diff --git a/static/js/bot_data.js b/static/js/bot_data.js
index 4a78e1b9ce..4491cdfd64 100644
--- a/static/js/bot_data.js
+++ b/static/js/bot_data.js
@@ -55,11 +55,11 @@ var bot_data = (function () {
         return bots[email];
     };
 
-    $(function init() {
+    exports.initialize = function () {
         _.each(page_params.realm_bots, function (bot) {
             exports.add(bot);
         });
-    });
+    };
 
     return exports;
 }());
diff --git a/static/js/ui_init.js b/static/js/ui_init.js
index c3c63cf3b9..fff9898581 100644
--- a/static/js/ui_init.js
+++ b/static/js/ui_init.js
@@ -242,6 +242,7 @@ $(function () {
     // initialize other stuff
     reload.initialize();
     people.initialize();
+    bot_data.initialize(); // Must happen after people.initialize()
     markdown.initialize();
     composebox_typeahead.initialize();
     search.initialize();