diff --git a/plugins/enigma/enigma.js b/plugins/enigma/enigma.js
index fe2a599f5..94bcb2a0d 100644
--- a/plugins/enigma/enigma.js
+++ b/plugins/enigma/enigma.js
@@ -59,7 +59,7 @@ window.rcmail && rcmail.addEventListener('init', function(evt) {
                 e.stopPropagation();
             });
 
-            $('a.button.enigma').prop('tabindex', $('#messagetoolbar > a:first').prop('tabindex'));
+            $('a.button.enigma').prop('tabindex', $('#messagetoolbar > a').first().prop('tabindex'));
 
             $.each(['encrypt', 'sign'], function() {
                 var opt = this, input = $('#enigma' + opt + 'opt');
diff --git a/plugins/managesieve/managesieve.js b/plugins/managesieve/managesieve.js
index 6afc25409..f81f78a41 100644
--- a/plugins/managesieve/managesieve.js
+++ b/plugins/managesieve/managesieve.js
@@ -980,7 +980,7 @@ function sieve_form_init()
     parent.rcmail.managesieve_dialog_resize(form);
   }
 
-  $('input[type="text"]:first', form).focus();
+  $('input[type="text"]', form).first().focus();
 
   // initialize smart list inputs
   $('textarea[data-type="list"]', form).each(function() {
@@ -1189,7 +1189,7 @@ rcube_webmail.prototype.managesieve_dialog_resize = function(o)
 {
   var dialog = this.env.managesieve_dialog,
     win = $(window), form = $(o);
-    width = $('fieldset:first', o).width(), // fieldset width is more appropriate here
+    width = $('fieldset', o).first().width(), // fieldset width is more appropriate here
     height = form.height(),
     w = win.width(), h = win.height();
 
diff --git a/plugins/password/password.js b/plugins/password/password.js
index f5080e9af..78389f088 100644
--- a/plugins/password/password.js
+++ b/plugins/password/password.js
@@ -58,5 +58,5 @@ window.rcmail && rcmail.addEventListener('init', function(evt) {
       }
     }, true);
 
-    $('input:not(:hidden):first').focus();
+    $('input:not(:hidden)').first().focus();
 });
diff --git a/program/js/app.js b/program/js/app.js
index 7cb799636..7c12fe461 100644
--- a/program/js/app.js
+++ b/program/js/app.js
@@ -2967,7 +2967,7 @@ function rcube_webmail()
           r.parent_uid = 0;
           if (r.has_children) {
             // replace 'leaf' with 'collapsed'
-            $('#'+r.id+' .leaf:first')
+            $('#' + r.id + ' .leaf').first()
               .attr('id', 'rcmexpando' + r.id)
               .attr('class', (r.obj.style.display != 'none' ? 'expanded' : 'collapsed'))
               .mousedown({uid: r.uid}, function(e) {
@@ -4327,7 +4327,7 @@ function rcube_webmail()
         });
 
         content = $('<ul class="proplist">').append(nodes);
-        $('input:not([disabled]):first', content).attr('checked', true);
+        $('input:not([disabled])', content).first().attr('checked', true);
 
         this.simple_dialog(content, this.get_label('markallread'),
           function() {
@@ -5697,7 +5697,7 @@ function rcube_webmail()
     if (this.import_dialog) {
       this.import_state = state;
       // activate Import button depending on state
-      $(this.import_dialog).parent().find('.ui-dialog-buttonset > button:first').attr('disabled', state != 'error');
+      $(this.import_dialog).parent().find('.ui-dialog-buttonset > button').first().attr('disabled', state != 'error');
     }
   };
 
@@ -5985,7 +5985,7 @@ function rcube_webmail()
 
       // select the first
       if (!this.env.contacts.length) {
-        this.ksearch_select($('li:first', ul).get(0));
+        this.ksearch_select($('li', ul)[0]);
       }
     }
 
@@ -6925,7 +6925,7 @@ function rcube_webmail()
           row.appendTo(appendcontainer.show());
 
           if (input.is('div'))
-            input.find('input:first').focus();
+            input.find('input').first().focus();
           else
             input.first().focus();
 
@@ -7424,10 +7424,10 @@ function rcube_webmail()
     }
 
     // set folder name
-    $('a:first', row).text(display_name).removeAttr('title');
+    $('a', row).first().text(display_name).removeAttr('title');
 
     // update subscription checkbox
-    $('input[name="_subscribed[]"]:first', row).val(id)
+    $('input[name="_subscribed[]"]', row).first().val(id)
       .prop({checked: subscribed ? true : false, disabled: is_protected ? true : false});
 
     // add to folder/row-ID map
@@ -7517,7 +7517,7 @@ function rcube_webmail()
       }
 
       if (parent && n == parent) {
-        $('ul:first', parent).append(row);
+        $('ul', parent).first().append(row);
       }
       else {
         while (p = $(n).parent().parent().get(0)) {
@@ -7578,7 +7578,7 @@ function rcube_webmail()
       old_folder = this.env.subscriptionrows[oldid],
       prefix_len_id = oldid.length,
       prefix_len_name = old_folder[0].length,
-      subscribed = $('input[name="_subscribed[]"]:first', row).prop('checked');
+      subscribed = $('input[name="_subscribed[]"]', row).first().prop('checked');
 
