diff --git a/jquery.flot.js b/jquery.flot.js
index 9060a9c..bcfa179 100644
--- a/jquery.flot.js
+++ b/jquery.flot.js
@@ -2971,7 +2971,7 @@ Licensed under the MIT license.
 
             // Generate markup for the list of entries, in their final order
 
-            var table = $("<table/>").css({
+            var table = $("<table>").css({
                 "font-size": "smaller",
                 "color": options.grid.color
             });
@@ -2984,16 +2984,24 @@ Licensed under the MIT license.
                     if (rowBuffer !== null) {
                         table.append(rowBuffer);
                     }
-                    rowBuffer = $("<tr/>");
+                    rowBuffer = $("<tr>");
                 }
 
+                var colorbox = $("<div>").css({
+                    "width": "4px",
+                    "height": 0,
+                    "border": "5px solid " + entry.color,
+                    "overflow": "hidden"
+                }),
+
+                borderbox = $("<div>").css({
+                    "border": "1px solid " + options.legend.labelBoxBorderColor,
+                    "padding": "1px"
+                });
+
                 rowBuffer.append(
-                    $("<td/>").addClass("legendColorBox").append(
-                        $("<div/>").css({"border": "1px solid " + options.legend.labelBoxBorderColor, "padding": "1px"}).append(
-                            $("<div/>").css({"width": "4px", "height": 0, "border": "5px solid " + entry.color, "overflow": "hidden"})
-                        )
-                    ),
-                    $("<td/>").addClass("legendLabel").html(entry.label)
+                    $("<td>").addClass("legendColorBox").append(borderbox.append(colorbox)),
+                    $("<td>").addClass("legendLabel").html(entry.label)
                 );
             }
 
@@ -3016,7 +3024,7 @@ Licensed under the MIT license.
                 } else if (p.charAt(1) === "w") {
                     pos.left = (m[0] + plotOffset.left) + "px";
                 }
-                var legend = $("<div/>").addClass("legend").append(table.css(pos)).appendTo(placeholder);
+                var legend = $("<div>").addClass("legend").append(table.css(pos)).appendTo(placeholder);
                 if (options.legend.backgroundOpacity !== 0.0) {
                     // put in the transparent background
                     // separately to avoid blended labels and
@@ -3035,7 +3043,7 @@ Licensed under the MIT license.
                     var div = legend.children();
 
                     // Position also applies to this
-                    $("<div/>").css(pos).css({
+                    $("<div>").css(pos).css({
                         "width": div.width() + "px",
                         "height": div.height() + "px",
                         "background-color": c,