diff --git a/frontend_tests/node_tests/compose_actions.js b/frontend_tests/node_tests/compose_actions.js
index 4a4f8e14d2..0ec7fb4649 100644
--- a/frontend_tests/node_tests/compose_actions.js
+++ b/frontend_tests/node_tests/compose_actions.js
@@ -71,7 +71,7 @@ set_global('narrow_state', {
 });
 
 set_global('unread_ops', {
-    mark_message_as_read: noop,
+    notify_server_message_read: noop,
 });
 
 set_global('common', {
diff --git a/frontend_tests/node_tests/dispatch.js b/frontend_tests/node_tests/dispatch.js
index aa7b3f0025..4286d0a356 100644
--- a/frontend_tests/node_tests/dispatch.js
+++ b/frontend_tests/node_tests/dispatch.js
@@ -935,7 +935,7 @@ with_overrides(function (override) {
     });
 });
 
-// mark_message_as_read requires message_store and these dependencies.
+// notify_server_message_read requires message_store and these dependencies.
 zrequire('unread_ops');
 zrequire('unread');
 zrequire('topic_data');
diff --git a/static/js/compose_actions.js b/static/js/compose_actions.js
index 5b107c5981..44f5144330 100644
--- a/static/js/compose_actions.js
+++ b/static/js/compose_actions.js
@@ -288,7 +288,7 @@ exports.respond_to_message = function (opts) {
         return;
     }
 
-    unread_ops.mark_message_as_read(message);
+    unread_ops.notify_server_message_read(message);
 
     var stream = '';
     var subject = '';
diff --git a/static/js/message_flags.js b/static/js/message_flags.js
index a528c3394b..d3a81666e6 100644
--- a/static/js/message_flags.js
+++ b/static/js/message_flags.js
@@ -88,7 +88,7 @@ exports.toggle_starred = function (message) {
 
     message.starred = !message.starred;
 
-    unread_ops.mark_message_as_read(message);
+    unread_ops.notify_server_message_read(message);
     ui.update_starred(message);
 
     if (message.starred) {
diff --git a/static/js/narrow.js b/static/js/narrow.js
index 9e0811f88d..b9e1d72b7e 100644
--- a/static/js/narrow.js
+++ b/static/js/narrow.js
@@ -399,7 +399,7 @@ exports.by_subject = function (target_id, opts) {
         exports.by_recipient(target_id, opts);
         return;
     }
-    unread_ops.mark_message_as_read(original);
+    unread_ops.notify_server_message_read(original);
     var search_terms = [
         {operator: 'stream', operand: original.stream},
         {operator: 'topic', operand: original.subject},
@@ -413,7 +413,7 @@ exports.by_recipient = function (target_id, opts) {
     opts = _.defaults({}, opts, {then_select_id: target_id});
     // don't use current_msg_list as it won't work for muted messages or for out-of-narrow links
     var message = message_store.get(target_id);
-    unread_ops.mark_message_as_read(message);
+    unread_ops.notify_server_message_read(message);
     switch (message.type) {
     case 'private':
         exports.by('pm-with', message.reply_to, opts);
diff --git a/static/js/pointer.js b/static/js/pointer.js
index 8b79a5e2c9..d4b4e5e341 100644
--- a/static/js/pointer.js
+++ b/static/js/pointer.js
@@ -112,7 +112,7 @@ exports.initialize = function initialize() {
             } else {
                 messages = event.msg_list.message_range(event.previously_selected, event.id);
             }
-            unread_ops.mark_messages_as_read(messages, {from: 'pointer'});
+            unread_ops.notify_server_messages_read(messages, {from: 'pointer'});
         }
     });
 };
diff --git a/static/js/unread_ops.js b/static/js/unread_ops.js
index 1726b4d841..3a1f0227ec 100644
--- a/static/js/unread_ops.js
+++ b/static/js/unread_ops.js
@@ -23,7 +23,7 @@ function process_newly_read_message(message, options) {
 
 exports.process_read_messages_event = function (message_ids) {
     /*
-        This code has a lot in common with mark_messages_as_read,
+        This code has a lot in common with notify_server_messages_read,
         but there are subtle differences due to the fact that the
         server can tell us about unread messages that we didn't
         actually read locally (and which we may not have even
@@ -58,7 +58,7 @@ exports.process_read_messages_event = function (message_ids) {
 
 // Takes a list of messages and marks them as read.
 // Skips any messages that are already marked as read.
-exports.mark_messages_as_read = function (messages, options) {
+exports.notify_server_messages_read = function (messages, options) {
     options = options || {};
 
     messages = unread.get_unread_messages(messages);
@@ -80,8 +80,8 @@ exports.mark_messages_as_read = function (messages, options) {
     unread_ui.update_unread_counts();
 };
 
-exports.mark_message_as_read = function (message, options) {
-    exports.mark_messages_as_read([message], options);
+exports.notify_server_message_read = function (message, options) {
+    exports.notify_server_messages_read([message], options);
 };
 
 // If we ever materially change the algorithm for this function, we
@@ -96,12 +96,12 @@ exports.process_visible = function () {
             exports.mark_current_list_as_read();
         }
     } else {
-        exports.mark_messages_as_read(message_viewport.visible_messages(true));
+        exports.notify_server_messages_read(message_viewport.visible_messages(true));
     }
 };
 
 exports.mark_current_list_as_read = function (options) {
-    exports.mark_messages_as_read(current_msg_list.all_messages(), options);
+    exports.notify_server_messages_read(current_msg_list.all_messages(), options);
 };
 
 exports.mark_stream_as_read = function (stream_id, cont) {