diff --git a/lib/less/browser.js b/lib/less/browser.js
index 613a22e04..fbcf40bcb 100644
--- a/lib/less/browser.js
+++ b/lib/less/browser.js
@@ -118,13 +118,7 @@ function createCSS(styles, sheet, lastModified) {
     }
     css.id = id;
 
-    if (css.styleSheet) { // IE
-        try {
-            css.styleSheet.cssText = styles;
-        } catch (e) {
-            throw new(Error)("Couldn't reassign styleSheet.cssText.");
-        }
-    } else {
+    if (!css.styleSheet) {
         css.appendChild(document.createTextNode(styles));
 
         // If new contents match contents of oldCss, don't replace oldCss
@@ -148,6 +142,17 @@ function createCSS(styles, sheet, lastModified) {
         oldCss.parentNode.removeChild(oldCss);
     }
 
+    // For IE.
+    // This needs to happen *after* the style element is added to the DOM, otherwise IE 7 and 8 may crash.
+    // See http://social.msdn.microsoft.com/Forums/en-US/7e081b65-878a-4c22-8e68-c10d39c2ed32/internet-explorer-crashes-appending-style-element-to-head
+    if (css.styleSheet) {
+        try {
+            css.styleSheet.cssText = styles;
+        } catch (e) {
+            throw new(Error)("Couldn't reassign styleSheet.cssText.");
+        }
+    }
+
     // Don't update the local store if the file wasn't modified
     if (lastModified && cache) {
         log('saving ' + href + ' to cache.', logLevel.info);