diff --git a/lib/model/message.dart b/lib/model/message.dart
index 7ad0fe3ce2..e58049710e 100644
--- a/lib/model/message.dart
+++ b/lib/model/message.dart
@@ -148,11 +148,16 @@ class MessageStoreImpl with MessageStore {
     // The interaction between the fields of these events are a bit tricky.
     // For reference, see: https://zulip.com/api/get-events#update_message
 
-    if (event.origTopic == null) {
+    final origStreamId = event.origStreamId;
+    final newStreamId = event.newStreamId; // null if topic-only move
+    final origTopic = event.origTopic;
+    final newTopic = event.newTopic;
+
+    if (origTopic == null) {
       // There was no move.
       assert(() {
-        if (event.newStreamId != null && event.origStreamId != null
-            && event.newStreamId != event.origStreamId) {
+        if (newStreamId != null && origStreamId != null
+            && newStreamId != origStreamId) {
           // This should be impossible; `orig_subject` (aka origTopic) is
           // documented to be present when either the stream or topic changed.
           debugLog('Malformed UpdateMessageEvent: stream move but no origTopic'); // TODO(log)
@@ -162,22 +167,19 @@ class MessageStoreImpl with MessageStore {
       return;
     }
 
-    if (event.newTopic == null) {
+    if (newTopic == null) {
       // The `subject` field (aka newTopic) is documented to be present on moves.
       assert(debugLog('Malformed UpdateMessageEvent: move but no newTopic')); // TODO(log)
       return;
     }
-    if (event.origStreamId == null) {
+    if (origStreamId == null) {
       // The `stream_id` field (aka origStreamId) is documented to be present on moves.
       assert(debugLog('Malformed UpdateMessageEvent: move but no origStreamId')); // TODO(log)
       return;
     }
 
-    final newTopic = event.newTopic!;
-    final newChannelId = event.newStreamId; // null if topic-only move
-
-    if (newChannelId == null
-        && MessageEditState.topicMoveWasResolveOrUnresolve(event.origTopic!, newTopic)) {
+    if (newStreamId == null
+        && MessageEditState.topicMoveWasResolveOrUnresolve(origTopic, newTopic)) {
       // The topic was only resolved/unresolved.
       // No change to the messages' editState.
       return;
diff --git a/lib/model/message_list.dart b/lib/model/message_list.dart
index e0f59d99c7..4f555f7124 100644
--- a/lib/model/message_list.dart
+++ b/lib/model/message_list.dart
@@ -474,6 +474,17 @@ class MessageListView with ChangeNotifier, _MessageSequence {
     notifyListeners();
   }
 
+  /// Update data derived from the content of the given message.
+  ///
+  /// This does not notify listeners.
+  /// The caller should ensure that happens later.
+  void messageContentChanged(int messageId) {
+    final index = _findMessageWithId(messageId);
+    if (index != -1) {
+      _reparseContent(index);
+    }
+  }
+
   // Repeal the `@protected` annotation that applies on the base implementation,
   // so we can call this method from [MessageStoreImpl].
   @override
@@ -497,17 +508,6 @@ class MessageListView with ChangeNotifier, _MessageSequence {
     }
   }
 
-  /// Update data derived from the content of the given message.
-  ///
-  /// This does not notify listeners.
-  /// The caller should ensure that happens later.
-  void messageContentChanged(int messageId) {
-    final index = _findMessageWithId(messageId);
-    if (index != -1) {
-      _reparseContent(index);
-    }
-  }
-
   /// Called when the app is reassembled during debugging, e.g. for hot reload.
   ///
   /// This will redo from scratch any computations we can, such as parsing