diff --git a/frontend_tests/node_tests/narrow_activate.js b/frontend_tests/node_tests/narrow_activate.js
index 7c973637be..ce6c9fa4c0 100644
--- a/frontend_tests/node_tests/narrow_activate.js
+++ b/frontend_tests/node_tests/narrow_activate.js
@@ -130,9 +130,7 @@ function stub_message_list() {
     var terms = [
         { operator: 'stream', operand: 'Denmark' },
     ];
-    var opts = {
-        select_first_unread: true,
-    };
+    var opts = {};
 
     var selected_id = 1000;
 
@@ -144,7 +142,6 @@ function stub_message_list() {
 
     var messages = [selected_message];
 
-    home_msg_list.selected_id = () => { return selected_id; };
     current_msg_list.selected_id = () => { return -1; };
 
     message_list.all = {
@@ -152,7 +149,7 @@ function stub_message_list() {
             return messages;
         },
         get: (msg_id) => {
-            assert.equal(msg_id, selected_id);
+            assert.equal(msg_id, -1);
             return selected_message;
         },
     };
@@ -164,8 +161,8 @@ function stub_message_list() {
 
         assert.deepEqual(opts, {
             cont: opts.cont,
-            then_select_id: selected_id,
-            use_first_unread_anchor: false,
+            then_select_id: -1,
+            use_first_unread_anchor: true,
         });
     };
 
diff --git a/static/js/activity.js b/static/js/activity.js
index 6604675298..660d2bd888 100644
--- a/static/js/activity.js
+++ b/static/js/activity.js
@@ -481,13 +481,7 @@ exports.narrow_for_user = function (opts) {
     var user_id = buddy_list.get_key_from_li({li: opts.li});
     var email = people.get_person_from_user_id(user_id).email;
 
-    var narrow_opts = {
-        select_first_unread: true,
-        trigger: 'sidebar',
-    };
-
-    narrow.by('pm-with', email, narrow_opts);
-
+    narrow.by('pm-with', email, {trigger: 'sidebar'});
     exports.clear_and_hide_search();
 };
 
diff --git a/static/js/click_handlers.js b/static/js/click_handlers.js
index 70e94411c0..c5d41cd4b0 100644
--- a/static/js/click_handlers.js
+++ b/static/js/click_handlers.js
@@ -347,7 +347,7 @@ $(function () {
     $('#group-pms').expectOne().on('click', '.selectable_sidebar_block', function (e) {
         var user_ids_string = $(e.target).parents('li').attr('data-user-ids');
         var emails = people.user_ids_string_to_emails_string(user_ids_string);
-        narrow.by('pm-with', emails, {select_first_unread: true, trigger: 'sidebar'});
+        narrow.by('pm-with', emails, {trigger: 'sidebar'});
         e.preventDefault();
         e.stopPropagation();
         popovers.hide_all();
diff --git a/static/js/drafts.js b/static/js/drafts.js
index b44b7a0970..63c00a3390 100644
--- a/static/js/drafts.js
+++ b/static/js/drafts.js
@@ -139,12 +139,12 @@ exports.restore_draft = function (draft_id) {
         if (draft.stream !== "") {
             narrow.activate([{operator: "stream", operand: draft.stream},
                              {operator: "topic", operand: draft.subject}],
-                             {select_first_unread: true, trigger: "restore draft"});
+                             {trigger: "restore draft"});
         }
     } else {
         if (draft.private_message_recipient !== "") {
             narrow.activate([{operator: "pm-with", operand: draft.private_message_recipient}],
-                             {select_first_unread: true, trigger: "restore draft"});
+                             {trigger: "restore draft"});
         }
     }
 
diff --git a/static/js/hashchange.js b/static/js/hashchange.js
index a143582745..43500e53d4 100644
--- a/static/js/hashchange.js
+++ b/static/js/hashchange.js
@@ -131,7 +131,6 @@ function do_hashchange(from_reload) {
             return false;
         }
         var narrow_opts = {
-            select_first_unread: true,
             change_hash:    false,  // already set
             trigger: 'hash change',
         };
diff --git a/static/js/hotkey.js b/static/js/hotkey.js
index f239706234..1c97458393 100644
--- a/static/js/hotkey.js
+++ b/static/js/hotkey.js
@@ -607,7 +607,6 @@ exports.process_hotkey = function (e, hotkey) {
             return true;
         case 'narrow_private':
             return do_narrow_action(function (target, opts) {
-                opts = _.defaults({}, opts, {select_first_unread: true});
                 narrow.by('is', 'private', opts);
             });
         case 'query_streams':
diff --git a/static/js/narrow.js b/static/js/narrow.js
index 08ac9457b1..b0346ed220 100644
--- a/static/js/narrow.js
+++ b/static/js/narrow.js
@@ -83,8 +83,7 @@ exports.activate = function (raw_operators, opts) {
                                 previous_id: current_msg_list.selected_id()});
 
