diff --git a/library/HTMLPurifier/HTMLModule.php b/library/HTMLPurifier/HTMLModule.php
index 5589432e..4a420a7d 100644
--- a/library/HTMLPurifier/HTMLModule.php
+++ b/library/HTMLPurifier/HTMLModule.php
@@ -158,6 +158,19 @@ class HTMLPurifier_HTMLModule
         return $this->info[$element];
     }
     
+    /**
+     * Convenience function that creates a totally blank, non-standalone
+     * element.
+     * @param $element Name of element to create
+     * @return Reference to created element
+     */
+    function &addBlankElement($element) {
+        $this->elements[] = $element;
+        $this->info[$element] = new HTMLPurifier_ElementDef();
+        $this->info[$element]->standalone = false;
+        return $this->info[$element];
+    }
+    
     /**
      * Convenience function that registers an element to a content set
      * @param Element to register
diff --git a/library/HTMLPurifier/HTMLModule/Legacy.php b/library/HTMLPurifier/HTMLModule/Legacy.php
index 930c714a..8563023d 100644
--- a/library/HTMLPurifier/HTMLModule/Legacy.php
+++ b/library/HTMLPurifier/HTMLModule/Legacy.php
@@ -29,23 +29,22 @@ class HTMLPurifier_HTMLModule_Legacy extends HTMLPurifier_HTMLModule
         $this->addElement('strike', true, 'Inline', 'Inline', 'Common');
         
         // setup modifications to old elements
-        // perhaps we could make some convenience functions for these...
-        $elements = array('li', 'ol', 'address', 'blockquote');
-        foreach ($elements as $name) {
-            $this->info[$name] = new HTMLPurifier_ElementDef();
-            $this->info[$name]->standalone = false;
-        }
         
-        $this->info['li']->attr['value'] = new HTMLPurifier_AttrDef_Integer();
-        $this->info['ol']->attr['start'] = new HTMLPurifier_AttrDef_Integer();
+        $li =& $this->addBlankElement('li');
+        $li->attr['value'] = new HTMLPurifier_AttrDef_Integer();
         
-        $this->info['address']->content_model = 'Inline | #PCDATA | p';
-        $this->info['address']->content_model_type = 'optional';
-        $this->info['address']->child = false;
+        $ol =& $this->addBlankElement('ol');
+        $ol->attr['start'] = new HTMLPurifier_AttrDef_Integer();
         
-        $this->info['blockquote']->content_model = 'Flow | #PCDATA';
-        $this->info['blockquote']->content_model_type = 'optional';
-        $this->info['blockquote']->child = false;
+        $address =& $this->addBlankElement('address');
+        $address->content_model = 'Inline | #PCDATA | p';
+        $address->content_model_type = 'optional';
+        $address->child = false;
+        
+        $blockquote =& $this->addBlankElement('blockquote');
+        $blockquote->content_model = 'Flow | #PCDATA';
+        $blockquote->content_model_type = 'optional';
+        $blockquote->child = false;
         
     }
     
diff --git a/library/HTMLPurifier/HTMLModule/Target.php b/library/HTMLPurifier/HTMLModule/Target.php
index 1c2104ba..6cb8e510 100644
--- a/library/HTMLPurifier/HTMLModule/Target.php
+++ b/library/HTMLPurifier/HTMLModule/Target.php
@@ -9,13 +9,12 @@ class HTMLPurifier_HTMLModule_Target extends HTMLPurifier_HTMLModule
 {
     
     var $name = 'Target';
-    var $elements = array('a');
     
     function HTMLPurifier_HTMLModule_Target() {
-        foreach ($this->elements as $e) {
-            $this->info[$e] = new HTMLPurifier_ElementDef();
-            $this->info[$e]->standalone = false;
-            $this->info[$e]->attr = array(
+        $elements = array('a');
+        foreach ($elements as $name) {
+            $e =& $this->addBlankElement($name);
+            $e->attr = array(
                 'target' => new HTMLPurifier_AttrDef_HTML_FrameTarget()
             );
         }
diff --git a/tests/HTMLPurifier/HTMLModuleTest.php b/tests/HTMLPurifier/HTMLModuleTest.php
index ba13a49e..3aff9cc3 100644
--- a/tests/HTMLPurifier/HTMLModuleTest.php
+++ b/tests/HTMLPurifier/HTMLModuleTest.php
@@ -108,6 +108,19 @@ class HTMLPurifier_HTMLModuleTest extends UnitTestCase
         
     }
     
+    function test_addBlankElement() {
+        
+        $module = new HTMLPurifier_HTMLModule();
+        $def =& $module->addBlankElement('a');
+        
+        $def2 = new HTMLPurifier_ElementDef();
+        $def2->standalone = false;
+        
+        $this->assertReference($module->info['a'], $def);
+        $this->assertIdentical($def, $def2);
+        
+    }
+    
 }
 
 ?>
\ No newline at end of file