diff --git a/lib/mergely.js b/lib/mergely.js
index 4b608a9..61d29bb 100644
--- a/lib/mergely.js
+++ b/lib/mergely.js
@@ -539,10 +539,10 @@ jQuery.extend(Mgly.CodeMirrorDiffView.prototype, {
 		if (this.settings.hasOwnProperty('sidebar')) {
 			// dynamically enable sidebars
 			if (this.settings.sidebar) {
-				jQuery(this.element).find('.mergely-margin').css({display: 'block'});
+				this.element.find('.mergely-margin').css({display: 'block'});
 			}
 			else {
-				jQuery(this.element).find('.mergely-margin').css({display: 'none'});
+				this.element.find('.mergely-margin').css({display: 'none'});
 			}
 		}
 		var le, re;
@@ -689,12 +689,12 @@ jQuery.extend(Mgly.CodeMirrorDiffView.prototype, {
 		jQuery('<style type="text/css">' + cmstyle + '</style>').appendTo('head');
 
 		//bind
-		var rhstx = jQuery('#' + this.id + '-rhs').get(0);
+		var rhstx = this.element.find('#' + this.id + '-rhs').get(0);
 		if (!rhstx) {
 			console.error('rhs textarea not defined - Mergely not initialized properly');
 			return;
 		}
-		var lhstx = jQuery('#' + this.id + '-lhs').get(0);
+		var lhstx = this.element.find('#' + this.id + '-lhs').get(0);
 		if (!rhstx) {
 			console.error('lhs textarea not defined - Mergely not initialized properly');
 			return;
@@ -989,7 +989,7 @@ jQuery.extend(Mgly.CodeMirrorDiffView.prototype, {
 		
 		// this is the distance from the top of the screen to the top of the 
 		// content of the first codemirror editor
-		var topnode = jQuery('#' + this.id + ' .CodeMirror-measure').first();
+		var topnode = this.element.find('.CodeMirror-measure').first();
 		var top_offset = topnode.offset().top - 4;
 		if(!top_offset) return false;
 		
@@ -1370,8 +1370,8 @@ jQuery.extend(Mgly.CodeMirrorDiffView.prototype, {
 		var gutter_height = jQuery(this.editor[editor_name1].getScrollerElement()).children(':first-child').height();
 		var dcanvas = document.getElementById(editor_name1 + '-' + editor_name2 + '-canvas');
 		if (dcanvas == undefined) throw 'Failed to find: ' + editor_name1 + '-' + editor_name2 + '-canvas';
-		var clhs = jQuery('#' + this.id + '-lhs-margin');
-		var crhs = jQuery('#' + this.id + '-rhs-margin');
+		var clhs = this.element.find('#' + this.id + '-lhs-margin');
+		var crhs = this.element.find('#' + this.id + '-rhs-margin');
 		return {
 			visible_page_height: visible_page_height,
 			gutter_height: gutter_height,
@@ -1402,7 +1402,7 @@ jQuery.extend(Mgly.CodeMirrorDiffView.prototype, {
 		this.trace('draw', 'lhs-scroller-top', ex.lhs_scroller.scrollTop());
 		this.trace('draw', 'rhs-scroller-top', ex.rhs_scroller.scrollTop());
 		
-		jQuery.each(jQuery.find('#' + this.id + ' canvas'), function () {
+		jQuery.each(this.element.find('canvas'), function () {
 			jQuery(this).get(0).height = ex.visible_page_height;
 		});