     opts = _.defaults({}, opts, {
-        then_select_id: home_msg_list.selected_id(),
-        select_first_unread: false,
+        then_select_id: -1,
         use_initial_narrow_pointer: false,
         change_hash: true,
         trigger: 'unknown',
@@ -94,12 +93,11 @@ exports.activate = function (raw_operators, opts) {
     // selected and should be the center of the narrow.
     if (filter.has_operator("near")) {
         opts.then_select_id = parseInt(filter.operands("near")[0], 10);
-        opts.select_first_unread = false;
     }
     if (filter.has_operator("id")) {
         opts.then_select_id = parseInt(filter.operands("id")[0], 10);
-        opts.select_first_unread = false;
     }
+    opts.select_first_unread = (opts.then_select_id === -1);
 
     var then_select_id = opts.then_select_id;
     var then_select_offset;
@@ -205,7 +203,7 @@ exports.activate = function (raw_operators, opts) {
     var defer_selecting_closest = message_list.narrowed.empty();
     message_fetch.load_messages_for_narrow({
         then_select_id: then_select_id,
-        use_first_unread_anchor: opts.select_first_unread && then_select_id === -1,
+        use_first_unread_anchor: opts.select_first_unread,
         cont: function () {
             if (defer_selecting_closest) {
                 maybe_select_closest();
@@ -273,16 +271,10 @@ exports.stream_topic = function () {
 
 exports.activate_stream_for_cycle_hotkey = function (stream_name) {
     // This is the common code for A/D hotkeys.
-
     var filter_expr = [
         {operator: 'stream', operand: stream_name},
     ];
-
-    var opts = {
-        select_first_unread: true,
-    };
-
-    exports.activate(filter_expr, opts);
+    exports.activate(filter_expr, {});
 };
 
 
@@ -339,11 +331,7 @@ exports.narrow_to_next_topic = function () {
         {operator: 'topic', operand: next_narrow.topic},
     ];
 
-    var opts = {
-        select_first_unread: true,
-    };
-
-    exports.activate(filter_expr, opts);
+    exports.activate(filter_expr, {});
 };
 
 exports.narrow_to_next_pm_string = function () {
@@ -366,7 +354,6 @@ exports.narrow_to_next_pm_string = function () {
 
     // force_close parameter is true to not auto open compose_box
     var opts = {
-        select_first_unread: true,
         force_close: true,
     };
 
