diff --git a/frontend_tests/node_tests/hashchange.js b/frontend_tests/node_tests/hashchange.js
index 4fd80414cb..95e710ca63 100644
--- a/frontend_tests/node_tests/hashchange.js
+++ b/frontend_tests/node_tests/hashchange.js
@@ -123,7 +123,6 @@ function test_helper() {
 
     stub('admin', 'launch');
     stub('drafts', 'launch');
-    stub('favicon', 'reset');
     stub('floating_recipient_bar', 'update');
     stub('message_viewport', 'stop_auto_scrolling');
     stub('narrow', 'deactivate');
@@ -301,7 +300,6 @@ run_test('save_narrow', () => {
 
     helper.assert_events([
         'message_viewport.stop_auto_scrolling',
-        'favicon.reset',
     ]);
     assert.equal(window.location.hash, '#narrow/is/private');
 
@@ -318,7 +316,6 @@ run_test('save_narrow', () => {
     hashchange.save_narrow(operators);
     helper.assert_events([
         'message_viewport.stop_auto_scrolling',
-        'favicon.reset',
     ]);
     assert.equal(url_pushed, 'http://example.com/#narrow/is/starred');
 });
diff --git a/static/js/favicon.js b/static/js/favicon.js
index 105e8b282e..527c090d3f 100644
--- a/static/js/favicon.js
+++ b/static/js/favicon.js
@@ -1,26 +1,5 @@
-const favicon_selector = 'link[rel="shortcut icon"]';
-
-// We need to reset the favicon after changing the
-// window.location.hash or Firefox will drop the favicon.  See
-// https://bugzilla.mozilla.org/show_bug.cgi?id=519028
-exports.reset = function () {
-    $(favicon_selector).detach().appendTo('head');
-};
-
 exports.set = function (url) {
-    if (/webkit/i.test(navigator.userAgent)) {
-        // Works in Chrome 22 at least.
-        // Doesn't work in Firefox 10.
-        $(favicon_selector).attr('href', url);
-    } else {
-        // Delete and re-create the node.
-        // May cause excessive work by the browser
-        // in re-rendering the page (see #882).
-        $(favicon_selector).remove();
-        $('head').append($('<link>')
-            .attr('rel', 'shortcut icon')
-            .attr('href', url));
-    }
+    $('#favicon').attr('href', url);
 };
 
 
diff --git a/static/js/hashchange.js b/static/js/hashchange.js
index 8014fcf670..e546ffc89b 100644
--- a/static/js/hashchange.js
+++ b/static/js/hashchange.js
@@ -38,7 +38,6 @@ exports.changehash = function (newhash) {
     }
     message_viewport.stop_auto_scrolling();
     set_hash(newhash);
-    favicon.reset();
 };
 
 exports.save_narrow = function (operators) {
diff --git a/templates/zerver/base.html b/templates/zerver/base.html
index d043093720..46b0613bbd 100644
--- a/templates/zerver/base.html
+++ b/templates/zerver/base.html
@@ -12,7 +12,7 @@
             <title>Zulip</title>
             {% endif %}
         {% endblock %}
-        <link href="/static/favicon.ico?v=2" rel="shortcut icon">
+        <link id="favicon" rel="icon" href="/static/favicon.ico?v=2">
         {% block meta_viewport %}
         <meta name="viewport" content="width=device-width, initial-scale=1.0">
         {% endblock %}