diff --git a/static/js/search_suggestion.js b/static/js/search_suggestion.js
index d57c73c19e..0d3ac9892a 100644
--- a/static/js/search_suggestion.js
+++ b/static/js/search_suggestion.js
@@ -389,21 +389,23 @@ function get_topic_suggestions(last, operators) {
         return [];
     }
 
-    const stream_id = stream_data.get_stream_id(stream);
-    if (!stream_id) {
+    const stream_sub = stream_data.get_sub(stream);
+    if (!stream_sub) {
         return [];
     }
 
-    // Fetch topic history from the server, in case we will need it.
-    // Note that we won't actually use the results from the server here
-    // for this particular keystroke from the user, because we want to
-    // show results immediately. Assuming the server responds quickly,
-    // as the user makes their search more specific, subsequent calls to
-    // this function will get more candidates from calling
-    // stream_topic_history.get_recent_topic_names.
-    stream_topic_history_util.get_server_history(stream_id, () => {});
+    if (stream_data.can_access_topic_history(stream_sub)) {
+        // Fetch topic history from the server, in case we will need it.
+        // Note that we won't actually use the results from the server here
+        // for this particular keystroke from the user, because we want to
+        // show results immediately. Assuming the server responds quickly,
+        // as the user makes their search more specific, subsequent calls to
+        // this function will get more candidates from calling
+        // stream_topic_history.get_recent_topic_names.
+        stream_topic_history_util.get_server_history(stream_sub.stream_id, () => {});
+    }
 
-    const candidate_topics = stream_topic_history.get_recent_topic_names(stream_id);
+    const candidate_topics = stream_topic_history.get_recent_topic_names(stream_sub.stream_id);
 
     if (!candidate_topics || !candidate_topics.length) {
         return [];
diff --git a/static/js/stream_data.js b/static/js/stream_data.js
index 16ea4c07c2..9df146ea32 100644
--- a/static/js/stream_data.js
+++ b/static/js/stream_data.js
@@ -530,6 +530,13 @@ export function can_toggle_subscription(sub) {
     );
 }
 
+export function can_access_topic_history(sub) {
+    // Anyone can access topic history for web-public streams and
+    // subscriptions; additionally, members can access history for
+    // public streams.
+    return sub.is_web_public || can_toggle_subscription(sub);
+}
+
 export function can_preview(sub) {
     return sub.subscribed || !sub.invite_only || sub.previously_subscribed;
 }