diff --git a/content/content.h b/content/content.h
index 752370034..45c9c0452 100644
--- a/content/content.h
+++ b/content/content.h
@@ -84,6 +84,7 @@ typedef enum {
 	CONTENT_MSG_SELECTION, /**< A selection made or cleared */
 	CONTENT_MSG_CARET,     /**< Caret movement / hiding */
 	CONTENT_MSG_DRAG,      /**< A drag started or ended */
+	CONTENT_MSG_SELECTMENU,/**< Create a select menu */
 	CONTENT_MSG_GADGETCLICK/**< A gadget has been clicked on (mainly for file) */
 } content_msg;
 
@@ -197,6 +198,10 @@ union content_msg_data {
 		} type;
 		const struct rect *rect;
 	} drag;
+	/** CONTENT_MSG_SELECTMENU - Create select menu at pointer */
+	struct {
+		struct form_control *gadget;
+	} select_menu;
 	/** CONTENT_MSG_GADGETCLICK - User clicked on a form gadget */
 	struct {
 		struct form_control *gadget;
diff --git a/desktop/browser.c b/desktop/browser.c
index 9cbfb2a1f..ba24ea168 100644
--- a/desktop/browser.c
+++ b/desktop/browser.c
@@ -1600,6 +1600,16 @@ static nserror browser_window_callback(hlcache_handle *c,
 				event->data.selection.read_only);
 		break;
 
+	case CONTENT_MSG_SELECTMENU:
+		if (event->data.select_menu.gadget->type == GADGET_SELECT) {
+			struct browser_window *root =
+					browser_window_get_root(bw);
+			guit->browser->create_form_select_menu(root->window,
+					event->data.select_menu.gadget);
+		}
+
+		break;
+
 	case CONTENT_MSG_GADGETCLICK:
 		if (event->data.gadget_click.gadget->type == GADGET_FILE) {
 			guit->window->file_gadget_open(bw->window, c,
diff --git a/render/html_interaction.c b/render/html_interaction.c
index 7e78fc034..781c9c1de 100644
--- a/render/html_interaction.c
+++ b/render/html_interaction.c
@@ -55,13 +55,6 @@
 #include "render/imagemap.h"
 #include "render/search.h"
 
-/* TODO:
- * This is currently needed here because the forms stuff (select menu
- * specifically) is badly designed.  But I'd rather it were here in the
- * core than in all the front ends.  We should fix this so we communicate
- * with the browser window layer via the content message system. -- tlsa */
-#include <desktop/browser_private.h>
-
 /**
  * Get pointer shape for given box
  *
@@ -665,10 +658,9 @@ void html_mouse_action(struct content *c, struct browser_window *bw,
 						c);
 				pointer = BROWSER_POINTER_DEFAULT;
 			} else if (mouse & BROWSER_MOUSE_CLICK_1) {
-				struct browser_window *rbw =
-						browser_window_get_root(bw);
-				guit->browser->create_form_select_menu(
-						rbw->window, gadget);
+				msg_data.select_menu.gadget = gadget;
+				content_broadcast(c, CONTENT_MSG_SELECTMENU,
+						msg_data);
 			}
 			break;
 		case GADGET_CHECKBOX:
diff --git a/render/html_object.c b/render/html_object.c
index d048253a7..455733d0a 100644
--- a/render/html_object.c
+++ b/render/html_object.c
@@ -375,6 +375,7 @@ html_object_callback(hlcache_handle *object,
 
 	case CONTENT_MSG_SAVELINK:
 	case CONTENT_MSG_POINTER:
+	case CONTENT_MSG_SELECTMENU:
 	case CONTENT_MSG_GADGETCLICK:
 		/* These messages are for browser window layer.
 		 * we're not interested, so pass them on. */