diff --git a/frontend_tests/node_tests/filter.js b/frontend_tests/node_tests/filter.js
index 5c9f8f0c69..b117fe7ac5 100644
--- a/frontend_tests/node_tests/filter.js
+++ b/frontend_tests/node_tests/filter.js
@@ -396,7 +396,10 @@ run_test('topic_stuff', () => {
     assert(!filter.has_topic('wrong', 'old topic'));
     assert(!filter.has_topic('foo', 'wrong'));
 
-    const new_filter = filter.filter_with_new_topic('new topic');
+    const new_filter = filter.filter_with_new_params({
+        operator: 'topic',
+        operand: 'new topic',
+    });
 
     assert.deepEqual(new_filter.operands('stream'), ['foo']);
     assert.deepEqual(new_filter.operands('topic'), ['new topic']);
diff --git a/static/js/filter.js b/static/js/filter.js
index 2e10be37c4..1da86e8990 100644
--- a/static/js/filter.js
+++ b/static/js/filter.js
@@ -486,11 +486,11 @@ Filter.prototype = {
         return operators_mixed_case.map(tuple => Filter.canonicalize_term(tuple));
     },
 
-    filter_with_new_topic: function (new_topic) {
+    filter_with_new_params: function (params) {
         const terms = this._operators.map(term => {
             const new_term = { ...term };
-            if (new_term.operator === 'topic' && !new_term.negated) {
-                new_term.operand = new_topic;
+            if (new_term.operator === params.operator && !new_term.negated) {
+                new_term.operand = params.operand;
             }
             return new_term;
         });
diff --git a/static/js/message_events.js b/static/js/message_events.js
index 1f0ee66f03..401b5ba44d 100644
--- a/static/js/message_events.js
+++ b/static/js/message_events.js
@@ -166,7 +166,10 @@ exports.update_messages = function update_messages(events) {
                 if (selection_changed_topic) {
                     if (current_filter && stream_name) {
                         if (current_filter.has_topic(stream_name, orig_topic)) {
-                            const new_filter = current_filter.filter_with_new_topic(new_topic);
+                            const new_filter = current_filter.filter_with_new_params({
+                                operator: 'topic',
+                                operand: new_topic,
+                            });
                             const operators = new_filter.operators();
                             const opts = {
                                 trigger: 'topic change',