diff --git a/copyparty/web/baguettebox.js b/copyparty/web/baguettebox.js
index d34da57d..089d2f92 100644
--- a/copyparty/web/baguettebox.js
+++ b/copyparty/web/baguettebox.js
@@ -229,7 +229,7 @@ window.baguetteBox = (function () {
             ['C', 'video: toggle auto-next'],
             ['<code>[</code>, <code>]</code>', 'video: loop start / end'],
         ],
-            d = mknod('table'),
+            d = mknod('table', 'bbox-halp'),
             html = ['<tbody>'];
 
         for (var a = 0; a < list.length; a++)
@@ -238,7 +238,6 @@ window.baguetteBox = (function () {
         html.push('<tr><td colspan="2">tap middle of img to hide btns</td></tr>');
         html.push('<tr><td colspan="2">tap left/right sides for prev/next</td></tr>');
         d.innerHTML = html.join('\n') + '</tbody>';
-        d.setAttribute('id', 'bbox-halp');
         d.onclick = function () {
             overlay.removeChild(d);
         };
@@ -487,9 +486,8 @@ window.baguetteBox = (function () {
         var imagesFiguresIds = [];
         var imagesCaptionsIds = [];
         for (var i = 0, fullImage; i < gallery.length; i++) {
-            fullImage = mknod('div');
+            fullImage = mknod('div', 'baguette-img-' + i);
             fullImage.className = 'full-image';
-            fullImage.id = 'baguette-img-' + i;
             imagesElements.push(fullImage);
 
             imagesFiguresIds.push('bbox-figure-' + i);
@@ -631,16 +629,14 @@ window.baguetteBox = (function () {
         if (is_vid && index != currentIndex)
             return;  // no preload
 
-        var figure = mknod('figure');
-        figure.id = 'bbox-figure-' + index;
+        var figure = mknod('figure', 'bbox-figure-' + index);
         figure.innerHTML = '<div class="bbox-spinner">' +
             '<div class="bbox-double-bounce1"></div>' +
             '<div class="bbox-double-bounce2"></div>' +
             '</div>';
 
         if (options.captions && imageCaption) {
-            var figcaption = mknod('figcaption');
-            figcaption.id = 'bbox-figcaption-' + index;
+            var figcaption = mknod('figcaption', 'bbox-figcaption-' + index);
             figcaption.innerHTML = imageCaption;
             figure.appendChild(figcaption);
         }
diff --git a/copyparty/web/browser.js b/copyparty/web/browser.js
index c43dee32..52eceb7f 100644
--- a/copyparty/web/browser.js
+++ b/copyparty/web/browser.js
@@ -2415,8 +2415,7 @@ function eval_hash() {
 			};
 		})(a);
 
-	var d = mknod('div');
-	d.setAttribute('id', 'acc_info');
+	var d = mknod('div', 'acc_info');
 	document.body.insertBefore(d, ebi('ops'));
 })();
 
@@ -2681,8 +2680,7 @@ var fileman = (function () {
 
 		var rui = ebi('rui');
 		if (!rui) {
-			rui = mknod('div');
-			rui.setAttribute('id', 'rui');
+			rui = mknod('div', 'rui');
 			document.body.appendChild(rui);
 		}
 
@@ -3165,10 +3163,9 @@ var showfile = (function () {
 			return;
 
 		qsr('#prism_css');
-		var el = mknod('link');
+		var el = mknod('link', 'prism_css');
 		el.rel = 'stylesheet';
 		el.href = '/.cpr/deps/prism' + (light ? '' : 'd') + '.css';
-		el.setAttribute('id', 'prism_css');
 		document.head.appendChild(el);
 	};
 
@@ -3282,8 +3279,7 @@ var showfile = (function () {
 			fun = function (el) { };
 
 		qsr('#doc');
-		var el = mknod('pre');
-		el.setAttribute('id', 'doc');
+		var el = mknod('pre', 'doc');
 		el.setAttribute('tabindex', '0');
 		clmod(ebi('wrap'), 'doc', !is_md);
 		if (is_md) {
@@ -3311,9 +3307,8 @@ var showfile = (function () {
 		hfun(get_evpath() + '?doc=' + url.split('/').pop());
 
 		qsr('#docname');
-		el = mknod('span');
+		el = mknod('span', 'docname');
 		el.textContent = tname;
-		el.setAttribute('id', 'docname');
 		ebi('path').appendChild(el);
 
 		r.updtree();
@@ -3448,9 +3443,8 @@ var showfile = (function () {
 
 var thegrid = (function () {
 	var lfiles = ebi('files'),
-		gfiles = mknod('div');
+		gfiles = mknod('div', 'gfiles');
 
-	gfiles.setAttribute('id', 'gfiles');
 	gfiles.style.display = 'none';
 	gfiles.innerHTML = (
 		'<div id="ghead" class="ghead">' +
diff --git a/copyparty/web/dbg-audio.js b/copyparty/web/dbg-audio.js
index 390a58f9..9925818b 100644
--- a/copyparty/web/dbg-audio.js
+++ b/copyparty/web/dbg-audio.js
@@ -13,8 +13,7 @@ audio_eq.apply = function () {
 
