diff --git a/libraries/springy.js b/libraries/springy.js
index 65ad9fecf..5b0bca1a3 100644
--- a/libraries/springy.js
+++ b/libraries/springy.js
@@ -191,7 +191,7 @@
 			this.addNodes.apply(this, json['nodes']);
 			this.addEdges.apply(this, json['edges']);
 		}
-	}
+	};
 
 
 	// find the edges from node1 to node2
@@ -479,51 +479,35 @@
 		return energy;
 	};
 
-	var __bind = function(fn, me){ return function(){ return fn.apply(me, arguments); }; }; // stolen from coffeescript, thanks jashkenas! ;-)
-
-	Springy.requestAnimationFrame = __bind(this.requestAnimationFrame ||
-		this.webkitRequestAnimationFrame ||
-		this.mozRequestAnimationFrame ||
-		this.oRequestAnimationFrame ||
-		this.msRequestAnimationFrame ||
-		(function(callback, element) {
-			this.setTimeout(callback, 10);
-		}), this);
-
-
 	/**
 	 * Start simulation if it's not running already.
 	 * In case it's running then the call is ignored, and none of the callbacks passed is ever executed.
 	 */
-	Layout.ForceDirected.prototype.start = function(render, onRenderStop, onRenderStart) {
+	Layout.ForceDirected.prototype.start = function(onRenderStop) {
 		var t = this;
 
 		if (this._started) return;
 		this._started = true;
 		this._stop = false;
 
-		if (onRenderStart !== undefined) { onRenderStart(); }
-
-		Springy.requestAnimationFrame(function step() {
+		function step() {
 			t.tick(0.03);
 
-			if (!t._stop && render !== undefined) {
-				render();
-			}
-
 			// stop simulation when energy of the system goes below a threshold
 			if (t._stop || t.totalEnergy() < t.minEnergyThreshold) {
 				t._started = false;
-				if (onRenderStop !== undefined) { onRenderStop(); }
+				onRenderStop();
 			} else {
-				Springy.requestAnimationFrame(step);
+				setImmediate(step);
 			}
-		});
+		}
+
+		step();
 	};
 
 	Layout.ForceDirected.prototype.stop = function() {
 		this._stop = true;
-	}
+	};
 
 	Layout.ForceDirected.prototype.tick = function(timestep) {
 		this.applyCoulombsLaw();
@@ -644,85 +628,35 @@
 
 	/**
 	 * Renderer handles the layout rendering loop
-	 * @param onRenderStop optional callback function that gets executed whenever rendering stops.
-	 * @param onRenderStart optional callback function that gets executed whenever rendering starts.
-	 * @param onRenderFrame optional callback function that gets executed after each frame is rendered.
 	 */
-	var Renderer = Springy.Renderer = function(layout, clear, drawEdge, drawNode, onRenderStop, onRenderStart, onRenderFrame) {
+	var Renderer = Springy.Renderer = function(layout, onRenderStop) {
 		this.layout = layout;
-		this.clear = clear;
-		this.drawEdge = drawEdge;
-		this.drawNode = drawNode;
 		this.onRenderStop = onRenderStop;
-		this.onRenderStart = onRenderStart;
-		this.onRenderFrame = onRenderFrame;
 
 		this.layout.graph.addGraphListener(this);
-	}
+	};
 
-	Renderer.prototype.graphChanged = function(e) {
+	Renderer.prototype.graphChanged = function() {
 		this.start();
 	};
 
 	/**
 	 * Starts the simulation of the layout in use.
-	 *
-	 * Note that in case the algorithm is still or already running then the layout that's in use
-	 * might silently ignore the call, and your optional <code>done</code> callback is never executed.
-	 * At least the built-in ForceDirected layout behaves in this way.
-	 *
-	 * @param done An optional callback function that gets executed when the springy algorithm stops,
-	 * either because it ended or because stop() was called.
 	 */
-	Renderer.prototype.start = function(done) {
-		var t = this;
-		this.layout.start(function render() {
-			t.clear();
+	Renderer.prototype.start = function(maxTime) {
+		if (maxTime) {
+			setTimeout(() => this.stop(), maxTime);
+		}
 
