diff --git a/spec/selenium/common.rb b/spec/selenium/common.rb
index 67b02b06055..2e02f350b3d 100644
--- a/spec/selenium/common.rb
+++ b/spec/selenium/common.rb
@@ -98,12 +98,20 @@ module SeleniumTestsHelperMethods
   end
 
   # f means "find" this is a shortcut to finding elements
-  # if driver.find_element fails, then it'll try to find it with jquery
   def f(selector, scope = nil)
     begin
       (scope || driver).find_element :css, selector
     rescue
+      nil
+    end
+  end
+
+  # short for find with jquery
+  def fj(selector, scope = nil)
+    begin
       find_with_jquery selector, scope
+    rescue
+      nil
     end
   end
 
@@ -112,7 +120,16 @@ module SeleniumTestsHelperMethods
     begin
       (scope || driver).find_elements :css, selector
     rescue
+      []
+    end
+  end
+
+  # same as find with jquery but tries to find several elements instead of one
+  def ffj(selector, scope = nil)
+    begin
       find_all_with_jquery selector, scope
+    rescue
+      []
     end
   end
 
@@ -739,7 +756,7 @@ shared_examples_for "all selenium tests" do
   ##
   # returns true if a form validation error message is visible, false otherwise
   def error_displayed?
-    f('.error_text:visible') != nil
+    fj('.error_text:visible') != nil
   end
 
   self.use_transactional_fixtures = false
diff --git a/spec/selenium/conversations_common.rb b/spec/selenium/conversations_common.rb
index 335f649fc90..bc4397fce6e 100644
--- a/spec/selenium/conversations_common.rb
+++ b/spec/selenium/conversations_common.rb
@@ -70,7 +70,7 @@ shared_examples_for "conversations selenium tests" do
 
     @elements = prev_elements
     @level -= 1
-    @input.send_keys(:arrow_left) unless ff('.autocomplete_menu:visible .list').empty?
+    @input.send_keys(:arrow_left) unless ffj('.autocomplete_menu:visible .list').empty?
     wait_for_animations
   end
 
diff --git a/spec/selenium/conversations_context_filtering_spec.rb b/spec/selenium/conversations_context_filtering_spec.rb
index b0ee04658af..452140f1ac1 100644
--- a/spec/selenium/conversations_context_filtering_spec.rb
+++ b/spec/selenium/conversations_context_filtering_spec.rb
@@ -56,8 +56,8 @@ describe "conversations context filtering" do
 
   it "should let you browse for filters" do
     new_conversation
-    @browser = f("#context_tags_filter .browser:visible")
-    @input = f("#context_tags_filter input:visible")
+    @browser = fj("#context_tags_filter .browser:visible")
+    @input = fj("#context_tags_filter input:visible")
     browse_menu
 
     menu.should eql ["that course", "the course", "the group"]
diff --git a/spec/selenium/course_settings_spec.rb b/spec/selenium/course_settings_spec.rb
index b822cd53788..029833e449b 100644
--- a/spec/selenium/course_settings_spec.rb
+++ b/spec/selenium/course_settings_spec.rb
@@ -18,8 +18,8 @@ describe "course settings tests" do
       f('.find_grading_standard_link').click
       wait_for_ajaximations
 
-      f('.grading_standard_select:visible a').click
-      f('button.select_grading_standard_link:visible').click
+      fj('.grading_standard_select:visible a').click
+      fj('button.select_grading_standard_link:visible').click
       f('.done_button').click
       f('#course_form').submit
       wait_for_ajaximations
diff --git a/spec/selenium/file_uploads_spec.rb b/spec/selenium/file_uploads_spec.rb
index c456199f246..6ede7fb68ba 100644
--- a/spec/selenium/file_uploads_spec.rb
+++ b/spec/selenium/file_uploads_spec.rb
@@ -33,12 +33,9 @@ shared_examples_for "file uploads selenium tests" do
 
     filename, fullpath, data = get_file("testfile5.zip")
 
-    driver.find_element(:css, '#choose_migration_system').
-        find_element(:css, 'option[value="common_cartridge_importer"]').click
-    driver.find_element(:css, '#config_options').
-        find_element(:name, 'export_file').send_keys(fullpath)
-    driver.find_element(:css, '#config_options').
-        find_element(:css, '.submit_button').click
+    click_option('#choose_migration_system', 'common_cartridge_importer', :value)
+    driver.find_element(:css, '#config_options').find_element(:name, 'export_file').send_keys(fullpath)
+    driver.find_element(:css, '#config_options').find_element(:css, '.submit_button').click
     wait_for_ajax_requests
     keep_trying_until { driver.find_element(:id, 'file_uploaded').should be_displayed }
 
diff --git a/spec/selenium/gradebooks_spec.rb b/spec/selenium/gradebooks_spec.rb
index 2d5622cc60c..4469951d3c2 100644
--- a/spec/selenium/gradebooks_spec.rb
+++ b/spec/selenium/gradebooks_spec.rb
@@ -84,13 +84,13 @@ describe "gradebooks" do
 
     get "/courses/#{@course.id}/gradebook"
     wait_for_ajaximations
-    ff('img.turnitin:visible').size.should eql 2
+    ffj('img.turnitin:visible').size.should eql 2
 
     # now create a ton of students so that the data loads via ajax
     100.times { |i| student_in_course(:active_all => true, :name => "other guy #{i}") }
 
     get "/courses/#{@course.id}/gradebook"
     wait_for_ajaximations
-    ff('img.turnitin:visible').size.should eql 2
+    ffj('img.turnitin:visible').size.should eql 2
   end
 end
diff --git a/spec/selenium/quizzes_common.rb b/spec/selenium/quizzes_common.rb
index 77674394abd..d66f68fbe3c 100644
--- a/spec/selenium/quizzes_common.rb
+++ b/spec/selenium/quizzes_common.rb
@@ -106,7 +106,7 @@ shared_examples_for "quizzes selenium tests" do
   end
 
   def hover_first_question
-    question = f '.display_question'
+    question = f('.display_question')
     driver.action.move_to(question).perform
   end
 
@@ -117,7 +117,7 @@ shared_examples_for "quizzes selenium tests" do
   end
 
   def save_question
-    f('.question_form:visible').submit
+    fj('.question_form:visible').submit
     wait_for_ajax_requests
   end
 
@@ -131,7 +131,7 @@ shared_examples_for "quizzes selenium tests" do
   end
 
   def edit_first_multiple_choice_answer(text)
-    element = f 'input[name=answer_text]:visible'
+    element = fj('input[name=answer_text]:visible')
     element.click
     element.send_keys text
   end
@@ -144,7 +144,7 @@ shared_examples_for "quizzes selenium tests" do
 
   def delete_first_multiple_choice_answer
     driver.execute_script "$('.answer').addClass('hover');"
-    f('.delete_answer_link:visible').click
+    fj('.delete_answer_link:visible').click
   end
 
 
diff --git a/spec/selenium/quizzes_question_creation_spec.rb b/spec/selenium/quizzes_question_creation_spec.rb
index 0f769c37746..11ee93db6d9 100644
--- a/spec/selenium/quizzes_question_creation_spec.rb
+++ b/spec/selenium/quizzes_question_creation_spec.rb
@@ -507,6 +507,5 @@ describe "quizzes question creation" do
     save_question
     error_displayed?.should be_true
   end
-
 end