diff --git a/zephyr/jstemplates/actions_popover_content.html b/zephyr/jstemplates/actions_popover_content.html
index 2812d2a082..64333d4c8a 100644
--- a/zephyr/jstemplates/actions_popover_content.html
+++ b/zephyr/jstemplates/actions_popover_content.html
@@ -12,7 +12,7 @@
 
   {{#if narrowed}}
   <li>
-    <a onclick="narrow.from_popover({{message.id}}); narrow.activate([]);">
+    <a onclick="narrow.from_popover(); narrow.activate([], {target_id: {{message.id}} });">
       <i class="icon-time"></i> Narrow to messages around this time
     </a>
   </li>
@@ -20,14 +20,14 @@
 
   {{#if message.is_stream}}
     <li>
-      <a onclick="narrow.from_popover({{message.id}}); narrow.by_subject();">
+      <a onclick="narrow.from_popover(); narrow.by_subject({{message.id}});">
         <i class="icon-bullhorn"></i>
         Narrow to this subject on stream <b>{{message.display_recipient}}</b>
       </a>
     </li>
   {{else}}
     <li>
-      <a onclick="narrow.from_popover({{message.id}}); narrow.by_recipient();">
+      <a onclick="narrow.from_popover(); narrow.by_recipient({{message.id}});">
         <i class="icon-user"></i>
         Narrow to this private message conversation
       </a>
diff --git a/zephyr/static/js/hotkey.js b/zephyr/static/js/hotkey.js
index e4f586ae2c..1badeec08d 100644
--- a/zephyr/static/js/hotkey.js
+++ b/zephyr/static/js/hotkey.js
@@ -79,8 +79,7 @@ function process_hotkey(e) {
     }
 
     if (narrow_hotkeys.hasOwnProperty(code)) {
-        narrow.target(selected_message_id);
-        narrow_hotkeys[code]();
+        narrow_hotkeys[code](selected_message_id);
         return true;
     }
 
diff --git a/zephyr/static/js/narrow.js b/zephyr/static/js/narrow.js
index 1b35152003..7f8103451f 100644
--- a/zephyr/static/js/narrow.js
+++ b/zephyr/static/js/narrow.js
@@ -2,9 +2,6 @@ var narrow = (function () {
 
 var exports = {};
 
-// For narrowing based on a particular message
-var target_id = 0;
-
 var filter_function   = false;
 var current_operators = false;
 
@@ -201,10 +198,12 @@ function build_filter(operators_mixed_case) {
 
 exports.activate = function (operators, opts) {
     opts = $.extend({}, {
-        allow_collapse: true
+        allow_collapse: true,
+        target_id: selected_message_id
     }, opts);
 
     var was_narrowed = exports.active();
+    var target_id    = opts.target_id;
 
     filter_function   = build_filter(operators);
     current_operators = operators;
@@ -278,40 +277,31 @@ exports.from_popover = function (message_id) {
     exports.target(message_id);
 };
 
-// This is the message we're about to select, within the narrowed view.
-// But it won't necessarily be selected once the user un-narrows.
-//
-// FIXME: We probably don't need this variable, selected_message_id, *and*
-// persistent_message_id.
-exports.target = function (id) {
-    target_id = id;
-};
-
-exports.by_subject = function () {
+exports.by_subject = function (target_id) {
     var original = message_dict[target_id];
     if (original.type !== 'stream') {
         // Only stream messages have subjects, but the
         // user wants us to narrow in some way.
-        exports.by_recipient();
+        exports.by_recipient(target_id);
         return;
     }
     exports.activate([
             ['stream',  original.display_recipient],
             ['subject', original.subject]
-        ]);
+        ], { target_id: target_id });
 };
 
 // Called for the 'narrow by stream' hotkey.
-exports.by_recipient = function () {
+exports.by_recipient = function (target_id) {
     var message = message_dict[target_id];
     var new_narrow, emails;
     switch (message.type) {
     case 'private':
-        exports.by('pm-with', message.reply_to);
+        exports.by('pm-with', message.reply_to, { target_id: target_id });
         break;
 
     case 'stream':
-        exports.by('stream', message.display_recipient);
+        exports.by('stream', message.display_recipient, { target_id: target_id });
         break;
     }
 };
diff --git a/zephyr/static/js/ui.js b/zephyr/static/js/ui.js
index 6aaf9baed1..41e70dbdc3 100644
--- a/zephyr/static/js/ui.js
+++ b/zephyr/static/js/ui.js
@@ -828,14 +828,12 @@ $(function () {
 
     $("#home").on("click", ".narrows_by_recipient", function (e) {
         var row = $(this).closest(".recipient_row");
-        narrow.target(rows.id(row));
-        narrow.by_recipient();
+        narrow.by_recipient(rows.id(row));
     });
 
     $("#home").on("click", ".narrows_by_subject", function (e) {
         var row = $(this).closest(".recipient_row");
-        narrow.target(rows.id(row));
-        narrow.by_subject();
+        narrow.by_subject(rows.id(row));
     });
 
     $("#subscriptions_table").on("mouseover", ".subscription_header", function (e) {