diff --git a/frontend_tests/node_tests/message_fetch.js b/frontend_tests/node_tests/message_fetch.js
index 249e3e9d55..6705fcecc5 100644
--- a/frontend_tests/node_tests/message_fetch.js
+++ b/frontend_tests/node_tests/message_fetch.js
@@ -43,14 +43,16 @@ function stub_message_view(list) {
 function make_home_msg_list() {
     var table_name = 'whatever';
     var filter = new Filter();
-    var opts = {};
 
-    var list = new message_list.MessageList(table_name, filter, opts);
+    var list = new message_list.MessageList({
+        table_name: table_name,
+        filter: filter,
+    });
     return list;
 }
 
 function make_all_list() {
-    return new message_list.MessageList();
+    return new message_list.MessageList({});
 }
 
 function reset_lists() {
@@ -267,10 +269,10 @@ function simulate_narrow() {
         return 'operators-stub';
     };
 
-    var msg_list = new message_list.MessageList(
-        'zfilt',
-        filter
-    );
+    var msg_list = new message_list.MessageList({
+        table_name: 'zfilt',
+        filter: filter,
+    });
     set_global('current_msg_list', msg_list);
 
     return msg_list;
diff --git a/frontend_tests/node_tests/message_list.js b/frontend_tests/node_tests/message_list.js
index da70990490..50f7e6c4e8 100644
--- a/frontend_tests/node_tests/message_list.js
+++ b/frontend_tests/node_tests/message_list.js
@@ -31,10 +31,11 @@ function accept_all_filter() {
 }
 
 run_test('basics', () => {
-    var table;
     var filter = accept_all_filter();
 
-    var list = new MessageList(table, filter);
+    var list = new MessageList({
+        filter: filter,
+    });
 
     var messages = [
         {
@@ -126,9 +127,7 @@ run_test('basics', () => {
 });
 
 run_test('message_range', () => {
-    var table;
-    var filter = {};
-    var list = new MessageList(table, filter);
+    var list = new MessageList({});
 
     var messages = [{id: 30}, {id: 40}, {id: 50}, {id: 60}];
     list.append(messages, true);
@@ -140,9 +139,7 @@ run_test('message_range', () => {
 });
 
 run_test('updates', () => {
-    var table;
-    var filter = {};
-    var list = new MessageList(table, filter);
+    var list = new MessageList({});
     list.view.rerender_the_whole_thing = noop;
 
     var messages = [
@@ -179,10 +176,7 @@ run_test('updates', () => {
 });
 
 run_test('nth_most_recent_id', () => {
-    var table;
-    var filter = {};
-
-    var list = new MessageList(table, filter);
+    var list = new MessageList({});
     list.append([{id:10}, {id:20}, {id:30}]);
     assert.equal(list.nth_most_recent_id(1), 30);
     assert.equal(list.nth_most_recent_id(2), 20);
@@ -191,10 +185,7 @@ run_test('nth_most_recent_id', () => {
 });
 
 run_test('change_message_id', () => {
-    var table;
-    var filter = {};
-
-    var list = new MessageList(table, filter);
+    var list = new MessageList({});
     list.append([{id: 10.5, content: "good job"}, {id: 20.5, content: "ok!"}]);
     list.change_message_id(10.5, 11);
     assert.equal(list.get(11).content, "good job");
@@ -204,10 +195,7 @@ run_test('change_message_id', () => {
 });
 
 run_test('last_sent_by_me', () => {
-    var table;
-    var filter = {};
-
-    var list = new MessageList(table, filter);
+    var list = new MessageList({});
     var items = [
         {
             id: 1,
@@ -230,10 +218,7 @@ run_test('last_sent_by_me', () => {
 });
 
 run_test('local_echo', () => {
-    var table;
-    var filter = {};
-
-    var list = new MessageList(table, filter);
+    var list = new MessageList({});
     list.append([{id:10}, {id:20}, {id:30}, {id:20.02}, {id:20.03}, {id:40}, {id:50}, {id:60}]);
     list._local_only= {20.02: {id:20.02}, 20.03: {id:20.03}};
 
@@ -255,7 +240,7 @@ run_test('local_echo', () => {
     assert.equal(list.closest_id(58), 60);
 
 
-    list = new MessageList(table, filter);
+    list = new MessageList({});
     list.append([
         {id:10}, {id:20}, {id:30}, {id:20.02}, {id:20.03}, {id:40},
         {id:50}, {id: 50.01}, {id: 50.02}, {id:60}]);
@@ -282,10 +267,7 @@ run_test('local_echo', () => {
 });
 
 run_test('bookend', () => {
-    var table;
-    var filter = {};
-
-    var list = new MessageList(table, filter);
+    var list = new MessageList({});
 
     with_overrides(function (override) {
         var expected = "translated: You subscribed to stream IceCream";
@@ -362,10 +344,7 @@ run_test('bookend', () => {
 });
 
 run_test('unmuted_messages', () => {
-    var table;
-    var filter = {};
-
-    var list = new MessageList(table, filter);
+    var list = new MessageList({});
 
     var unmuted = [
         {
@@ -400,10 +379,9 @@ run_test('unmuted_messages', () => {
 });
 
 run_test('add_remove_rerender', () => {
-    var table;
     var filter = accept_all_filter();
 