     // no renaming, only update class_name
     if (oldid == id) {
@@ -7593,7 +7593,7 @@ function rcube_webmail()
         newid = id + fname.slice(prefix_len_id);
 
       this.id = 'rcmli' + ref.html_identifier_encode(newid);
-      $('input[name="_subscribed[]"]:first', this).val(newid);
+      $('input[name="_subscribed[]"]', this).first().val(newid);
       folder[0] = name + folder[0].slice(prefix_len_name);
 
       subfolders[newid] = folder;
@@ -7678,7 +7678,7 @@ function rcube_webmail()
   {
     var row = this.subscription_list.get_item(folder, true);
     if (row)
-      $('input[name="_subscribed[]"]:first', row).prop('disabled', true);
+      $('input[name="_subscribed[]"]', row).first().prop('disabled', true);
   };
 
   // resets state of subscription checkbox (e.g. on error)
@@ -7686,7 +7686,7 @@ function rcube_webmail()
   {
     var row = this.subscription_list.get_item(folder, true);
     if (row)
-      $('input[name="_subscribed[]"]:first', row).prop('checked', state);
+      $('input[name="_subscribed[]"]', row).first().prop('checked', state);
   };
 
   this.folder_size = function(folder)
diff --git a/program/js/editor.js b/program/js/editor.js
index 191196eb6..994ba638d 100644
--- a/program/js/editor.js
+++ b/program/js/editor.js
@@ -174,7 +174,7 @@ function rcube_text_editor(config, id)
 
     if (rcmail.env.action == 'compose') {
       var area = $('#' + this.id),
-        height = $('div.mce-toolbar-grp:first', area.parent()).height();
+        height = $('div.mce-toolbar-grp', area.parent()).first().height();
 
       // the editor might be still not fully loaded, making the editing area
       // inaccessible, wait and try again (#1490310)
@@ -686,7 +686,7 @@ function rcube_text_editor(config, id)
       }
     }
 
-    cancel = dialog.parent().parent().find('button:last').parent();
+    cancel = dialog.parent().parent().find('button').last().parent();
 
     // Add custom Tab key handlers, tabindex does not work
     list = $('#image-selector-list').append(list).on('keydown', 'li', function(e) {
@@ -706,7 +706,7 @@ function rcube_text_editor(config, id)
 
     button.keydown(function(e) {
       if (e.which == 9) { // Tab
-        if (rcube_event.get_modifier(e) == SHIFT_KEY || !list.find('li:first').focus().length) {
+        if (rcube_event.get_modifier(e) == SHIFT_KEY || !list.find('li').first().focus().length) {
           cancel.focus();
         }
 
@@ -720,7 +720,7 @@ function rcube_text_editor(config, id)
 
     cancel.keydown(function(e) {
       if (e.which == 9) {
-        if (rcube_event.get_modifier(e) != SHIFT_KEY || !list.find('li:last').focus().length) {
+        if (rcube_event.get_modifier(e) != SHIFT_KEY || !list.find('li').last().focus().length) {
           button.focus();
         }
 
diff --git a/program/js/treelist.js b/program/js/treelist.js
index 6e4d3a599..e079f2cb1 100644
--- a/program/js/treelist.js
+++ b/program/js/treelist.js
@@ -757,7 +757,7 @@ function rcube_treelist_widget(node, p)
 
       // allow virtual nodes to receive focus
       if (node.virtual) {
-        li.children('a:first').attr('tabindex', '0');
+        li.children('a').first().attr('tabindex', '0');
       }
 
       result.push(node);
@@ -899,19 +899,19 @@ function rcube_treelist_widget(node, p)
       next = li[mod](), limit, parent;
 
     if (dir > 0 && !from_child && li.children('ul[role=group]:visible').length) {
-      li.children('ul').children('li:first').find('a:first').focus();
+      li.children('ul').children('li').first().find('a').first().focus();
     }
     else if (dir < 0 && !from_child && next.children('ul[role=group]:visible').length) {
-      next.children('ul').children('li:last').find('a:first').focus();
+      next.children('ul').children('li').last().find('a').first().focus();
     }
-    else if (next.length && next.find('a:first').focus().length) {
+    else if (next.length && next.find('a').first().focus().length) {
         // focused
     }
     else {
       parent = li.parent().closest('li[role=treeitem]');
       if (parent.length)
         if (dir < 0) {
-          parent.find('a:first').focus();
+          parent.find('a').first().focus();
         }
         else {
           focus_next(parent, dir, true);
@@ -937,7 +937,7 @@ function rcube_treelist_widget(node, p)
   {
     var node, child;
     if (selection && (node = id2dom(selection))) {
-      child = node.children('ul').children('li:first');
+      child = node.children('ul').children('li').first();
       if (child.length) {
         return dom2id(child);
       }
@@ -961,7 +961,7 @@ function rcube_treelist_widget(node, p)
     var node, prev, child;
     if (selection && (node = id2dom(selection))) {
       prev = node.prev();
-      child = prev.find('li:last');
+      child = prev.find('li').last();
 
