diff --git a/web/src/search.js b/web/src/search.js
index 8a0ad03cfe..9dddc167fd 100644
--- a/web/src/search.js
+++ b/web/src/search.js
@@ -5,13 +5,12 @@ import render_search_list_item from "../templates/search_list_item.hbs";
 import {Filter} from "./filter";
 import * as keydown_util from "./keydown_util";
 import * as message_view_header from "./message_view_header";
-import * as narrow from "./narrow";
 import * as search_suggestion from "./search_suggestion";
 
 // Exported for unit testing
 export let is_using_input_method = false;
 
-export function narrow_or_search_for_term(search_string) {
+export function narrow_or_search_for_term(search_string, {on_narrow_search}) {
     const $search_query_box = $("#search_query");
     if (is_using_input_method) {
         // Neither narrow nor search when using input tools as
@@ -21,7 +20,7 @@ export function narrow_or_search_for_term(search_string) {
     }
 
     const operators = Filter.parse(search_string);
-    narrow.activate(operators, {trigger: "search"});
+    on_narrow_search(operators, {trigger: "search"});
 
     // It's sort of annoying that this is not in a position to
     // blur the search box, because it means that Esc won't
@@ -33,7 +32,7 @@ export function narrow_or_search_for_term(search_string) {
     return $search_query_box.val();
 }
 
-export function initialize() {
+export function initialize({on_narrow_search}) {
     const $search_query_box = $("#search_query");
     const $searchbox_form = $("#searchbox_form");
 
@@ -64,7 +63,7 @@ export function initialize() {
             return true;
         },
         updater(search_string) {
-            return narrow_or_search_for_term(search_string);
+            return narrow_or_search_for_term(search_string, {on_narrow_search});
         },
         sorter(items) {
             return items;
@@ -109,7 +108,7 @@ export function initialize() {
                 // indicate that they've done what they need to do)
 
                 // Pill is already added during keydown event of input pills.
-                narrow_or_search_for_term($search_query_box.val());
+                narrow_or_search_for_term($search_query_box.val(), {on_narrow_search});
                 $search_query_box.trigger("blur");
             }
         });
diff --git a/web/src/ui_init.js b/web/src/ui_init.js
index 03feda5fb4..51be9e819a 100644
--- a/web/src/ui_init.js
+++ b/web/src/ui_init.js
@@ -719,7 +719,9 @@ export function initialize_everything() {
         on_enter_send: compose.finish,
     });
     compose_textarea.initialize();
-    search.initialize();
+    search.initialize({
+        on_narrow_search: narrow.activate,
+    });
     tutorial.initialize();
     notifications.initialize({on_click_scroll_to_selected: navigate.scroll_to_selected});
     unread_ops.initialize();
diff --git a/web/tests/search.test.js b/web/tests/search.test.js
index c94e5cf7f5..33e2e704e8 100644
--- a/web/tests/search.test.js
+++ b/web/tests/search.test.js
@@ -6,7 +6,6 @@ const {mock_esm, zrequire} = require("./lib/namespace");
 const {run_test} = require("./lib/test");
 const $ = require("./lib/zjquery");
 
-const narrow = mock_esm("../src/narrow");
 const narrow_state = mock_esm("../src/narrow_state");
 const search_suggestion = mock_esm("../src/search_suggestion");
 
@@ -44,6 +43,8 @@ run_test("initialize", ({mock_template}) => {
     });
 
     search_suggestion.max_num_of_search_results = 999;
+    let operators;
+
     $search_query_box.typeahead = (opts) => {
         assert.equal(opts.items, 999);
         assert.equal(opts.naturalSearch, true);
@@ -171,7 +172,6 @@ run_test("initialize", ({mock_template}) => {
         }
 
         {
-            let operators;
             let is_blurred;
             $search_query_box.on("blur", () => {
                 is_blurred = true;
@@ -184,10 +184,6 @@ run_test("initialize", ({mock_template}) => {
                     assert.equal(search_string, search_box_val);
                     return operators;
                 };
-                narrow.activate = (raw_operators, options) => {
-                    assert.deepEqual(raw_operators, operators);
-                    assert.deepEqual(options, {trigger: "search"});
-                };
             };
 
             operators = [
@@ -221,7 +217,12 @@ run_test("initialize", ({mock_template}) => {
         }
     };
 
-    search.initialize();
+    search.initialize({
+        on_narrow_search(raw_operators, options) {
+            assert.deepEqual(raw_operators, operators);
+            assert.deepEqual(options, {trigger: "search"});
+        },
+    });
 
     $search_query_box.val("test string");
     narrow_state.search_string = () => "ver";
@@ -257,7 +258,6 @@ run_test("initialize", ({mock_template}) => {
     ev = {
         type: "keyup",
     };
-    let operators;
     let is_blurred;
     $search_query_box.off("blur");
     $search_query_box.on("blur", () => {
@@ -271,10 +271,6 @@ run_test("initialize", ({mock_template}) => {
             assert.equal(search_string, search_box_val);
             return operators;
         };
-        narrow.activate = (raw_operators, options) => {
-            assert.deepEqual(raw_operators, operators);
-            assert.deepEqual(options, {trigger: "search"});
-        };
     };
 
     operators = [