-    var list = new MessageList(table, filter);
+    var list = new MessageList({filter: filter});
 
     var messages = [{id: 1}, {id: 2}, {id: 3}];
 
diff --git a/frontend_tests/node_tests/message_list_view.js b/frontend_tests/node_tests/message_list_view.js
index 68c78adb16..b500e5d262 100644
--- a/frontend_tests/node_tests/message_list_view.js
+++ b/frontend_tests/node_tests/message_list_view.js
@@ -370,9 +370,12 @@ run_test('render_windows', () => {
     var view = (function make_view() {
         var table_name = 'zfilt';
         var filter = new Filter();
-        var opts = {};
 
-        var list = new message_list.MessageList(table_name, filter, opts);
+        var list = new message_list.MessageList({
+            table_name: table_name,
+            filter: filter,
+        });
+
         var view = list.view;
 
         // Stub out functionality that is not core to the rendering window
diff --git a/frontend_tests/node_tests/narrow_activate.js b/frontend_tests/node_tests/narrow_activate.js
index af0e9a5f5c..52857ca8a0 100644
--- a/frontend_tests/node_tests/narrow_activate.js
+++ b/frontend_tests/node_tests/narrow_activate.js
@@ -95,10 +95,10 @@ function test_helper() {
 }
 
 function stub_message_list() {
-    message_list.MessageList = function (table_name, filter) {
+    message_list.MessageList = function (opts) {
         var list = this;
         this.messages = [];
-        this.filter = filter;
+        this.filter = opts.filter;
         this.view = {
             set_message_offset: function (offset) {
                 list.view.offset = offset;
diff --git a/static/js/message_list.js b/static/js/message_list.js
index 88623ed0a0..5fb9c8b0e6 100644
--- a/static/js/message_list.js
+++ b/static/js/message_list.js
@@ -4,18 +4,23 @@ var exports = {};
 
 exports.narrowed = undefined;
 
-exports.MessageList = function (table_name, filter, opts) {
-    _.extend(this, {
+exports.MessageList = function (opts) {
+    _.extend(opts, {
         collapse_messages: true,
-        muting_enabled: true,
-    }, opts);
+    });
+
+    var collapse_messages = opts.collapse_messages;
+    this.muting_enabled = opts.muting_enabled;
+
+    var table_name = opts.table_name;
+    var filter = opts.filter;
 
     this.data = new MessageListData({
         muting_enabled: this.muting_enabled,
         filter: filter,
     });
 
-    this.view = new MessageListView(this, table_name, this.collapse_messages);
+    this.view = new MessageListView(this, table_name, collapse_messages);
     this.fetch_status = FetchStatus();
     this.table_name = table_name;
     this.narrowed = this.table_name === "zfilt";
@@ -401,10 +406,9 @@ exports.MessageList.prototype = {
 
 };
 
-exports.all = new exports.MessageList(
-    undefined, undefined,
-    {muting_enabled: false}
-);
+exports.all = new exports.MessageList({
+    muting_enabled: false,
+});
 
 // We stop autoscrolling when the user is clearly in the middle of
 // doing something.  Be careful, though, if you try to capture
diff --git a/static/js/narrow.js b/static/js/narrow.js
index a06aeb46bf..5b5a438350 100644
--- a/static/js/narrow.js
+++ b/static/js/narrow.js
@@ -155,16 +155,12 @@ exports.activate = function (raw_operators, opts) {
     // Save how far from the pointer the top of the message list was.
     exports.save_pre_narrow_offset_for_reload();
 
-    var msg_list_opts = {
+    var msg_list = new message_list.MessageList({
+        table_name: 'zfilt',
+        filter: narrow_state.get_current_filter(),
         collapse_messages: ! narrow_state.get_current_filter().is_search(),
         muting_enabled: muting_enabled,
-    };
-
-    var msg_list = new message_list.MessageList(
-        'zfilt',
-        narrow_state.get_current_filter(),
-        msg_list_opts
-    );
+    });
 
     msg_list.start_time = start_time;
 
diff --git a/static/js/zulip.js b/static/js/zulip.js
index 08b000a297..de362f6379 100644
--- a/static/js/zulip.js
+++ b/static/js/zulip.js
@@ -2,12 +2,11 @@
 // global variables from Zulip (everything is being moved into
 // modules).  Please don't add things here.
 
-var home_msg_list = new message_list.MessageList(
-    'zhome',
-    new Filter([{operator: "in",
-                 operand: "home"}]),
-    {muting_enabled: true}
-);
+var home_msg_list = new message_list.MessageList({
+    table_name: 'zhome',
+    filter: new Filter([{operator: "in", operand: "home"}]),
+    muting_enabled: true,
+});
 var current_msg_list = home_msg_list;
 
 if (typeof module !== 'undefined') {