diff --git a/Assistant/Threads/WebApp.hs b/Assistant/Threads/WebApp.hs
index e75870e0d7..7b96665d32 100644
--- a/Assistant/Threads/WebApp.hs
+++ b/Assistant/Threads/WebApp.hs
@@ -146,6 +146,7 @@ autoUpdate :: Text -> Route WebApp -> Int -> Int -> Widget
 autoUpdate ident gethtml ms_delay ms_startdelay = do
 	let delay = show ms_delay
 	let startdelay = show ms_startdelay
+	addScript $ StaticR longpolling_js
 	$(widgetFile "longpolling")
 
 {- A display of currently running and queued transfers.
diff --git a/static/longpolling.js b/static/longpolling.js
new file mode 100644
index 0000000000..4e5f102f00
--- /dev/null
+++ b/static/longpolling.js
@@ -0,0 +1,41 @@
+// Uses long-polling to update a div with a specified id,
+// by polling an url, which should return a new div, with the same id.
+
+connfails=0;
+
+connfailed=
+  '<div id="modal" class="modal fade">' +
+  '  <div class="modal-header">' +
+  '    <h3>git-annex has shut down</h3>' +
+  '  </div>' +
+  '  <div class="modal-body">' +
+  '    You can now close this browser window.' +
+  '  </div>' +
+  '</div>' ;
+
+function longpoll(url, divid) {
+	(function( $ ) {
+		$.ajax({
+			'url': url,
+			'dataType': 'html',
+			'success': function(data, status, jqxhr) {
+				$('#' + divid).replaceWith(data);
+				connfails=0;
+				return 1;
+			},
+			'error': function(jqxhr, msg, e) {
+				connfails=connfails+1;
+				if (connfails > 3) {
+					// blocked by many browsers
+					window.close();
+					$('#modal').replaceWith(connfailed);
+					$('#modal').modal('show');
+					return 0;
+				}
+				else {
+					return 1;
+				}
+			}
+		});
+	})( jQuery );
+}
diff --git a/templates/longpolling.julius b/templates/longpolling.julius
index 35205bd04d..29e533c418 100644
--- a/templates/longpolling.julius
+++ b/templates/longpolling.julius
@@ -1,54 +1,11 @@
-
-// Uses long-polling to update a div with id=#{ident}
-// The gethtml route should return a new div, with the same id.
-//
-// Maximum update frequency is controlled by #{startdelay}
-// and #{delay}, both in milliseconds.
-
-connfails=0;
-
-connfailed=
-  '<div id="modal" class="modal fade">' +
-  '  <div class="modal-header">' +
-  '    <h3>git-annex has shut down</h3>' +
-  '  </div>' +
-  '  <div class="modal-body">' +
-  '    You can now close this browser window.' +
-  '  </div>' +
-  '</div>' ;
-
-(function( $ ) {
-
-$.LongPoll#{ident} = (function() {
-	return {
-		send : function() {           
-			$.ajax({
-				'url': '@{gethtml}',
-				'dataType': 'html',
-				'success': function(data, status, jqxhr) {
-					$('##{ident}').replaceWith(data);
-					setTimeout($.LongPoll#{ident}.send, #{show delay});
-					numerrs=0;
-				},
-				'error': function(jqxhr, msg, e) {
-					connfails=connfails+1;
-					if (connfails > 3) {
-						// blocked by many browsers
-						window.close();
-						$('#modal').replaceWith(connfailed);
-						$('#modal').modal('show');
-					}
-					else {
-						setTimeout($.LongPoll#{ident}.send, #{show delay});
-					}
-				},
-			});
-		}
+// longpolling for #{ident}
+function poller#{ident}() {
+	if (longpoll('@{gethtml}', '#{ident}')) {
+		setTimeout(poller#{ident}, #{delay});
 	}
-}());
-
-$(document).bind('ready.app', function() {
-	setTimeout($.LongPoll#{ident}.send, #{show startdelay});
-});
-
+}
+(function( $ ) {
+	$(document).bind('ready.app', function() {
+		setTimeout(poller#{ident}, #{startdelay});
+	});
 })( jQuery );