-			t.layout.eachEdge(function(edge, spring) {
-				t.drawEdge(edge, spring.point1.p, spring.point2.p);
-			});
-
-			t.layout.eachNode(function(node, point) {
-				t.drawNode(node, point.p);
-			});
-			
-			if (t.onRenderFrame !== undefined) { t.onRenderFrame(); }
-		}, this.onRenderStop, this.onRenderStart);
+		return new Promise((res, rej) => {
+			this.layout.start(res);
+		});
 	};
 
 	Renderer.prototype.stop = function() {
 		this.layout.stop();
 	};
 
-	// Array.forEach implementation for IE support..
-	//https://developer.mozilla.org/en/JavaScript/Reference/Global_Objects/Array/forEach
-	if ( !Array.prototype.forEach ) {
-		Array.prototype.forEach = function( callback, thisArg ) {
-			var T, k;
-			if ( this == null ) {
-				throw new TypeError( " this is null or not defined" );
-			}
-			var O = Object(this);
-			var len = O.length >>> 0; // Hack to convert O.length to a UInt32
-			if ( {}.toString.call(callback) != "[object Function]" ) {
-				throw new TypeError( callback + " is not a function" );
-			}
-			if ( thisArg ) {
-				T = thisArg;
-			}
-			k = 0;
-			while( k < len ) {
-				var kValue;
-				if ( k in O ) {
-					kValue = O[ k ];
-					callback.call( T, kValue, k, O );
-				}
-				k++;
-			}
-		};
-	}
-
 	var isEmpty = function(obj) {
 		for (var k in obj) {
 			if (obj.hasOwnProperty(k)) {
diff --git a/src/public/javascripts/dialogs/link_map.js b/src/public/javascripts/dialogs/link_map.js
index c62001fae..4a3937a53 100644
--- a/src/public/javascripts/dialogs/link_map.js
+++ b/src/public/javascripts/dialogs/link_map.js
@@ -23,19 +23,18 @@ export async function showDialog() {
     // set default settings
     $maxNotesInput.val(20);
 
-    const note = noteDetailService.getActiveTabNote();
-
-    if (!note) {
-        return;
-    }
-
     $linkMapContainer.css("height", $("body").height() - 150);
 
-    linkMapService = new LinkMapService(note, $linkMapContainer, getOptions());
-
-    linkMapService.render();
+    $linkMapContainer.empty();
 
     $dialog.modal();
 }
 
+$dialog.on('shown.bs.modal', () => {
+    const note = noteDetailService.getActiveTabNote();
+
+    linkMapService = new LinkMapService(note, $linkMapContainer, getOptions());
+    linkMapService.render();
+});
+
 $maxNotesInput.on("input", () => linkMapService.loadNotesAndRelations(getOptions()));
diff --git a/src/public/javascripts/services/link_map.js b/src/public/javascripts/services/link_map.js
index f5041b90f..5ecfcb58b 100644
--- a/src/public/javascripts/services/link_map.js
+++ b/src/public/javascripts/services/link_map.js
@@ -119,60 +119,54 @@ export default class LinkMap {
                 stop: params => {}
             });
 
-
             return $noteBox;
         };
 
-        this.renderer = new Springy.Renderer(
-            layout,
-            () => {},
-            (edge, p1, p2) => {
-                const connectionId = this.linkMapContainerId + '-' + edge.source.id + '-' + edge.target.id;
+        this.renderer = new Springy.Renderer(layout);
+        await this.renderer.start(500);
 
