diff --git a/test/selenium/project_detail/_add_deferred_todo.rsel b/test/selenium/project_detail/_add_deferred_todo.rsel
index 15fd15ef..2e798195 100644
--- a/test/selenium/project_detail/_add_deferred_todo.rsel
+++ b/test/selenium/project_detail/_add_deferred_todo.rsel
@@ -1,5 +1,5 @@
 type "todo_description", "choose era"
 type "todo_show_from", "1/1/2030"
 click "css=#todo-form-new-action .submit_box button"
-wait_for_element_present "xpath=//div[@id='tickler'] //div[@class='item-container']"
-wait_for_element_present "xpath=//div[@id='tickler'] //div[@class='item-container'] //a[@title='01/01/2030']"
+wait_for_element_present "css=div#tickler div.item-container"
+wait_for_element_present "css=div#tickler div.item-container a[title=01/01/2030]"
diff --git a/test/selenium/project_detail/add_todo.rsel b/test/selenium/project_detail/add_todo.rsel
index 7575a3d6..d3f60e88 100644
--- a/test/selenium/project_detail/add_todo.rsel
+++ b/test/selenium/project_detail/add_todo.rsel
@@ -5,7 +5,7 @@ open "/projects/1"
 # add new todo 
 type "todo_description", "a brand new todo"
 click "css=#todo-form-new-action .submit_box button"
-wait_for_element_present "xpath=//div[@id='p1items'] //div[@class='item-container']"
+wait_for_element_present "css=div#p1items div.item-container"
 
 # wait for flash to mention that todo was added and verify existence of new todo
 wait_for_visible "flash"
diff --git a/test/selenium/tickler/create_deferred_todo_with_existing_context.rsel b/test/selenium/tickler/create_deferred_todo_with_existing_context.rsel
index 09fb6bc2..8f7fccb8 100644
--- a/test/selenium/tickler/create_deferred_todo_with_existing_context.rsel
+++ b/test/selenium/tickler/create_deferred_todo_with_existing_context.rsel
@@ -10,4 +10,4 @@ assert_context_count_incremented do
   assert_confirmation "New context \"errands\" will be also created. Are you sure?"
 end
 wait_for_not_visible "tickler-empty-nd"
-wait_for_element_present "xpath=//div[@class='item-container'] //a[@title='01/01/2030']"
+wait_for_element_present "css=div.item-container a[title=01/01/2030]"