diff --git a/lib/gollum/frontend/public/javascript/gollum-editor/gollum.editor.js b/lib/gollum/frontend/public/javascript/gollum-editor/gollum.editor.js
index b07a25df..d1401280 100755
--- a/lib/gollum/frontend/public/javascript/gollum-editor/gollum.editor.js
+++ b/lib/gollum/frontend/public/javascript/gollum-editor/gollum.editor.js
@@ -864,23 +864,33 @@
    
    
    hide: function() {
-     $('#gollum-editor-help').animate({
-                                        opacity: 0
-                                       }, 200,
-                                      function() {
-                                        $('#gollum-editor-help')
-                                          .animate({ height: 'hide' }, 200);
-                                      });
+     if ( $.browser.msie ) {
+       $('#gollum-editor-help').css('display', 'none'); 
+     } else { 
+       $('#gollum-editor-help').animate({
+                                          opacity: 0
+                                         }, 200,
+                                        function() {
+                                          $('#gollum-editor-help')
+                                            .animate({ height: 'hide' }, 200);
+                                        });
+     }                                   
    },
    
    show: function() {
-      $('#gollum-editor-help').animate({
+     if ( $.browser.msie ) {
+       // bypass effects for internet explorer, since it does weird crap 
+       // to text antialiasing with opacity animations
+       $('#gollum-editor-help').css('display', 'block');
+     } else {
+       $('#gollum-editor-help').animate({
                                     height: 'show'
                                    }, 200,
                                   function() {
                                     $('#gollum-editor-help')
                                       .animate({ opacity: 1 }, 300);
                                   });
+     } 
    },