diff --git a/doc/utils/sphinx-config/_themes/lammps_theme/layout.html b/doc/utils/sphinx-config/_themes/lammps_theme/layout.html
index 8e0d235d55..98d25ebca1 100644
--- a/doc/utils/sphinx-config/_themes/lammps_theme/layout.html
+++ b/doc/utils/sphinx-config/_themes/lammps_theme/layout.html
@@ -48,6 +48,15 @@
   <!--[if lt IE 9]>
     <script src="{{ pathto('_static/js/html5shiv.min.js', 1) }}"></script>
   <![endif]-->
+
+  {# Keep modernizr in head - http://modernizr.com/docs/#installing #}
+  <script src="{{ pathto('_static/js/modernizr.min.js', 1) }}"></script>
+
+  {# for improved browser compatibility #}
+  <!--[if lte IE 11]>
+    <script src="{{ pathto('_static/polyfill.js', 1) }}"></script>
+  <![endif]-->
+
   {%- if not embedded %}
   {# XXX Sphinx 1.8.0 made this an external js-file, quick fix until we refactor the template to inherert more blocks directly from sphinx #}
     {% if sphinx_version >= "1.8.0" %}
@@ -103,12 +112,6 @@
     {%- endif %}
   {%- endblock %}
   {%- block extrahead %} {% endblock %}
-
-  {# Keep modernizr in head - http://modernizr.com/docs/#installing #}
-  <script src="{{ pathto('_static/js/modernizr.min.js', 1) }}"></script>
-
-  {# for improved browser compatibility #}
-  <script src="{{ pathto('_static/polyfill.js', 1) }}"></script>
 </head>
 
 <body class="wy-body-for-nav">
