diff --git a/www/common/convert.js b/www/common/convert.js
index b95591e93..973881c80 100644
--- a/www/common/convert.js
+++ b/www/common/convert.js
@@ -5,7 +5,7 @@ define([
 ], function (vdom, hyperjson, hyperscript) {
     // complain if you don't find the required APIs
     if (!(vdom && hyperjson && hyperscript)) { throw new Error(); }
-    
+
     // Generate a matrix of conversions
     /*
         convert.dom.to.hjson, convert.hjson.to.dom,
@@ -46,7 +46,7 @@ define([
                         return hyperjson.fromDOM(vdom.create(V));
                     }
                 }
-            }, 
+            },
             convert = {};
         Object.keys(methods).forEach(function (method) {
             convert[method] = { to: methods[method] };
diff --git a/www/common/hyperjson.js b/www/common/hyperjson.js
index 660c62194..31a2caf08 100644
--- a/www/common/hyperjson.js
+++ b/www/common/hyperjson.js
@@ -47,13 +47,20 @@ define([], function () {
         return x;
     };
 
-    var DOM2HyperJSON = function(el){
+    var DOM2HyperJSON = function(el, predicate){
         if(!el.tagName && el.nodeType === Node.TEXT_NODE){
             return el.textContent;
         }
         if(!el.attributes){
           return;
         }
+
+        if (predicate) {
+            if (!predicate(el)) {
+                // shortcircuit
+                return;
+            }
+        }
         var attributes = {};
 
         var i = 0;
@@ -102,10 +109,12 @@ define([], function () {
 
         // js hint complains if we use 'var' here
         i = 0;
+
         for(; i < el.childNodes.length; i++){
-          children.push(DOM2HyperJSON(el.childNodes[i]));
+            children.push(DOM2HyperJSON(el.childNodes[i], predicate));
         }
-        result.push(children);
+
+        result.push(children.filter(isTruthy));
 
         return result;
     };