diff --git a/copyparty/web/baguettebox.js b/copyparty/web/baguettebox.js
index 845cadf8..0a8b8c2a 100644
--- a/copyparty/web/baguettebox.js
+++ b/copyparty/web/baguettebox.js
@@ -530,9 +530,7 @@ window.baguetteBox = (function () {
             if (options.bodyClass && document.body.classList)
                 document.body.classList.remove(options.bodyClass);
 
-            var h = ebi('bbox-halp');
-            if (h)
-                h.parentNode.removeChild(h);
+            qsr('#bbox-halp');
 
             if (options.afterHide)
                 options.afterHide();
@@ -590,8 +588,7 @@ window.baguetteBox = (function () {
 
         image.addEventListener(is_vid ? 'loadedmetadata' : 'load', function () {
             // Remove loader element
-            var spinner = QS('#baguette-img-' + index + ' .bbox-spinner');
-            figure.removeChild(spinner);
+            qsr('#baguette-img-' + index + ' .bbox-spinner');
             if (!options.async && callback)
                 callback();
         });
diff --git a/copyparty/web/browser.js b/copyparty/web/browser.js
index eb00ee10..dfd4c309 100644
--- a/copyparty/web/browser.js
+++ b/copyparty/web/browser.js
@@ -1600,7 +1600,7 @@ function eval_hash() {
 		i.value = uricom_dec(v.slice(3))[0];
 		return i.oninput();
 	}
-};
+}
 
 
 (function () {
@@ -1649,7 +1649,7 @@ function sortfiles(nodes) {
 						if (v.split('?')[0].slice(-1) == '/')
 							v = '\t' + v;
 
-						v = uricom_dec(v)[0]
+						v = uricom_dec(v)[0];
 					}
 
 					nodes[b]._sv = v;
@@ -4109,10 +4109,7 @@ var msel = (function () {
 			'<textarea name="files" id="ziptxt"></textarea>';
 		frm.style.display = 'none';
 
-		var oldform = QS('#widgeti>form');
-		if (oldform)
-			oldform.parentNode.removeChild(oldform);
-
+		qsr('#widgeti>form');
 		ebi('widgeti').appendChild(frm);
 		var obj = ebi('ziptxt');
 		obj.value = txt;
diff --git a/copyparty/web/md.js b/copyparty/web/md.js
index 35a96a1f..a985ff08 100644
--- a/copyparty/web/md.js
+++ b/copyparty/web/md.js
@@ -164,10 +164,7 @@ function copydom(src, dst, lv) {
 
 
 function md_plug_err(ex, js) {
-    var errbox = ebi('md_errbox');
-    if (errbox)
-        errbox.parentNode.removeChild(errbox);
-
+    qsr('#md_errbox');
     if (!ex)
         return;
 
@@ -183,7 +180,7 @@ function md_plug_err(ex, js) {
             o.textContent = lns[ln - 1];
         }
     }
-    errbox = mknod('div');
+    var errbox = mknod('div');
     errbox.setAttribute('id', 'md_errbox');
     errbox.style.cssText = 'position:absolute;top:0;left:0;padding:1em .5em;background:#2b2b2b;color:#fc5'
     errbox.textContent = msg;
@@ -381,8 +378,7 @@ function convert_markdown(md_text, dest_dom) {
 
 
 function init_toc() {
-    var loader = ebi('ml');
-    loader.parentNode.removeChild(loader);
+    qsr('#ml');
 
     var anchors = [];  // list of toc entries, complex objects
     var anchor = null; // current toc node
diff --git a/copyparty/web/mde.js b/copyparty/web/mde.js
index 6629ab05..12577c46 100644
--- a/copyparty/web/mde.js
+++ b/copyparty/web/mde.js
@@ -65,8 +65,7 @@ var mde = (function () {
     mde.codemirror.on("change", function () {
         md_changed(mde);
     });
-    var loader = ebi('ml');
-    loader.parentNode.removeChild(loader);
+    qsr('#ml');
     return mde;
 })();
 
diff --git a/copyparty/web/up2k.js b/copyparty/web/up2k.js
index 36562a33..26940964 100644
--- a/copyparty/web/up2k.js
+++ b/copyparty/web/up2k.js
@@ -332,8 +332,7 @@ function U2pvis(act, btns) {
                 r.head++;
 
             if (!bz_act) {
-                var tr = ebi("f" + nfile);
-                tr.parentNode.removeChild(tr);
+                qsr("#f" + nfile);
             }
         }
         else return;
@@ -352,9 +351,7 @@ function U2pvis(act, btns) {
         last = parseInt(last.getAttribute('id').slice(1));
 
         while (r.head - first > r.wsz) {
-            var obj = ebi('f' + (first++));
-            if (obj)
-                obj.parentNode.removeChild(obj);
+            qsr('#f' + (first++));
         }
         while (last - r.tail < r.wsz && last < r.tab.length - 2) {
             var obj = ebi('f' + (++last));
@@ -1075,11 +1072,9 @@ function up2k_init(subtle) {
         for (var a = 0; a < st.files.length; a++) {
             var t = st.files[a];
             if (t.done && t.name) {
-                var tr = ebi('f' + t.n);
-                if (!tr)
+                if (!qsr('#f' + t.n))
                     continue;
 
-                tr.parentNode.removeChild(tr);
                 t.name = undefined;
             }
         }
diff --git a/copyparty/web/util.js b/copyparty/web/util.js
index 37add476..d783121c 100644
--- a/copyparty/web/util.js
+++ b/copyparty/web/util.js
@@ -18,6 +18,15 @@ var ebi = document.getElementById.bind(document),
     mknod = document.createElement.bind(document);
 
 
+function qsr(sel) {
+    var el = QS(sel);
+    if (el)
+        el.parentNode.removeChild(el);
+
+    return el;
+}
+
+
 // error handler for mobile devices
 function esc(txt) {
     return txt.replace(/[&"<>]/g, function (c) {