diff --git a/src/static/js/ace.js b/src/static/js/ace.js
index 9339e46fd..efb38077f 100644
--- a/src/static/js/ace.js
+++ b/src/static/js/ace.js
@@ -229,6 +229,10 @@ const Ace2Editor = function () {
     sideDiv.id = 'sidediv';
     sideDiv.classList.add('sidediv');
     outerDocument.body.appendChild(sideDiv);
+    const sideDivInner = outerDocument.createElement('div');
+    sideDivInner.id = 'sidedivinner';
+    sideDivInner.classList.add('sidedivinner');
+    sideDiv.appendChild(sideDivInner);
     const lineMetricsDiv = outerDocument.createElement('div');
     lineMetricsDiv.id = 'linemetricsdiv';
     lineMetricsDiv.appendChild(outerDocument.createTextNode('x'));
diff --git a/src/static/js/ace2_inner.js b/src/static/js/ace2_inner.js
index 3b83591b6..b25f55672 100644
--- a/src/static/js/ace2_inner.js
+++ b/src/static/js/ace2_inner.js
@@ -64,10 +64,7 @@ function Ace2Inner(editorInfo, cssManagers) {
   const outerDoc = outerWin.document;
   const sideDiv = outerDoc.getElementById('sidediv');
   const lineMetricsDiv = outerDoc.getElementById('linemetricsdiv');
-  const sideDivInner = outerDoc.createElement('div');
-  sideDivInner.id = 'sidedivinner';
-  sideDivInner.classList.add('sidedivinner');
-  sideDiv.appendChild(sideDivInner);
+  const sideDivInner = outerDoc.getElementById('sidedivinner');
   (() => {
     const lineDiv = outerDoc.createElement('div');
     sideDivInner.appendChild(lineDiv);