diff --git a/www/pad/main.js b/www/pad/main.js
index 9b50902c7..35848477b 100644
--- a/www/pad/main.js
+++ b/www/pad/main.js
@@ -60,10 +60,6 @@ define([
         return hj;
     };
 
-    var stringifyDOM = function (dom) {
-        return stringify(Hyperjson.fromDOM(dom, isNotMagicLine, brFilter));
-    };
-
     var andThen = function (Ckeditor) {
         /*  This is turned off because we prefer that the channel name
             be chosen by the server, not generated by the client.
@@ -232,6 +228,12 @@ define([
                 (DD).apply(inner, patch);
             };
 
+            var stringifyDOM = function (dom) {
+                var hjson = Hyperjson.fromDOM(dom, isNotMagicLine, brFilter);
+                hjson[3] = {metadata: userList};
+                return stringify(hjson);
+            };
+
             var realtimeOptions = {
                 // provide initialstate...
                 initialState: stringifyDOM(inner) || '{}',
@@ -268,7 +270,6 @@ define([
                   addToUserList(userData);
                   hjson.pop();
                 }
-                return hjson;
             }
 
             var onRemote = realtimeOptions.onRemote = function (info) {
@@ -279,15 +280,12 @@ define([
                 // remember where the cursor is
                 cursor.update();
 
-                // Extract the user list (metadata) from the hyperjson
-                var hjson = updateUserList(shjson);
+                // Update the user list (metadata) from the hyperjson
+                updateUserList(shjson);
 
                 // build a dom from HJSON, diff, and patch the editor
                 applyHjson(shjson);
 
-                // Build a new stringified Chainpad hyperjson without metadata to compare with the one build from the dom
-                shjson = stringify(hjson);
-
                 var shjson2 = stringifyDOM(inner);
                 if (shjson2 !== shjson) {
                     console.error("shjson2 !== shjson");
@@ -337,15 +335,8 @@ define([
             var onLocal = realtimeOptions.onLocal = function () {
                 if (initializing) { return; }
 
-                // serialize your DOM into an object
-                var hjson = Hyperjson.fromDOM(inner, isNotMagicLine, brFilter);
-
-                // append the userlist to the hyperjson structure
-                if(Object.keys(myData).length > 0) {
-                    hjson[3] = {metadata: userList};
-                }
                 // stringify the json and send it into chainpad
-                var shjson = stringify(hjson);
+                var shjson = stringifyDOM(inner);
                 module.patchText(shjson);
 
                 if (module.realtime.getUserDoc() !== shjson) {