diff --git a/app/assets/javascripts/application.js.erb b/app/assets/javascripts/application.js.erb
index 7cc087e..8f05e90 100644
--- a/app/assets/javascripts/application.js.erb
+++ b/app/assets/javascripts/application.js.erb
@@ -313,14 +313,14 @@ $(document).ready(function() {
   });
 
   $(document).on("click", "button.comment-cancel", function() {
-    var comment = $(this).closest(".comment[data-shortid]");
-    if (comment.length) {
-      $.get("/comments/" + comment.attr("data-shortid"),
-      function(data) {
-        comment.html($.parseHTML(data));
+    var comment = $(this).closest(".comment");
+    var comment_id = comment.attr("data-shortid");
+    if (comment_id != null && comment_id !== '') {
+      $.get("/comments/" + comment_id, function(data) {
+        comment.replaceWith($.parseHTML(data));
       });
     } else {
-      $(this).closest(".comment").remove();
+      comment.remove();
     }
   });
 
diff --git a/app/controllers/comments_controller.rb b/app/controllers/comments_controller.rb
index a196292..724b639 100644
--- a/app/controllers/comments_controller.rb
+++ b/app/controllers/comments_controller.rb
@@ -63,8 +63,7 @@ class CommentsController < ApplicationController
     end
 
     render :partial => "comment", :layout => false,
-      :content_type => "text/html", :locals => { :comment => comment,
-      :cancellable => true }
+      :content_type => "text/html", :locals => { :comment => comment }
   end
 
   def edit
@@ -73,8 +72,7 @@ class CommentsController < ApplicationController
     end
 
     render :partial => "commentbox", :layout => false,
-      :content_type => "text/html", :locals => { :comment => comment,
-      :cancellable => true }
+      :content_type => "text/html", :locals => { :comment => comment }
   end
 
   def reply
@@ -87,8 +85,7 @@ class CommentsController < ApplicationController
     comment.parent_comment = parent_comment
 
     render :partial => "commentbox", :layout => false,
-      :content_type => "text/html", :locals => { :comment => comment,
-      :cancellable => true }
+      :content_type => "text/html", :locals => { :comment => comment }
   end
 
   def delete
diff --git a/app/views/comments/_comment.html.erb b/app/views/comments/_comment.html.erb
index 350e525..c9cf25f 100644
--- a/app/views/comments/_comment.html.erb
+++ b/app/views/comments/_comment.html.erb
@@ -1,5 +1,5 @@
-<a name="c_<%= comment.short_id %>"></a>
-<div id="comment_<%= comment.short_id %>" data-shortid="<%= comment.short_id %>"
+<div id="comment_<%= comment.short_id %>"
+data-shortid="<%= comment.short_id if comment.persisted? %>"
 class="comment <%= comment.current_vote ? (comment.current_vote[:vote] == 1 ?
 "upvoted" : "downvoted") : "" %>
   <%= comment.highlighted ? "highlighted" : "" %>
@@ -24,6 +24,8 @@ class="comment <%= comment.current_vote ? (comment.current_vote[:vote] == 1 ?
   <% end %>
   <div class="details">
     <div class="byline">
+      <a name="c_<%= comment.short_id %>"></a>
+
       <% if defined?(was_merged) && was_merged %>
         <span class="merge"></span>
       <% end %>
diff --git a/app/views/comments/_commentbox.html.erb b/app/views/comments/_commentbox.html.erb
index 093e4cb..d48a242 100644
--- a/app/views/comments/_commentbox.html.erb
+++ b/app/views/comments/_commentbox.html.erb
@@ -1,4 +1,5 @@
-<div class="comment comment_form_container">
+<div class="comment comment_form_container"
+data-shortid="<%= comment.short_id if comment.persisted? %>">
 <%= form_for comment,
 :html => { :id => "edit_comment_#{comment.short_id}" } do |f| %>
   <% if comment.errors.any? %>
@@ -37,7 +38,7 @@
       &nbsp;
       <%= button_tag "Preview", :class => "comment-preview",
         :type => "button", :disabled => !@user %>
-      <% if local_assigns[:cancellable] %>
+      <% if comment.persisted? || comment.parent_comment_id %>
         &nbsp;
         <%= button_tag "Cancel", :class => "comment-cancel",
           :type => "button" %>