diff --git a/static/js/notifications.js b/static/js/notifications.js
index 4ce2453fb1..9cb6fa9cc1 100644
--- a/static/js/notifications.js
+++ b/static/js/notifications.js
@@ -267,7 +267,7 @@ function process_notification(notification) {
     var msg_count = 1;
     var notification_source;
     var raw_operators = [];
-    var opts = {select_first_unread: true, trigger: "notification click"};
+    var opts = {trigger: "notification click"};
     // Convert the content to plain text, replacing emoji with their alt text
     content = $('<div/>').html(message.content);
     ui.replace_emoji_with_text(content);
diff --git a/static/js/popovers.js b/static/js/popovers.js
index df8a9c614b..78c5c624e6 100644
--- a/static/js/popovers.js
+++ b/static/js/popovers.js
@@ -585,7 +585,7 @@ exports.register_click_handlers = function () {
         var user_id = $(e.target).parents('ul').attr('data-user-id');
         var email = people.get_person_from_user_id(user_id).email;
         popovers.hide_message_info_popover();
-        narrow.by('pm-with', email, {select_first_unread: true, trigger: 'user sidebar popover'});
+        narrow.by('pm-with', email, {trigger: 'user sidebar popover'});
         e.stopPropagation();
         e.preventDefault();
     });
@@ -594,7 +594,7 @@ exports.register_click_handlers = function () {
         var user_id = $(e.target).parents('ul').attr('data-user-id');
         var email = people.get_person_from_user_id(user_id).email;
         popovers.hide_message_info_popover();
-        narrow.by('sender', email, {select_first_unread: true, trigger: 'user sidebar popover'});
+        narrow.by('sender', email, {trigger: 'user sidebar popover'});
         e.stopPropagation();
         e.preventDefault();
     });
diff --git a/static/js/search.js b/static/js/search.js
index aa2467be10..18af0a6128 100644
--- a/static/js/search.js
+++ b/static/js/search.js
@@ -6,7 +6,7 @@ function narrow_or_search_for_term(search_string) {
     var search_query_box = $("#search_query");
     ui_util.change_tab_to('#home');
     var operators = Filter.parse(search_string);
-    narrow.activate(operators, {trigger: 'search', select_first_unread: true});
+    narrow.activate(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
@@ -90,8 +90,7 @@ exports.initialize = function () {
             // operators.  (The reason the other actions don't call
             // this codepath is that they first all blur the box to
             // indicate that they've done what they need to do)
-            narrow.activate(Filter.parse(search_query_box.val()), {trigger: 'search',
-                                                                   select_first_unread: true});
+            narrow.activate(Filter.parse(search_query_box.val()), {trigger: 'search'});
             search_query_box.blur();
             update_buttons_with_focus(false);
         }
diff --git a/static/js/stream_list.js b/static/js/stream_list.js
index ee3219dec5..0cfc5cd91b 100644
--- a/static/js/stream_list.js
+++ b/static/js/stream_list.js
@@ -474,8 +474,7 @@ function keydown_enter_key() {
             ui_util.change_tab_to('#home');
         }
         exports.clear_and_hide_search();
-        narrow.by('stream', top_stream.name,
-                  {select_first_unread: true, trigger: 'sidebar enter key'});
+        narrow.by('stream', top_stream.name, {trigger: 'sidebar enter key'});
     }
 }
 
@@ -520,7 +519,7 @@ exports.initialize = function () {
         var stream_id = $(e.target).parents('li').attr('data-stream-id');
         var sub = stream_data.get_sub_by_id(stream_id);
         popovers.hide_all();
-        narrow.by('stream', sub.name, {select_first_unread: true, trigger: 'sidebar'});
+        narrow.by('stream', sub.name, {trigger: 'sidebar'});
 
         exports.clear_and_hide_search();
 
diff --git a/static/js/stream_popover.js b/static/js/stream_popover.js
index 7d5b9abca5..e3f95ec83c 100644
--- a/static/js/stream_popover.js
+++ b/static/js/stream_popover.js
@@ -226,8 +226,7 @@ exports.register_stream_handlers = function () {
     $('body').on('click', '.narrow_to_stream', function (e) {
         var sub = stream_popover_sub(e);
         exports.hide_stream_popover();
-        narrow.by('stream', sub.name,
-            {select_first_unread: true, trigger: 'sidebar popover'}
+        narrow.by('stream', sub.name, {trigger: 'sidebar popover'}
         );
         e.stopPropagation();
     });
@@ -335,8 +334,7 @@ exports.register_topic_handlers = function () {
             {operator: 'stream', operand: sub.name},
             {operator: 'topic', operand: topic},
         ];
-        var opts = {select_first_unread: true, trigger: 'sidebar'};
-        narrow.activate(operators, opts);
+        narrow.activate(operators, {trigger: 'sidebar'});
 
         e.stopPropagation();
     });
diff --git a/static/js/topic_list.js b/static/js/topic_list.js
index c1f28e9773..e071fff008 100644
--- a/static/js/topic_list.js
+++ b/static/js/topic_list.js
@@ -303,7 +303,7 @@ exports.set_click_handlers = function (callbacks) {
 
         narrow.activate([{operator: 'stream', operand: sub.name},
                          {operator: 'topic', operand: topic}],
-                        {select_first_unread: true, trigger: 'sidebar'});
+                        {trigger: 'sidebar'});
 
         e.preventDefault();
     });
diff --git a/static/js/tutorial.js b/static/js/tutorial.js
index e073c67629..a51e2ef455 100644
--- a/static/js/tutorial.js
+++ b/static/js/tutorial.js
@@ -13,7 +13,7 @@ function set_tutorial_status(status, callback) {
 exports.initialize = function () {
     if (page_params.needs_tutorial) {
         set_tutorial_status("started");
-        narrow.by('is', 'private', {select_first_unread: true, trigger: 'sidebar'});
+        narrow.by('is', 'private', {trigger: 'sidebar'});
     }
 };