diff --git a/web/src/compose.js b/web/src/compose.js
index e457e4214b..7bf38a1b76 100644
--- a/web/src/compose.js
+++ b/web/src/compose.js
@@ -268,18 +268,6 @@ export function do_post_send_tasks() {
     $(document).trigger("compose_finished.zulip");
 }
 
-export function update_email(user_id, new_email) {
-    let reply_to = compose_state.private_message_recipient();
-
-    if (!reply_to) {
-        return;
-    }
-
-    reply_to = people.update_email_in_reply_to(reply_to, user_id, new_email);
-
-    compose_state.private_message_recipient(reply_to);
-}
-
 export function render_and_show_preview($preview_spinner, $preview_content_box, content) {
     function show_preview(rendered_content, raw_content) {
         // content is passed to check for status messages ("/me ...")
diff --git a/web/src/compose_state.js b/web/src/compose_state.js
index c3b91dc6e3..f27d10917d 100644
--- a/web/src/compose_state.js
+++ b/web/src/compose_state.js
@@ -2,6 +2,7 @@ import $ from "jquery";
 
 import * as compose_pm_pill from "./compose_pm_pill";
 import {$t} from "./i18n";
+import * as people from "./people";
 import * as sub_store from "./sub_store";
 
 let message_type = false; // 'stream', 'private', or false-y
@@ -185,3 +186,15 @@ export function has_full_recipient() {
     }
     return private_message_recipient() !== "";
 }
+
+export function update_email(user_id, new_email) {
+    let reply_to = private_message_recipient();
+
+    if (!reply_to) {
+        return;
+    }
+
+    reply_to = people.update_email_in_reply_to(reply_to, user_id, new_email);
+
+    private_message_recipient(reply_to);
+}
diff --git a/web/src/user_events.js b/web/src/user_events.js
index 6a1d44bc9a..bf519d45d7 100644
--- a/web/src/user_events.js
+++ b/web/src/user_events.js
@@ -6,7 +6,7 @@ import $ from "jquery";
 
 import * as activity_ui from "./activity_ui";
 import * as blueslip from "./blueslip";
-import * as compose from "./compose";
+import * as compose_state from "./compose_state";
 import * as message_live_update from "./message_live_update";
 import * as narrow_state from "./narrow_state";
 import {page_params} from "./page_params";
@@ -34,7 +34,7 @@ export const update_person = function update(person) {
         const new_email = person.new_email;
 
         narrow_state.update_email(user_id, new_email);
-        compose.update_email(user_id, new_email);
+        compose_state.update_email(user_id, new_email);
 
         if (people.is_my_user_id(person.user_id)) {
             page_params.email = new_email;
diff --git a/web/tests/user_events.test.js b/web/tests/user_events.test.js
index acac577151..fd87d53f74 100644
--- a/web/tests/user_events.test.js
+++ b/web/tests/user_events.test.js
@@ -17,7 +17,7 @@ const settings_account = mock_esm("../src/settings_account", {
 mock_esm("../src/activity_ui", {
     redraw() {},
 });
-mock_esm("../src/compose", {
+mock_esm("../src/compose_state", {
     update_email() {},
 });
 mock_esm("../src/narrow_state", {