diff --git a/src/core.js b/src/core.js
index 72f4de2a0..d3c08c636 100644
--- a/src/core.js
+++ b/src/core.js
@@ -262,12 +262,26 @@ jQuery.extend( {
 	},
 
 	// Evaluates a script in a global context
-	globalEval: function( code, context ) {
-		context = context || document;
-		var script = context.createElement( "script" );
+	globalEval: function( code ) {
+		var script,
+			indirect = eval;
 
-		script.text = code;
-		context.head.appendChild( script ).parentNode.removeChild( script );
+		code = jQuery.trim( code );
+
+		if ( code ) {
+			// If the code includes a valid, prologue position
+			// strict mode pragma, execute code by injecting a
+			// script tag into the document.
+			if ( code.indexOf("use strict") === 1 ) {
+				script = document.createElement("script");
+				script.text = code;
+				document.head.appendChild( script ).parentNode.removeChild( script );
+			} else {
+			// Otherwise, avoid the DOM node creation, insertion
+			// and removal by using an indirect global eval
+				indirect( code );
+			}
+		}
 	},
 
 	// Convert dashed to camelCase; used by the css and data modules
diff --git a/test/data/longLoadScript.php b/test/data/event/longLoadScript.php
similarity index 100%
rename from test/data/longLoadScript.php
rename to test/data/event/longLoadScript.php
diff --git a/test/data/event/syncReady.html b/test/data/event/syncReady.html
index dfa9ac337..e0885707e 100644
--- a/test/data/event/syncReady.html
+++ b/test/data/event/syncReady.html
@@ -17,7 +17,7 @@ jQuery( document ).ready(function () {
 	oldIE into thinking the dom is ready, but it's not...
 	leaving this check here for future trailblazers to attempt
 	fixing this...-->
-<script type="text/javascript" src="../longLoadScript.php?sleep=1"></script>
+<script type="text/javascript" src="longLoadScript.php?sleep=1"></script>
 <div id="container" style="height: 300px"></div>
 </body>
 </html>
diff --git a/test/unit/ajax.js b/test/unit/ajax.js
index 5110a9795..3d3bfb9aa 100644
--- a/test/unit/ajax.js
+++ b/test/unit/ajax.js
@@ -1624,9 +1624,17 @@ if ( typeof window.ArrayBuffer === "undefined" || typeof new XMLHttpRequest().re
 		jQuery.ajax( {
 			url: "data/badjson.js",
 			dataType: "script",
-			throws: true
-		} );
-	} );
+			throws: true,
+			// Global events get confused by the exception
+			global: false,
+			success: function() {
+				ok( false, "Success." );
+			},
+			error: function() {
+				ok( false, "Error." );
+			}
+		});
+	});
 
 	jQuery.each( [ "method", "type" ], function( _, globalOption ) {
 		function request( assert, option ) {
diff --git a/test/unit/core.js b/test/unit/core.js
index 33a98cedc..6aa2a3d63 100644
--- a/test/unit/core.js
+++ b/test/unit/core.js
@@ -170,21 +170,6 @@ QUnit.test( "globalEval with 'use strict'", function( assert ) {
 	assert.equal( window.strictEvalTest, 1, "Test variable declarations are global (strict mode)" );
 } );
 
-QUnit.test( "globalEval execution after script injection (#7862)", function( assert ) {
-	assert.expect( 1 );
-
-	var now,
-		script = document.createElement( "script" );
-
-	script.src = "data/longLoadScript.php?sleep=2";
-
-	now = jQuery.now();
-	document.body.appendChild( script );
-
-	jQuery.globalEval( "var strictEvalTest = " + jQuery.now() + ";" );
-	assert.ok( window.strictEvalTest - now < 500, "Code executed synchronously" );
-} );
-
 // This is not run in AMD mode
 if ( jQuery.noConflict ) {
 	QUnit.test( "noConflict", function( assert ) {
diff --git a/test/unit/manipulation.js b/test/unit/manipulation.js
index 2069ee5c5..e62eae16b 100644
--- a/test/unit/manipulation.js
+++ b/test/unit/manipulation.js
@@ -2297,45 +2297,28 @@ QUnit.test( "Ensure oldIE creates a new set on appendTo (#8894)", function( asse
 	assert.strictEqual( jQuery( "<p/>" ).appendTo( "<div/>" ).end().length, jQuery( "<p>test</p>" ).appendTo( "<div/>" ).end().length, "Elements created with createElement and with createDocumentFragment should be treated alike" );
 } );
 
-QUnit.asyncTest( "html() - script exceptions bubble (#11743)", 2, function( assert ) {
+QUnit.test( "html() - script exceptions bubble (#11743)", function( assert ) {
+	assert.expect( 3 );
 
-	// Support: Android 2.3 only
-	// Android 2.3 doesn't fire the window.onerror handler, just accept the reality there.
-	if ( /android 2\.3/i.test( navigator.userAgent ) ) {
-		assert.ok( true, "Test skipped, Android 2.3 doesn't fire window.onerror for " +
-			"errors in dynamically included scripts" );
-		assert.ok( true, "Test skipped, Android 2.3 doesn't fire window.onerror for " +
-			"errors in dynamically included scripts" );
-		QUnit.start();
-		return;
-	}
+	assert.throws(function() {
+		jQuery("#qunit-fixture").html("<script>undefined(); ok( false, 'Exception not thrown' );</script>");
+		assert.ok( false, "Exception ignored" );
+	}, "Exception bubbled from inline script" );
 
-	var onerror = window.onerror;
+	if ( jQuery.ajax ) {
+		var onerror = window.onerror;
+		window.onerror = function() {
+			ok( true, "Exception thrown in remote script" );
+		};
 
-	setTimeout( function() {
+		jQuery("#qunit-fixture").html("<script src='data/badcall.js'></script>");
+		assert.ok( true, "Exception ignored" );
 		window.onerror = onerror;
-
-		QUnit.start();
-	}, 1000 );
-
-	window.onerror = function() {
-		assert.ok( true, "Exception thrown" );
-
-		if ( jQuery.ajax ) {
-			window.onerror = function() {
-				assert.ok( true, "Exception thrown in remote script" );
-			};
-
-			jQuery( "#qunit-fixture" ).html( "<script src='data/badcall.js'></script>" );
-			assert.ok( true, "Exception ignored" );
-		} else {
-			assert.ok( true, "No jQuery.ajax" );
-			assert.ok( true, "No jQuery.ajax" );
-		}
-	};
-
-	jQuery( "#qunit-fixture" ).html( "<script>undefined();</script>" );
-} );
+	} else {
+		assert.ok( true, "No jQuery.ajax" );
+		assert.ok( true, "No jQuery.ajax" );
+	}
+});
 
 QUnit.test( "checked state is cloned with clone()", function( assert ) {