diff --git a/core/modules/macros/story/views/classic.js b/core/modules/macros/story/views/classic.js
index 5ddce0a87..7390b0db2 100644
--- a/core/modules/macros/story/views/classic.js
+++ b/core/modules/macros/story/views/classic.js
@@ -39,7 +39,7 @@ ClassicScroller.prototype.remove = function(storyElementNode) {
 	wrapperElement.style[$tw.browser.transform] = "translateX(0px)";
 	wrapperElement.style.opacity = "1.0";
 	wrapperElement.style.height = currHeight + "px";
-	wrapperElement.offsetWidth; // Force layout
+	$tw.utils.forceLayout(wrapperElement);
 	wrapperElement.style[$tw.browser.transform] = "translateX(" + window.innerWidth + "px)";
 	wrapperElement.style.opacity = "0.0";
 	wrapperElement.style.height = "0px";
diff --git a/core/modules/macros/story/views/sideways.js b/core/modules/macros/story/views/sideways.js
index a1434b501..44c9d9ade 100644
--- a/core/modules/macros/story/views/sideways.js
+++ b/core/modules/macros/story/views/sideways.js
@@ -74,7 +74,7 @@ SidewaysView.prototype.remove = function(storyElementNode) {
 		}
 	},true);
 	// Animate
-	wrapperElement.offsetWidth; // Force layout
+	$tw.utils.forceLayout(wrapperElement);
 	wrapperElement.style[$tw.browser.transform] = "translateY(" + window.innerHeight + "px)";
 	wrapperElement.style.opacity = "0.0";
 	wrapperElement.style.width = "0px";
diff --git a/core/modules/macros/story/views/zoomin.js b/core/modules/macros/story/views/zoomin.js
index ffe7cb00e..fd011a2f5 100644
--- a/core/modules/macros/story/views/zoomin.js
+++ b/core/modules/macros/story/views/zoomin.js
@@ -94,7 +94,7 @@ Zoomin.prototype.navigateForward = function(toStoryElement,fromStoryElement,hist
 		prevCurrentTiddler = this.currentTiddler;
 	this.currentTiddler = toStoryElement;
 	// Force layout
-	this.storyNode.offsetWidth;
+	$tw.utils.forceLayout(this.storyNode);
 	// Transform the target tiddler to its natural size
 	toStoryElement.domNode.style[$tw.browser.transition] = "-" + $tw.browser.prefix.toLowerCase() + "-transform " + d + " ease-in-out, opacity " + d + " ease-out";
 	toStoryElement.domNode.style.opacity = "1.0";
@@ -102,7 +102,7 @@ Zoomin.prototype.navigateForward = function(toStoryElement,fromStoryElement,hist
 	toStoryElement.domNode.style.zIndex = "500";
 	// Transform the previous tiddler out of the way and then hide it
 	if(prevCurrentTiddler && prevCurrentTiddler !== toStoryElement) {
-		var scale = titleBounds.width / sourceBounds.width;
+		scale = titleBounds.width / sourceBounds.width;
 		x =  titleBounds.left - targetBounds.left - (sourceBounds.left - targetBounds.left) * scale;
 		y =  titleBounds.top - targetBounds.top - (sourceBounds.top - targetBounds.top) * scale;
 		prevCurrentTiddler.domNode.style[$tw.browser.transition] = "-" + $tw.browser.prefix.toLowerCase() + "-transform " + d + " ease-in-out, opacity " + d + " ease-out";
@@ -154,8 +154,7 @@ Zoomin.prototype.remove = function(storyElement,storyElementIndex) {
 		this.currentTiddler = toStoryElement;
 	}
 	// Animate them both
-	// Force layout
-	this.storyNode.offsetWidth;
+	$tw.utils.forceLayout(this.storyNode);
 	// First, the tiddler we're closing
 	storyElement.domNode.style[$tw.browser.transition] = "-" + $tw.browser.prefix.toLowerCase() + "-transform " + d + " ease-in-out, opacity " + d + " ease-out";
 	storyElement.domNode.style.opacity = "0.0";
diff --git a/core/modules/utils/dom/dom.js b/core/modules/utils/dom/dom.js
index 35ac7b746..602906468 100644
--- a/core/modules/utils/dom/dom.js
+++ b/core/modules/utils/dom/dom.js
@@ -105,4 +105,11 @@ exports.getPassword = function(name) {
 	return localStorage.getItem("tw5-password-" + name);
 };
 
+/*
+Force layout of a dom node and its descendents
+*/
+exports.forceLayout = function(element) {
+	var dummy = element.offsetWidth;
+};
+
 })();
diff --git a/core/modules/utils/dom/modal.js b/core/modules/utils/dom/modal.js
index 658f9b016..e4f9bbf5d 100644
--- a/core/modules/utils/dom/modal.js
+++ b/core/modules/utils/dom/modal.js
@@ -88,8 +88,8 @@ Modal.prototype.display = function(title) {
 	// Add the close event handler
 	wrapper.addEventListener("tw-close",function(event) {
 		// Force layout and animate the modal message away
-		modalBackdrop.offsetWidth;
-		modalWrapper.offsetWidth;
+		$tw.utils.forceLayout(modalBackdrop);
+		$tw.utils.forceLayout(modalWrapper);
 		modalBackdrop.style.opacity = 0;
 		modalWrapper.style[$tw.browser.transform] = "translateY(" + window.innerHeight + "px)";
 		// Set up an event for the transition end
@@ -113,8 +113,8 @@ Modal.prototype.display = function(title) {
 	modalBackdrop.style[$tw.browser.transition] = "opacity " + d + " ease-out";
 	modalWrapper.style[$tw.browser.transition] = "-" + $tw.browser.prefix.toLowerCase() + "-transform " + d + " ease-in-out";
 	// Force layout
-	modalBackdrop.offsetWidth;
-	modalWrapper.offsetWidth;
+	$tw.utils.forceLayout(modalBackdrop);
+	$tw.utils.forceLayout(modalWrapper);
 	// Set final animated styles
 	modalBackdrop.style.opacity = 1;
 	modalWrapper.style[$tw.browser.transform] = "translateY(0px)";