diff --git a/static/js/alert_words_ui.js b/static/js/alert_words_ui.js
index a823525c18..a259dd1b9b 100644
--- a/static/js/alert_words_ui.js
+++ b/static/js/alert_words_ui.js
@@ -1,4 +1,45 @@
-$(function () {
+var alert_words_ui = (function () {
+
+var exports = {};
+
+function update_word_alerts() {
+    var words = _.map($('.alert-word-item'), function (e) {
+        return $(e).data('word');
+    });
+    words = _.filter(words, function (word) {
+        return word !== "";
+    });
+
+    channel.post({
+        url: '/json/set_alert_words',
+        idempotent: true,
+        data: {alert_words: JSON.stringify(words)}});
+}
+
+function add_alert_word(word, event) {
+    if (word === '') {
+        return;
+    }
+
+    var final_li = templates.render('alert_word_settings_item', {'word': word, editing: false});
+
+    var li = $(event.target).parent();
+    li.replaceWith(final_li);
+
+    var new_word = templates.render('alert_word_settings_item', {'word': '', editing: true});
+    var word_list = $('#word-alerts');
+    word_list.append(new_word);
+
+    if (word_list.find('input').length > 0) {
+        word_list.find('input').focus();
+    }
+
+    update_word_alerts();
+}
+
+exports.set_up_alert_words = function () {
+    // The settings page must be rendered before this function gets called.
+
     var word_list = $('#word-alerts');
     _.each(alert_words.words, function (word) {
         var li = templates.render('alert_word_settings_item', {'word': word});
@@ -7,40 +48,6 @@ $(function () {
     var new_word = templates.render('alert_word_settings_item', {'word': '', editing: true});
     word_list.append(new_word);
 
-    function update_word_alerts() {
-        var words = _.map($('.alert-word-item'), function (e) {
-            return $(e).data('word');
-        });
-        words = _.filter(words, function (word) {
-            return word !== "";
-        });
-
-        channel.post({
-            url: '/json/set_alert_words',
-            idempotent: true,
-            data: {alert_words: JSON.stringify(words)}});
-    }
-
-    function add_alert_word(word, event) {
-          if (word === '') {
-            return;
-        }
-
-        var final_li = templates.render('alert_word_settings_item', {'word': word, editing: false});
-
-        var li = $(event.target).parent();
-        li.replaceWith(final_li);
-
-        var new_word = templates.render('alert_word_settings_item', {'word': '', editing: true});
-        word_list.append(new_word);
-
-        if (word_list.find('input').length > 0) {
-            word_list.find('input').focus();
-        }
-
-        update_word_alerts();
-    }
-
     $('#word-alerts').on('click', '.add-alert-word', function (event) {
         var word = $(event.target).siblings('input').val();
         add_alert_word(word, event);
@@ -63,5 +70,7 @@ $(function () {
             add_alert_word(word, event);
         }
     });
-});
+};
 
+return exports;
+}());
diff --git a/static/js/settings.js b/static/js/settings.js
index ac7cf3f9cd..2676df1138 100644
--- a/static/js/settings.js
+++ b/static/js/settings.js
@@ -30,6 +30,8 @@ exports.setup_page = function () {
     $("#notify-settings-status").hide();
     $("#ui-settings-status").hide();
 
+    alert_words_ui.set_up_alert_words();
+
     $("#api_key_value").text("");
     $("#get_api_key_box").hide();
     $("#show_api_key_box").hide();
diff --git a/tools/jslint/check-all.js b/tools/jslint/check-all.js
index fc6781caa2..9bd2a500a8 100644
--- a/tools/jslint/check-all.js
+++ b/tools/jslint/check-all.js
@@ -25,7 +25,7 @@ var globals =
     + ' compose compose_fade rows hotkeys narrow reload notifications_bar search subs'
     + ' composebox_typeahead server_events typeahead_helper notifications hashchange'
     + ' invite ui util activity timerender MessageList MessageListView blueslip unread stream_list'
-    + ' message_edit tab_bar emoji popovers navigate people settings message_store'
+    + ' message_edit tab_bar emoji popovers navigate people settings alert_words_ui message_store'
     + ' avatar feature_flags search_suggestion referral stream_color Dict'
     + ' Filter summary admin stream_data muting WinChan muting_ui Socket channel'
     + ' message_flags'