diff --git a/sphinx/themes/basic/static/doctools.js b/sphinx/themes/basic/static/doctools.js
index 194f096ac..b33f87fcb 100644
--- a/sphinx/themes/basic/static/doctools.js
+++ b/sphinx/themes/basic/static/doctools.js
@@ -94,7 +94,6 @@ jQuery.fn.highlightText = function(text, className) {
           rect.width.baseVal.value = bbox.width;
           rect.height.baseVal.value = bbox.height;
           rect.setAttribute('class', className);
-          var parentOfText = node.parentNode.parentNode;
           addItems.push({
               "parent": node.parentNode,
               "target": rect});
diff --git a/tests/js/doctools.js b/tests/js/doctools.js
index c569bcb8a..37064334a 100644
--- a/tests/js/doctools.js
+++ b/tests/js/doctools.js
@@ -59,7 +59,6 @@ describe('jQuery extensions', function() {
             '</text>' +
           '</svg>' +
         '</span>');
-      $("#svg-highlight-test").html($("#svg-highlight-test").html());
       jQuery(document.body).append(highlightTestSvg);
       highlightTestSvg.highlightText(cyrillicTerm, 'highlighted');
       highlightTestSvg.highlightText(umlautTerm, 'highlighted');