diff --git a/addons/web/static/src/js/core.js b/addons/web/static/src/js/core.js
index 1929c573e42..0b49e1cc52d 100644
--- a/addons/web/static/src/js/core.js
+++ b/addons/web/static/src/js/core.js
@@ -887,8 +887,11 @@ openerp.web.Widget = openerp.web.CallbackEnabled.extend(/** @lends openerp.web.W
      */
     render_element: function() {
         var rendered = this.render();
-        if (rendered || rendered === "")
-            this.$element = $(rendered);
+        if (rendered) {
+            var elem = $(rendered);
+            this.$element.replaceWith(elem);
+            this.$element = elem;
+        }
         return this;
     },
     /**
@@ -900,7 +903,7 @@ openerp.web.Widget = openerp.web.CallbackEnabled.extend(/** @lends openerp.web.W
     render: function (additional) {
         if (this.template)
             return openerp.web.qweb.render(this.template, _.extend({widget: this}, additional || {}));
-        return false;
+        return null;
     },
     /**
      * Method called after rendering. Mostly used to bind actions, perform asynchronous
@@ -912,12 +915,6 @@ openerp.web.Widget = openerp.web.CallbackEnabled.extend(/** @lends openerp.web.W
      * @returns {jQuery.Deferred}
      */
     start: function() {
-        /* The default implementation is only useful for retro-compatibility, it is
-        not necessary to call it using _super() when using Widget for new components. */
-        if (!this.$element) {
-            var tmp = document.getElementById(this.element_id);
-            this.$element = tmp ? $(tmp) : undefined;
-        }
         return $.Deferred().done().promise();
     },
     /**
diff --git a/addons/web/static/src/js/view_form.js b/addons/web/static/src/js/view_form.js
index 15790d3c1c0..f532ea4a538 100644
--- a/addons/web/static/src/js/view_form.js
+++ b/addons/web/static/src/js/view_form.js
@@ -2419,7 +2419,8 @@ openerp.web.form.SelectCreatePopup = openerp.web.OldWidget.extend(/** @lends ope
         }, read_function: null});
         this.initial_ids = this.options.initial_ids;
         this.created_elements = [];
-        openerp.web.form.dialog(this.render(), {close:function() {
+        this.render_element();
+        openerp.web.form.dialog(this.$element, {close:function() {
             self.check_exit();
         }});
         this.start();
@@ -2607,7 +2608,8 @@ openerp.web.form.FormOpenPopup = openerp.web.OldWidget.extend(/** @lends openerp
         this.row_id = row_id;
         this.context = context || {};
         this.options = _.defaults(options || {}, {"auto_write": true});
-        jQuery(this.render()).dialog({title: '',
+        this.render_element();
+        this.$element.dialog({title: '',
                     modal: true,
                     width: 960,
                     height: 600});