diff --git a/pywb/webapp/handlers.py b/pywb/webapp/handlers.py
index ecc477bc..6228de3e 100644
--- a/pywb/webapp/handlers.py
+++ b/pywb/webapp/handlers.py
@@ -8,19 +8,55 @@ from pywb.utils.loaders import BlockLoader
 from pywb.framework.basehandlers import BaseHandler, WbUrlHandler
 from pywb.framework.wbrequestresponse import WbResponse
 
+from pywb.warc.recordloader import ArcWarcRecordLoader
+from pywb.warc.resolvingloader import ResolvingLoader
+
+from views import J2TemplateView, add_env_globals
+from replay_views import ReplayView
+
+
+#=================================================================
+class SearchPageWbUrlHandler(WbUrlHandler):
+    """
+    Loads a default search page html template to be shown when
+    the wb_url is empty
+    """
+    def __init__(self, config):
+        self.search_view = (J2TemplateView.
+                            create_template(config.get('search_html'),
+                           'Search Page'))
+
+    def render_search_page(self, wbrequest, **kwargs):
+        if self.search_view:
+            return self.search_view.render_response(wbrequest=wbrequest,
+                                                    prefix=wbrequest.wb_prefix,
+                                                    **kwargs)
+        else:
+            return WbResponse.text_response('No Lookup Url Specified')
+
 
 #=================================================================
 # Standard WB Handler
 #=================================================================
-class WBHandler(WbUrlHandler):
-    def __init__(self, index_reader, replay,
-                 search_view=None, config=None):
+class WBHandler(SearchPageWbUrlHandler):
+    def __init__(self, query_handler, config=None):
+        super(WBHandler, self).__init__(config)
 
-        self.index_reader = index_reader
+        self.index_reader = query_handler
 
-        self.replay = replay
+        cookie_maker = config.get('cookie_maker')
+        record_loader = ArcWarcRecordLoader(cookie_maker=cookie_maker)
 
-        self.search_view = search_view
+        paths = config.get('archive_paths')
+
+        resolving_loader = ResolvingLoader(paths=paths,
+                                           record_loader=record_loader)
+
+        template_globals = config.get('template_globals')
+        if template_globals:
+            add_env_globals(template_globals)
+
+        self.replay = ReplayView(resolving_loader, config)
 
         self.fallback_handler = None
         self.fallback_name = config.get('fallback')
@@ -59,14 +95,6 @@ class WBHandler(WbUrlHandler):
 
         return self.fallback_handler(wbrequest)
 
-    def render_search_page(self, wbrequest, **kwargs):
-        if self.search_view:
-            return self.search_view.render_response(wbrequest=wbrequest,
-                                                    prefix=wbrequest.wb_prefix,
-                                                    **kwargs)
-        else:
-            return WbResponse.text_response('No Lookup Url Specified')
-
     def __str__(self):
         return 'Web Archive Replay Handler'
 
diff --git a/pywb/webapp/live_rewrite_handler.py b/pywb/webapp/live_rewrite_handler.py
index d2af7028..0a89bd4c 100644
--- a/pywb/webapp/live_rewrite_handler.py
+++ b/pywb/webapp/live_rewrite_handler.py
@@ -2,17 +2,21 @@ from pywb.framework.basehandlers import WbUrlHandler
 from pywb.framework.wbrequestresponse import WbResponse
 from pywb.framework.archivalrouter import ArchivalRouter, Route
 
-from handlers import StaticHandler
+from handlers import StaticHandler, SearchPageWbUrlHandler
 
 from replay_views import RewriteLiveView
 
 
 #=================================================================
-class RewriteHandler(WbUrlHandler):
+class RewriteHandler(SearchPageWbUrlHandler):
     def __init__(self, config):
+        super(RewriteHandler, self).__init__(config)
         self.rewrite_view = RewriteLiveView(config)
 
     def __call__(self, wbrequest):
+        if wbrequest.wb_url_str == '/':
+            return self.render_search_page(wbrequest)
+
         return self.rewrite_view(wbrequest)
 
     def __str__(self):
diff --git a/pywb/webapp/pywb_init.py b/pywb/webapp/pywb_init.py
index e17a9485..2fd02377 100644
--- a/pywb/webapp/pywb_init.py
+++ b/pywb/webapp/pywb_init.py
@@ -6,13 +6,9 @@ from pywb.framework.wbrequestresponse import WbRequest
 from pywb.framework.memento import MementoRequest
 from pywb.framework.basehandlers import BaseHandler
 
-from pywb.warc.recordloader import ArcWarcRecordLoader
-from pywb.warc.resolvingloader import ResolvingLoader
-
-from views import J2TemplateView, add_env_globals
+from views import J2TemplateView
 from views import J2HtmlCapturesView, HeadInsertView
 
-from replay_views import ReplayView
 from live_rewrite_handler import RewriteHandler
 
 from query_handler import QueryHandler
@@ -63,31 +59,10 @@ class DictChain:
 
 #=================================================================
 def create_wb_handler(query_handler, config):
-
-    cookie_maker = config.get('cookie_maker')
-    record_loader = ArcWarcRecordLoader(cookie_maker=cookie_maker)
-
-    paths = config.get('archive_paths')
-
-    resolving_loader = ResolvingLoader(paths=paths,
-                                       record_loader=record_loader)
-
-    template_globals = config.get('template_globals')
-    if template_globals:
-        add_env_globals(template_globals)
-
-    replayer = ReplayView(resolving_loader, config)
-
-    search_view = (J2TemplateView.
-                   create_template(config.get('search_html'),
-                                   'Search Page'))
-
     wb_handler_class = config.get('wb_handler_class', WBHandler)
 
     wb_handler = wb_handler_class(
         query_handler,
-        replayer,
-        search_view=search_view,
         config=config,
     )
 
diff --git a/pywb/webapp/replay_views.py b/pywb/webapp/replay_views.py
index c113d733..0b8bb528 100644
--- a/pywb/webapp/replay_views.py
+++ b/pywb/webapp/replay_views.py
@@ -65,7 +65,7 @@ class BaseContentView(object):
     def __call__(self, wbrequest, *args):
         # render top level frame if in frame mode
         # (not supported in proxy mode)
-        if (self.is_frame_mode and
+        if (self.is_frame_mode and wbrequest.wb_url and
             not wbrequest.wb_url.mod and
             not wbrequest.options['is_proxy'] and
             not wbrequest.options.get('is_timegate', False)):
diff --git a/pywb/webapp/views.py b/pywb/webapp/views.py
index 903cc818..c49be8c9 100644
--- a/pywb/webapp/views.py
+++ b/pywb/webapp/views.py
@@ -2,8 +2,6 @@ from pywb.utils.timeutils import timestamp_to_datetime
 from pywb.framework.wbrequestresponse import WbResponse
 from pywb.framework.memento import make_timemap, LINK_FORMAT
 
-from handlers import WBHandler
-
 import urlparse
 import logging
 
@@ -62,7 +60,8 @@ def is_wb_handler(obj):
     if not hasattr(obj, 'handler'):
         return False
 
-    return isinstance(obj.handler, WBHandler)
+    #return isinstance(obj.handler, WBHandler)
+    return obj.handler.__class__.__name__ == "WBHandler"
 
 
 #=================================================================