diff --git a/src/backend.csv.js b/src/backend.csv.js
index c043ab3b..28d58c2b 100644
--- a/src/backend.csv.js
+++ b/src/backend.csv.js
@@ -8,7 +8,7 @@ this.recline.Backend.CSV = this.recline.Backend.CSV || {};
   my.__type__ = 'csv';
 
   // use either jQuery or Underscore Deferred depending on what is available
-  var Deferred = _.isUndefined(window.jQuery) ? _.Deferred : jQuery.Deferred;
+  var Deferred = (typeof jQuery !== "undefined" && jQuery.Deferred) || _.Deferred;
 
   // ## fetch
   //
diff --git a/src/backend.dataproxy.js b/src/backend.dataproxy.js
index ae05bf2f..92b5ae7c 100644
--- a/src/backend.dataproxy.js
+++ b/src/backend.dataproxy.js
@@ -13,7 +13,7 @@ this.recline.Backend.DataProxy = this.recline.Backend.DataProxy || {};
 
   
   // use either jQuery or Underscore Deferred depending on what is available
-  var Deferred = _.isUndefined(window.jQuery) ? _.Deferred : jQuery.Deferred;
+  var Deferred = (typeof jQuery !== "undefined" && jQuery.Deferred) || _.Deferred;
 
   // ## load
   //
diff --git a/src/backend.elasticsearch.js b/src/backend.elasticsearch.js
index 3b1343ca..7c32c9ad 100644
--- a/src/backend.elasticsearch.js
+++ b/src/backend.elasticsearch.js
@@ -7,7 +7,7 @@ this.recline.Backend.ElasticSearch = this.recline.Backend.ElasticSearch || {};
   my.__type__ = 'elasticsearch';
 
   // use either jQuery or Underscore Deferred depending on what is available
-  var Deferred = _.isUndefined(window.jQuery) ? _.Deferred : jQuery.Deferred;
+  var Deferred = (typeof jQuery !== "undefined" && jQuery.Deferred) || _.Deferred;
 
   // ## ElasticSearch Wrapper
   //
diff --git a/src/backend.gdocs.js b/src/backend.gdocs.js
index 6a7145cd..16976884 100644
--- a/src/backend.gdocs.js
+++ b/src/backend.gdocs.js
@@ -7,7 +7,7 @@ this.recline.Backend.GDocs = this.recline.Backend.GDocs || {};
   my.__type__ = 'gdocs';
 
   // use either jQuery or Underscore Deferred depending on what is available
-  var Deferred = _.isUndefined(window.jQuery) ? _.Deferred : jQuery.Deferred;
+  var Deferred = (typeof jQuery !== "undefined" && jQuery.Deferred) || _.Deferred;
 
   // ## Google spreadsheet backend
   // 
diff --git a/src/backend.memory.js b/src/backend.memory.js
index 18c5ca13..0e6094cc 100644
--- a/src/backend.memory.js
+++ b/src/backend.memory.js
@@ -7,7 +7,7 @@ this.recline.Backend.Memory = this.recline.Backend.Memory || {};
   my.__type__ = 'memory';
 
   // private data - use either jQuery or Underscore Deferred depending on what is available
-  var Deferred = _.isUndefined(window.jQuery) ? _.Deferred : jQuery.Deferred;
+  var Deferred = (typeof jQuery !== "undefined" && jQuery.Deferred) || _.Deferred;
 
   // ## Data Wrapper
   //
diff --git a/src/model.js b/src/model.js
index 99494134..40f92532 100644
--- a/src/model.js
+++ b/src/model.js
@@ -6,7 +6,7 @@ this.recline.Model = this.recline.Model || {};
   "use strict";
 
 // use either jQuery or Underscore Deferred depending on what is available
-var Deferred = _.isUndefined(window.jQuery) ? _.Deferred : jQuery.Deferred;
+var Deferred = (typeof jQuery !== "undefined" && jQuery.Deferred) || _.Deferred;
 
 // ## <a id="dataset">Dataset</a>
 my.Dataset = Backbone.Model.extend({