       if (child.length) {
         return dom2id(child);
diff --git a/skins/classic/functions.js b/skins/classic/functions.js
index f5a47720b..0e7c02095 100644
--- a/skins/classic/functions.js
+++ b/skins/classic/functions.js
@@ -22,7 +22,7 @@
 function rcube_init_settings_tabs()
 {
   var el, cl, container = $('#tabsbar'),
-    last_tab = $('span:last', container),
+    last_tab = $('span', container).last(),
     tab = '#settingstabpreferences',
     action = window.rcmail && rcmail.env.action ? rcmail.env.action : null;
 
diff --git a/skins/elastic/ui.js b/skins/elastic/ui.js
index fb3c46f70..c643588a8 100644
--- a/skins/elastic/ui.js
+++ b/skins/elastic/ui.js
@@ -147,15 +147,15 @@ function rcube_elastic_ui()
 
         // Set content frame title in parent window (exclude ext-windows and dialog frames)
         if (is_framed && !rcmail.env.extwin && !parent.$('.ui-dialog:visible').length) {
-            if (title = $('h1.voice:first').text()) {
+            if (title = $('h1.voice').first().text()) {
                 parent.$('#layout > .content > .header > .header-title:not(.constant)').text(title);
             }
         }
         else if (!is_framed) {
-            title = $('.boxtitle:first', layout.content).detach().text();
+            title = $('.boxtitle', layout.content).first().detach().text();
 
             if (!title) {
-                title = $('h1.voice:first').text();
+                title = $('h1.voice').first().text();
             }
 
             if (title) {
@@ -861,7 +861,7 @@ function rcube_elastic_ui()
 
         // Special input + anything entry
         $('td.input-group', context).each(function() {
-            $(this).children(':not(:first)').addClass('input-group-append');
+            $(this).children().slice(1).addClass('input-group-append');
         });
 
         // Other forms, e.g. Contact advanced search
@@ -946,7 +946,7 @@ function rcube_elastic_ui()
                 tab = $('<li>').addClass('nav-item').append(
                     $('<a>').addClass('nav-link' + (tab_class ? ' ' + tab_class : ''))
                         .attr({role: 'tab', 'href': '#' + id})
-                        .text($('legend:first', fieldset).text())
+                        .text($('legend', fieldset).first().text())
                         .click(function(e) {
                             $(this).tab('show');
                             // Because we return false we have to close popups
@@ -957,14 +957,14 @@ function rcube_elastic_ui()
                         })
                 );
 
-                $('legend:first', fieldset).hide();
+                $('legend', fieldset).first().hide();
                 tabs.push(tab);
             });
 
             // create the navigation bar
             nav.append(tabs).insertBefore(item);
             // activate the first tab
-            $('a.nav-link:first', nav).click();
+            $('a.nav-link', nav).first().click();
         });
 
         $('input[type=file]:not(.custom-file-input)', context).each(function() {
@@ -1015,7 +1015,7 @@ function rcube_elastic_ui()
         // Input-group combo is an element with a select field on the left
         // and input(s) on right, and where the whole right side can be hidden
         // depending on the select position. This code fixes border radius on select
-        $('.input-group-combo > select:first', context).on('change', function() {
+        $('.input-group-combo > select', context).first().on('change', function() {
             var select = $(this),
                 fn = function() {
                     select[select.next().is(':visible') ? 'removeClass' : 'addClass']('alone');
@@ -2297,7 +2297,7 @@ function rcube_elastic_ui()
                         }
                     });
 
-                    popover.find('a.active:first').focus();
+                    popover.find('a.active').first().focus();
                 }
 
                 if (popup_id && menus[popup_id]) {
@@ -2425,7 +2425,7 @@ function rcube_elastic_ui()
         }
         else if (p.event == 'menu-open') {
             var fn, pos,
-                content = $('ul:first', p.obj),
+                content = $('ul', p.obj).first(),
                 target = p.props && p.props.link ? p.props.link : p.originalEvent.target;
 
             if ($(target).is('span')) {
@@ -3001,7 +3001,7 @@ function rcube_elastic_ui()
             },
             open: function() {
                 // Don't want focus in the search field, we focus first contacts source record instead
-                $('#directorylist a:first').focus();
+                $('#directorylist a').first().focus();
             },
             close: function() {
                 dialog.appendTo(parent);
@@ -3132,7 +3132,7 @@ function rcube_elastic_ui()
             keydown_func = function(e) {
                 // On Backspace remove the last recipient
                 if (e.keyCode == 8 && !input.val().length) {
-                    list.children('li.recipient:last').remove();
+                    list.children('li.recipient').first().remove();
                     apply_func();
                     return false;
                 }
@@ -3519,7 +3519,7 @@ function rcube_elastic_ui()
 
                     // focus first active element on the list
                     if (rcube_event.is_keyboard(e)) {
-                        list.find('a.active:first').focus();
+                        list.find('a.active').first().focus();
                     }
 
                     // don't propagate mousedown event