diff --git a/frontend_tests/node_tests/emoji.js b/frontend_tests/node_tests/emoji.js
index b9a405068d..a0f3a46797 100644
--- a/frontend_tests/node_tests/emoji.js
+++ b/frontend_tests/node_tests/emoji.js
@@ -37,6 +37,7 @@ function set_up_spain_realm_emoji_for_test() {
         },
     };
     emoji.update_emojis(realm_emojis);
+    assert.equal(emoji.get_server_realm_emoji_data(), realm_emojis);
 }
 
 run_test("get_emoji_* API", () => {
diff --git a/static/js/emoji.js b/static/js/emoji.js
index 7bf2cbcbfe..6211eb3936 100644
--- a/static/js/emoji.js
+++ b/static/js/emoji.js
@@ -11,6 +11,16 @@ exports.all_realm_emojis = new Map();
 exports.active_realm_emojis = new Map();
 exports.default_emoji_aliases = new Map();
 
+// For legacy reasons we track server_realm_emoji_data,
+// since our settings code builds off that format.  We
+// should move it to use all_realm_emojis, which requires
+// adding author_id here and then changing the settings code
+// in a slightly non-trivial way.
+exports.server_realm_emoji_data = {};
+
+// We really want to deprecate this, too.
+exports.get_server_realm_emoji_data = () => exports.server_realm_emoji_data;
+
 const emoticon_translations = (() => {
     /*
 
@@ -91,6 +101,10 @@ exports.get_realm_emoji_url = (emoji_name) => {
 };
 
 exports.update_emojis = function (realm_emojis) {
+    // The settings code still works with the
+    // server format of the data.
+    exports.server_realm_emoji_data = realm_emojis;
+
     // exports.all_realm_emojis is emptied before adding the realm-specific emoji
     // to it. This makes sure that in case of deletion, the deleted realm_emojis
     // don't persist in exports.active_realm_emojis.
diff --git a/static/js/server_events_dispatch.js b/static/js/server_events_dispatch.js
index f9014ba6de..898d83690f 100644
--- a/static/js/server_events_dispatch.js
+++ b/static/js/server_events_dispatch.js
@@ -216,7 +216,6 @@ exports.dispatch_normal_event = function dispatch_normal_event(event) {
         case "realm_emoji":
             // Update `page_params.realm_emoji` so that settings page
             // can display it properly when reopened without refresh.
-            page_params.realm_emoji = event.realm_emoji;
             emoji.update_emojis(event.realm_emoji);
             settings_emoji.populate_emoji();
             emoji_picker.generate_emoji_picker_data(emoji.active_realm_emojis);
diff --git a/static/js/settings_emoji.js b/static/js/settings_emoji.js
index 2e0d805b54..48636eaa18 100644
--- a/static/js/settings_emoji.js
+++ b/static/js/settings_emoji.js
@@ -66,7 +66,7 @@ exports.populate_emoji = function () {
         return;
     }
 
-    const emoji_data = page_params.realm_emoji;
+    const emoji_data = emoji.get_server_realm_emoji_data();
 
     for (const emoji of Object.values(emoji_data)) {
         // Add people.js data for the user here.