-                if ($("#" + connectionId).length > 0) {
-                    return;
-                }
+        layout.eachNode((node, point) => {
+            const $noteBox = getNoteBox(node.id);
+            const middleW = this.$linkMapContainer.width() / 2;
+            const middleH = this.$linkMapContainer.height() / 2;
 
-                getNoteBox(edge.source.id);
-                getNoteBox(edge.target.id);
+            $noteBox
+                .css("left", (middleW + point.p.x * 100) + "px")
+                .css("top", (middleH + point.p.y * 100) + "px");
 
-                const connection = this.jsPlumbInstance.connect({
-                    source: this.noteIdToId(edge.source.id),
-                    target: this.noteIdToId(edge.target.id),
-                    type: 'link'
-                });
-
-                if (connection) {
-                    $(connection.canvas)
-                        .prop("id", connectionId)
-                        .addClass('link-' + edge.source.id)
-                        .addClass('link-' + edge.target.id);
-                }
-                else {
-                    console.log(`connection not created for`, edge);
-                }
-            },
-            (node, p) => {
-                const $noteBox = getNoteBox(node.id);
-                const middleW = this.$linkMapContainer.width() / 2;
-                const middleH = this.$linkMapContainer.height() / 2;
-
-                $noteBox
-                    .css("left", (middleW + p.x * 100) + "px")
-                    .css("top", (middleH + p.y * 100) + "px");
-
-                if ($noteBox.hasClass("link-map-active-note")) {
-                    this.moveToCenterOfElement($noteBox[0]);
-                }
-            },
-            () => {},
-            () => {},
-            () => {
-                this.jsPlumbInstance.repaintEverything();
+            if ($noteBox.hasClass("link-map-active-note")) {
+                this.moveToCenterOfElement($noteBox[0]);
             }
-        );
+        });
 
-        this.renderer.start();
+        layout.eachEdge(edge => {
+            const connectionId = this.linkMapContainerId + '-' + edge.source.id + '-' + edge.target.id;
+
+            if ($("#" + connectionId).length > 0) {
+                return;
+            }
+
+            getNoteBox(edge.source.id);
+            getNoteBox(edge.target.id);
+
+            const connection = this.jsPlumbInstance.connect({
+                source: this.noteIdToId(edge.source.id),
+                target: this.noteIdToId(edge.target.id),
+                type: 'link'
+            });
+
+            if (connection) {
+                $(connection.canvas)
+                    .prop("id", connectionId)
+                    .addClass('link-' + edge.source.id)
+                    .addClass('link-' + edge.target.id);
+            }
+            else {
+                console.log(`connection not created for`, edge);
+            }
+        });
+
+        this.jsPlumbInstance.repaintEverything();
     }
 
     moveToCenterOfElement(element) {
diff --git a/src/public/javascripts/widgets/link_map.js b/src/public/javascripts/widgets/link_map.js
index 449f9c7e9..89d764042 100644
--- a/src/public/javascripts/widgets/link_map.js
+++ b/src/public/javascripts/widgets/link_map.js
@@ -29,6 +29,7 @@ class LinkMapWidget extends StandardWidget {
     }
 
     async doRenderBody() {
+        this.$body.css('opacity', 0);
         this.$body.html(TPL);
 
         const $linkMapContainer = this.$body.find('.link-map-container');
@@ -43,6 +44,8 @@ class LinkMapWidget extends StandardWidget {
         });
 
         await this.linkMapService.render();
+
+        this.$body.animate({opacity: 1}, 300);
     }
 
     cleanup() {
diff --git a/src/routes/api/options.js b/src/routes/api/options.js
index 3533ae9de..043b27b9f 100644
--- a/src/routes/api/options.js
+++ b/src/routes/api/options.js
@@ -64,7 +64,9 @@ async function update(name, value) {
         return false;
     }
 
-    log.info(`Updating option ${name} to ${value}`);
+    if (name !== 'openTabs') {
+        log.info(`Updating option ${name} to ${value}`);
+    }
 
     await optionService.setOption(name, value);