .exit');
                 });
             });
         });
@@ -49,6 +49,7 @@ function then_navigate_to_subscriptions() {
             casper.click('a[href^="#streams"]');
             casper.waitUntilVisible("#subscription_overlay", function () {
                 casper.test.assertExists('#subscriptions_table', "#subscriptions page is active");
+                casper.click('#subscription_overlay .exit');
             });
         });
     });
diff --git a/static/js/hashchange.js b/static/js/hashchange.js
index 0bb6dbdb7f..1bd975cde9 100644
--- a/static/js/hashchange.js
+++ b/static/js/hashchange.js
@@ -243,7 +243,7 @@ function hashchanged(from_reload, e) {
 
         if (!should_ignore(old_hash || "#") || ignore.group !== get_hash_group(base)) {
             if (ignore.group !== get_hash_group(base)) {
-                exports.close_modals();
+                modals.close_for_hash_change();
             }
 
             // now only if the previous one should not have been ignored.
@@ -267,7 +267,7 @@ function hashchanged(from_reload, e) {
             subs.change_state(get_hash_components());
         }
     } else if (!should_ignore(window.location.hash) && !ignore.flag) {
-        exports.close_modals();
+        modals.close_for_hash_change();
         changing_hash = true;
         var ret = do_hashchange(from_reload);
         changing_hash = false;
@@ -290,10 +290,6 @@ exports.initialize = function () {
     hashchanged(true);
 };
 
-exports.close_modals = function () {
-    $(".overlay.show").removeClass("show");
-};
-
 exports.exit_modal = function (callback) {
     if (should_ignore(window.location.hash)) {
         ui_util.blur_active_element();
diff --git a/static/js/modals.js b/static/js/modals.js
index 0065964487..10cd7db836 100644
--- a/static/js/modals.js
+++ b/static/js/modals.js
@@ -2,7 +2,15 @@ var modals = (function () {
 
 var exports = {};
 
-exports.close = {};
+var active_overlay;
+var close_handler;
+var open_modal_name;
+
+function reset_state() {
+    active_overlay = undefined;
+    close_handler = undefined;
+    open_modal_name = undefined;
+}
 
 exports.open_overlay = function (opts) {
     if (!opts.name || !opts.overlay || !opts.on_close) {
@@ -10,6 +18,12 @@ exports.open_overlay = function (opts) {
         return;
     }
 
+    if (active_overlay || open_modal_name || close_handler) {
+        blueslip.error('Programming error--trying to open ' + opts.name +
+            ' before closing ' + open_modal_name);
+        return;
+    }
+
     // Our overlays are kind of crufty...we have an HTML id
     // attribute for them and then a data-overlay attribute for
     // them.  Make sure they match.
@@ -18,22 +32,30 @@ exports.open_overlay = function (opts) {
         return;
     }
 
+    open_modal_name = opts.name;
+    active_overlay = opts.overlay;
     opts.overlay.addClass('show');
 
-    exports.close[opts.name] = function () {
+    close_handler = function () {
         opts.on_close();
-        exports.close[opts.name] = undefined;
+        reset_state();
     };
 };
 
 exports.close_modal = function (name) {
-    $("[data-overlay='" + name + "']").removeClass("show");
-
-    if (exports.close[name]) {
-        exports.close[name]();
-    } else {
+    if ((name !== open_modal_name) || !close_handler) {
         blueslip.error("Modal close handler for " + name + " not properly setup." );
+        return;
     }
+
+    active_overlay.removeClass("show");
+
+    close_handler();
+};
+
+exports.close_for_hash_change = function () {
+    $(".overlay.show").removeClass("show");
+    reset_state();
 };
 
 exports.open_settings = function () {
@@ -61,15 +83,7 @@ $(function () {
 
         var target_name = $target.attr("data-overlay");
 
-        $target.removeClass("show");
-
-        // if an appropriate clearing/closing function for a modal exists,
-        // execute it.
-        if (exports.close[target_name]) {
-            exports.close[target_name]();
-        } else {
-            blueslip.error("Tried to close unknown modal " + target_name);
-        }
+        exports.close_modal(target_name);
 
         e.preventDefault();
         e.stopPropagation();