diff --git a/.eslintrc.json b/.eslintrc.json
index 151af1e535..c7b67f321c 100644
--- a/.eslintrc.json
+++ b/.eslintrc.json
@@ -151,7 +151,6 @@
                 "subs": false,
                 "ui": false,
                 "ui_init": false,
-                "widgetize": false,
                 "zxcvbn": false
             }
         },
diff --git a/frontend_tests/node_tests/submessage.js b/frontend_tests/node_tests/submessage.js
index 8ed67503e3..5bfa6a3239 100644
--- a/frontend_tests/node_tests/submessage.js
+++ b/frontend_tests/node_tests/submessage.js
@@ -4,12 +4,13 @@ const {strict: assert} = require("assert");
 
 const rewiremock = require("rewiremock/node");
 
-const {set_global, zrequire} = require("../zjsunit/namespace");
+const {zrequire} = require("../zjsunit/namespace");
 const {run_test} = require("../zjsunit/test");
 
 const channel = {__esModule: true};
 rewiremock("../../static/js/channel").with(channel);
-const widgetize = set_global("widgetize", {});
+const widgetize = {__esModule: true};
+rewiremock("../../static/js/widgetize").with(widgetize);
 const message_store = {__esModule: true};
 
 rewiremock("../../static/js/message_store").with(message_store);
diff --git a/static/js/bundles/app.js b/static/js/bundles/app.js
index fb4201d0e9..6dbd41767d 100644
--- a/static/js/bundles/app.js
+++ b/static/js/bundles/app.js
@@ -16,7 +16,6 @@ import "flatpickr/dist/plugins/confirmDate/confirmDate";
 import "../i18n";
 import "../fold_dict";
 import "../setup";
-import "../widgetize";
 import "../message_list";
 import "../narrow";
 import "../reload";
diff --git a/static/js/global.d.ts b/static/js/global.d.ts
index ac63052c41..cb522214d5 100644
--- a/static/js/global.d.ts
+++ b/static/js/global.d.ts
@@ -20,7 +20,6 @@ declare let pointer: any;
 declare let settings_profile_fields: any;
 declare let subs: any;
 declare let ui: any;
-declare let widgetize: any;
 declare let zulip_test: any;
 
 interface JQuery {
diff --git a/static/js/narrow.js b/static/js/narrow.js
index 42d86268fc..0366ae8728 100644
--- a/static/js/narrow.js
+++ b/static/js/narrow.js
@@ -31,6 +31,7 @@ const ui_util = require("./ui_util");
 const unread = require("./unread");
 const unread_ops = require("./unread_ops");
 const util = require("./util");
+const widgetize = require("./widgetize");
 
 let unnarrow_times;
 
diff --git a/static/js/submessage.js b/static/js/submessage.js
index 980d02db78..2e81d31692 100644
--- a/static/js/submessage.js
+++ b/static/js/submessage.js
@@ -1,5 +1,6 @@
 import * as channel from "./channel";
 import * as message_store from "./message_store";
+import * as widgetize from "./widgetize";
 
 export function get_message_events(message) {
     if (message.locally_echoed) {
diff --git a/static/js/widgetize.js b/static/js/widgetize.js
index d10983888a..e9f71013c6 100644
--- a/static/js/widgetize.js
+++ b/static/js/widgetize.js
@@ -1,9 +1,7 @@
-"use strict";
-
-const narrow_state = require("./narrow_state");
-const poll_widget = require("./poll_widget");
-const todo_widget = require("./todo_widget");
-const zform = require("./zform");
+import * as narrow_state from "./narrow_state";
+import * as poll_widget from "./poll_widget";
+import * as todo_widget from "./todo_widget";
+import * as zform from "./zform";
 
 const widgets = new Map([
     ["poll", poll_widget],
@@ -11,15 +9,14 @@ const widgets = new Map([
     ["zform", zform],
 ]);
 
-const widget_contents = new Map();
-exports.widget_contents = widget_contents;
+export const widget_contents = new Map();
 
 function set_widget_in_message(row, widget_elem) {
     const content_holder = row.find(".message_content");
     content_holder.empty().append(widget_elem);
 }
 
-exports.activate = function (in_opts) {
+export function activate(in_opts) {
     const widget_type = in_opts.widget_type;
     const extra_data = in_opts.extra_data;
     const events = in_opts.events;
@@ -76,18 +73,18 @@ exports.activate = function (in_opts) {
     if (events.length > 0) {
         widget_elem.handle_events(events);
     }
-};
+}
 
-exports.set_widgets_for_list = function () {
+export function set_widgets_for_list() {
     for (const [idx, widget_elem] of widget_contents) {
         if (current_msg_list.get(idx) !== undefined) {
             const row = current_msg_list.get_row(idx);
             set_widget_in_message(row, widget_elem);
         }
     }
-};
+}
 
-exports.handle_event = function (widget_event) {
+export function handle_event(widget_event) {
     const widget_elem = widget_contents.get(widget_event.message_id);
 
     if (!widget_elem) {
@@ -100,6 +97,4 @@ exports.handle_event = function (widget_event) {
     const events = [widget_event];
 
     widget_elem.handle_events(events);
-};
-
-window.widgetize = exports;
+}