diff --git a/wp-admin/admin-header.php b/wp-admin/admin-header.php
index fae0b8e28..2c14a9225 100644
--- a/wp-admin/admin-header.php
+++ b/wp-admin/admin-header.php
@@ -33,11 +33,8 @@ $admin_title = apply_filters( 'admin_title', $admin_title, $title );
 
 wp_user_settings();
 
+_wp_admin_html_begin();
 ?>
-<!DOCTYPE html>
-<html xmlns="http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml" <?php do_action('admin_xml_ns'); echo "$wp_htmltag_class "; language_attributes(); ?>>
-<head>
-<meta http-equiv="Content-Type" content="<?php bloginfo('html_type'); ?>; charset=<?php echo get_option('blog_charset'); ?>" />
 <title><?php echo $admin_title; ?></title>
 <?php
 
diff --git a/wp-admin/includes/media.php b/wp-admin/includes/media.php
index 2b433e48f..c338d56ae 100644
--- a/wp-admin/includes/media.php
+++ b/wp-admin/includes/media.php
@@ -309,11 +309,8 @@ function media_handle_sideload($file_array, $post_id, $desc = null, $post_data =
  * @param unknown_type $content_func
  */
 function wp_iframe($content_func /* ... */) {
+	_wp_admin_html_begin();
 ?>
-<!DOCTYPE html>
-<html xmlns="http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml" <?php do_action('admin_xml_ns'); echo $GLOBALS['wp_htmltag_class'] . ' '; language_attributes(); ?>>
-<head>
-<meta http-equiv="Content-Type" content="<?php bloginfo('html_type'); ?>; charset=<?php echo get_option('blog_charset'); ?>" />
 <title><?php bloginfo('name') ?> &rsaquo; <?php _e('Uploads'); ?> &#8212; <?php _e('WordPress'); ?></title>
 <?php
 
diff --git a/wp-admin/includes/template.php b/wp-admin/includes/template.php
index eb2b6e212..d2e5ca22a 100644
--- a/wp-admin/includes/template.php
+++ b/wp-admin/includes/template.php
@@ -1352,10 +1352,8 @@ function iframe_header( $title = '', $limit_styles = false ) {
 	global $hook_suffix, $current_screen, $current_user, $admin_body_class, $wp_locale;
 	$admin_body_class = preg_replace('/[^a-z0-9_-]+/i', '-', $hook_suffix);
 
-?><!DOCTYPE html>
-<html xmlns="http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml" <?php do_action('admin_xml_ns'); echo $GLOBALS['wp_htmltag_class'] . ' '; language_attributes(); ?>>
-<head>
-<meta http-equiv="Content-Type" content="<?php bloginfo('html_type'); ?>; charset=<?php echo get_option('blog_charset'); ?>" />
+	_wp_admin_html_begin();
+?>
 <title><?php bloginfo('name') ?> &rsaquo; <?php echo $title ?> &#8212; <?php _e('WordPress'); ?></title>
 <?php
 wp_enqueue_style( 'colors' );
@@ -1629,6 +1627,20 @@ function get_submit_button( $text = NULL, $type = 'primary', $name = 'submit', $
 	return $button;
 }
 
+function _wp_admin_html_begin() {
+?>
+<!DOCTYPE html>
+<!--[if IE 8]>
+<html xmlns="http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml" class="ie8" <?php do_action('admin_xml_ns'); ?> <?php language_attributes(); ?>>
+<![endif]-->
+<!--[if !(IE 8) ]><!-->
+<html xmlns="http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml" <?php do_action('admin_xml_ns'); ?> <?php language_attributes(); ?>>
+<!--<![endif]-->
+<head>
+<meta http-equiv="Content-Type" content="<?php bloginfo('html_type'); ?>; charset=<?php echo get_option('blog_charset'); ?>" />
+<?php
+}
+
 /**
  * Initializes the new feature pointers.
  *
diff --git a/wp-admin/press-this.php b/wp-admin/press-this.php
index 8329c2432..85742d190 100644
--- a/wp-admin/press-this.php
+++ b/wp-admin/press-this.php
@@ -280,17 +280,11 @@ if ( !empty($_REQUEST['ajax']) ) {
 die;
 }
 
-?>
-<!DOCTYPE html>
-<html xmlns="http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml" <?php do_action('admin_xml_ns'); echo "$wp_htmltag_class "; language_attributes(); ?>>
-<head>
-	<meta http-equiv="Content-Type" content="<?php bloginfo('html_type'); ?>; charset=<?php echo get_option('blog_charset'); ?>" />
-	<title><?php _e('Press This') ?></title>
-
-<?php
 	wp_enqueue_style( 'colors' );
 	wp_enqueue_script( 'post' );
+	_wp_admin_html_begin();
 ?>
+<title><?php _e('Press This') ?></title>
 <script type="text/javascript">
 //<![CDATA[
 addLoadEvent = function(func){if(typeof jQuery!="undefined")jQuery(document).ready(func);else if(typeof wpOnload!='function'){wpOnload=func;}else{var oldonload=wpOnload;wpOnload=function(){oldonload();func();}}};
diff --git a/wp-includes/vars.php b/wp-includes/vars.php
index a2b4c31b2..fb526b595 100644
--- a/wp-includes/vars.php
+++ b/wp-includes/vars.php
@@ -74,8 +74,6 @@ if ( $is_safari && stripos($_SERVER['HTTP_USER_AGENT'], 'mobile') !== false )
 
 $is_IE = ( $is_macIE || $is_winIE );
 
-$wp_htmltag_class = strpos($_SERVER['HTTP_USER_AGENT'], 'MSIE 8.') ? ' class="ie8"' : ''; // can't start with this
-
 // Server detection
 
 /**