     var can = ebi('fft_can');
     if (!can) {
-        can = mknod('canvas');
-        can.setAttribute('id', 'fft_can');
+        can = mknod('canvas', 'fft_can');
         can.style.cssText = 'position:absolute;left:0;bottom:5em;width:' + w + 'px;height:' + h + 'px;z-index:9001';
         document.body.appendChild(can);
         can.width = w;
diff --git a/copyparty/web/md.js b/copyparty/web/md.js
index fde0276f..340546b3 100644
--- a/copyparty/web/md.js
+++ b/copyparty/web/md.js
@@ -173,8 +173,7 @@ md_plug_err = function (ex, js) {
             o.textContent = lns[ln - 1];
         }
     }
-    var errbox = mknod('div');
-    errbox.setAttribute('id', 'md_errbox');
+    var errbox = mknod('div', 'md_errbox');
     errbox.style.cssText = 'position:absolute;top:0;left:0;padding:1em .5em;background:#2b2b2b;color:#fc5'
     errbox.textContent = msg;
     errbox.onclick = function () {
diff --git a/copyparty/web/md2.js b/copyparty/web/md2.js
index 7bdadb72..abc26c77 100644
--- a/copyparty/web/md2.js
+++ b/copyparty/web/md2.js
@@ -16,8 +16,7 @@ var dom_sbs = ebi('sbs');
 var dom_nsbs = ebi('nsbs');
 var dom_tbox = ebi('toolsbox');
 var dom_ref = (function () {
-    var d = mknod('div');
-    d.setAttribute('id', 'mtr');
+    var d = mknod('div', 'mtr');
     dom_swrap.appendChild(d);
     d = ebi('mtr');
     // hide behind the textarea (offsetTop is not computed if display:none)
diff --git a/copyparty/web/up2k.js b/copyparty/web/up2k.js
index 1e1ffa20..eea316c1 100644
--- a/copyparty/web/up2k.js
+++ b/copyparty/web/up2k.js
@@ -478,8 +478,7 @@ function U2pvis(act, btns, uc) {
         if (as_html)
             return '<tr id="f' + nfile + '">' + ret + '</tr>';
 
-        var obj = mknod('tr');
-        obj.setAttribute('id', 'f' + nfile);
+        var obj = mknod('tr', 'f' + nfile);
         obj.innerHTML = ret;
         return obj;
     };
@@ -2200,11 +2199,6 @@ function up2k_init(subtle) {
         localStorage.removeItem('u2sort');
     }
 
-    function nop(e) {
-        ev(e);
-        this.click();
-    }
-
     ebi('nthread_add').onclick = function (e) {
         ev(e);
         bumpthread(1);
diff --git a/copyparty/web/util.js b/copyparty/web/util.js
index af09dc32..07cd7153 100644
--- a/copyparty/web/util.js
+++ b/copyparty/web/util.js
@@ -16,10 +16,18 @@ var wah = '',
 var ebi = document.getElementById.bind(document),
     QS = document.querySelector.bind(document),
     QSA = document.querySelectorAll.bind(document),
-    mknod = document.createElement.bind(document),
     XHR = XMLHttpRequest;
 
 
+function mknod(et, eid) {
+    var ret = document.createElement(et);
+    if (eid)
+        ret.id = eid;
+
+    return ret;
+}
+
+
 function qsr(sel) {
     var el = QS(sel);
     if (el)
@@ -160,8 +168,7 @@ function vis_exh(msg, url, lineNo, columnNo, error) {
     try {
         var exbox = ebi('exbox');
         if (!exbox) {
-            exbox = mknod('div');
-            exbox.setAttribute('id', 'exbox');
+            exbox = mknod('div', 'exbox');
             document.body.appendChild(exbox);
 
             var s = mknod('style');
@@ -222,6 +229,11 @@ function ev(e) {
 }
 
 
+function noope(e) {
+    ev(e);
+}
+
+
 // https://developer.mozilla.org/en-US/docs/Web/JavaScript/Reference/Global_Objects/String/endsWith
 if (!String.prototype.endsWith)
     String.prototype.endsWith = function (search, this_len) {
@@ -866,8 +878,8 @@ var timer = (function () {
 
 var tt = (function () {
     var r = {
-        "tt": mknod("div"),
-        "th": mknod("div"),
+        "tt": mknod("div", 'tt'),
+        "th": mknod("div", 'tth'),
         "en": true,
         "el": null,
         "skip": false,
@@ -875,8 +887,6 @@ var tt = (function () {
     };
 
     r.th.innerHTML = '?';
-    r.tt.setAttribute('id', 'tt');
-    r.th.setAttribute('id', 'tth');
     document.body.appendChild(r.tt);
     document.body.appendChild(r.th);
 
@@ -1045,9 +1055,8 @@ var toast = (function () {
     var r = {},
         te = null,
         scrolling = false,
-        obj = mknod('div');
+        obj = mknod('div', 'toast');
 
-    obj.setAttribute('id', 'toast');
     document.body.appendChild(obj);
     r.visible = false;
     r.txt = null;
@@ -1130,8 +1139,7 @@ var modal = (function () {
     r.busy = false;
 
     r.show = function (html) {
-        o = mknod('div');
-        o.setAttribute('id', 'modal');
+        o = mknod('div', 'modal');
         o.innerHTML = '<table><tr><td><div id="modalc">' + html + '</div></td></tr></table>';
         document.body.appendChild(o);
         document.addEventListener('keydown', onkey);
@@ -1497,9 +1505,8 @@ function xhrchk(xhr, prefix, e404) {
         fun = toast.warn;
 
         qsr('#cf_frame');
-        var fr = mknod('iframe');
+        var fr = mknod('iframe', 'cf_frame');
         fr.src = '/?cf_challenge';
-        fr.setAttribute('id', 'cf_frame');
         document.body.appendChild(fr);
     }