diff --git a/src/_h5ai/client/js/inc/view/content.js b/src/_h5ai/client/js/inc/view/content.js
index 8c2a1c69..702e7f2b 100644
--- a/src/_h5ai/client/js/inc/view/content.js
+++ b/src/_h5ai/client/js/inc/view/content.js
@@ -1,8 +1,8 @@
 modulejs.define('view/content', ['$', 'view/mainrow'], function ($, mainrow) {
 
-    var $content = $('<div id="content"/>').appendTo(mainrow.$el);
+    var $el = $('<div id="content"/>').appendTo(mainrow.$el);
 
     return {
-        $el: $content
+        $el: $el
     };
 });
diff --git a/src/_h5ai/client/js/inc/view/mainrow.js b/src/_h5ai/client/js/inc/view/mainrow.js
index 84a1c58f..a5e82205 100644
--- a/src/_h5ai/client/js/inc/view/mainrow.js
+++ b/src/_h5ai/client/js/inc/view/mainrow.js
@@ -1,7 +1,6 @@
 modulejs.define('view/mainrow', ['$', 'view/root'], function ($, root) {
 
-    var template = '<div id="mainrow"/>';
-    var $el = $(template).appendTo(root.$el);
+    var $el = $('<div id="mainrow"/>').appendTo(root.$el);
 
     return {
         $el: $el
diff --git a/src/_h5ai/client/js/inc/view/notification.js b/src/_h5ai/client/js/inc/view/notification.js
index afd53a42..3e4d33ba 100644
--- a/src/_h5ai/client/js/inc/view/notification.js
+++ b/src/_h5ai/client/js/inc/view/notification.js
@@ -1,7 +1,6 @@
 modulejs.define('view/notification', ['$', 'view/root'], function ($, root) {
 
-    var template = '<div id="notification"/>';
-    var $el = $(template);
+    var $el = $('<div id="notification"/>');
 
     function set(content) {