diff --git a/Gemfile b/Gemfile
index 48a069fd2..d49e1e543 100644
--- a/Gemfile
+++ b/Gemfile
@@ -265,11 +265,6 @@ group :test do
   gem "database_cleaner" ,  "1.4.1"
   gem "selenium-webdriver", "2.45.0"
 
-  source "https://rails-assets.org" do
-    gem "rails-assets-jquery-simulate",     "1.0.1"
-    gem "rails-assets-jquery-simulate-ext", "1.3.0"
-  end
-
   # General helpers
 
   gem "factory_girl_rails", "4.5.0"
diff --git a/Gemfile.lock b/Gemfile.lock
index 46ca4e7aa..6f4db9d8b 100644
--- a/Gemfile.lock
+++ b/Gemfile.lock
@@ -535,9 +535,6 @@ GEM
     rails-assets-jquery-idletimer (1.0.1)
     rails-assets-jquery-placeholder (2.1.1)
       rails-assets-jquery (>= 1.6)
-    rails-assets-jquery-simulate (1.0.1)
-    rails-assets-jquery-simulate-ext (1.3.0)
-      rails-assets-jquery (>= 1.7.0)
     rails-assets-jquery-textchange (0.2.3)
       rails-assets-jquery
     rails-assets-jquery-ui (1.10.4)
@@ -826,8 +823,6 @@ DEPENDENCIES
   rails-assets-jquery (= 1.11.2)!
   rails-assets-jquery-idletimer (= 1.0.1)!
   rails-assets-jquery-placeholder (= 2.1.1)!
-  rails-assets-jquery-simulate (= 1.0.1)!
-  rails-assets-jquery-simulate-ext (= 1.3.0)!
   rails-assets-jquery-textchange (= 0.2.3)!
   rails-assets-markdown-it (= 4.2.2)!
   rails-assets-markdown-it--markdown-it-for-inline (= 0.1.1)!
diff --git a/app/assets/javascripts/app/pages/contacts.js b/app/assets/javascripts/app/pages/contacts.js
index a0d01c8e6..6e31af66a 100644
--- a/app/assets/javascripts/app/pages/contacts.js
+++ b/app/assets/javascripts/app/pages/contacts.js
@@ -81,11 +81,11 @@ app.pages.Contacts = Backbone.View.extend({
     $("#aspect_nav .list-group").sortable({
       items: "a.aspect[data-aspect-id]",
       update: function() {
-        $("#aspect_nav .ui-sortable").removeClass("synced");
+        $("#aspect_nav .ui-sortable").addClass("syncing");
         var data = JSON.stringify({ ordered_aspect_ids: $(this).sortable("toArray", { attribute: "data-aspect-id" }) });
         $.ajax(Routes.orderAspects(),
           { type: "put", dataType: "text", contentType: "application/json", data: data })
-          .done(function() { $("#aspect_nav .ui-sortable").addClass("synced"); });
+          .done(function() { $("#aspect_nav .ui-sortable").removeClass("syncing"); });
       },
       revert: true,
       helper: "clone"
diff --git a/app/views/contacts/_aspect_listings.haml b/app/views/contacts/_aspect_listings.haml
index f7c52d6bc..0c0ba5927 100644
--- a/app/views/contacts/_aspect_listings.haml
+++ b/app/views/contacts/_aspect_listings.haml
@@ -1,5 +1,5 @@
 #aspect_nav
-  %ul.list-group.synced.ui-sortable
+  %ul.list-group.ui-sortable
     %a.list-group-item.ui-sortable-handle.all_contacts{class: ("active" if params["set"] == "all"), href: contacts_path(set: "all")}
       = t('contacts.index.all_contacts')
       .badge.badge-default.pull-right
diff --git a/features/desktop/manages_aspects.feature b/features/desktop/manages_aspects.feature
index be0f4bc3f..7df4f0f2a 100644
--- a/features/desktop/manages_aspects.feature
+++ b/features/desktop/manages_aspects.feature
@@ -81,7 +81,7 @@ Feature: User manages contacts
     And I have an aspect called "People"
     And I have an aspect called "Cat People"
     When I am on the contacts page
-    And I drag "Cat People" up 40 pixels
+    And I drag "Cat People" up
     And I go to the contacts page
     Then I should see "Cat People" as 2. aspect
     And I should see "People" as 3. aspect
diff --git a/features/step_definitions/aspects_steps.rb b/features/step_definitions/aspects_steps.rb
index c56eeeddd..b29946ece 100644
--- a/features/step_definitions/aspects_steps.rb
+++ b/features/step_definitions/aspects_steps.rb
@@ -88,23 +88,13 @@ When /^(.*) in the aspect creation modal$/ do |action|
   end
 end
 
-When /^I drag "([^"]*)" (up|down) (\d+) pixels?$/ do |aspect_name, direction, distance|
-  distance = distance.to_i * -1 if direction == "up"
-  page.execute_script %{
-    function drag() {
-      $("a.aspect:contains('#{aspect_name}')")
-        .simulate("drag-n-drop", { dy: #{distance}, interpolation: { stepWidth: 10, stepDelay: 5 } });
-    }
-    function loadScripts() {
-      $.getScript("/assets/jquery-simulate/jquery.simulate.js", function(){
-        $.getScript("/assets/jquery-simulate-ext/src/jquery.simulate.ext.js", function(){
-          $.getScript("/assets/jquery-simulate-ext/src/jquery.simulate.drag-n-drop.js", drag);
-        });
-      });
-    }
-    if (!$.simulate) { loadScripts(); } else { drag(); }
-  }
-  expect(find("#aspect_nav")).to have_css ".synced"
+When /^I drag "([^"]*)" (up|down)$/ do |aspect_name, direction|
+  aspect_id = @me.aspects.where(name: aspect_name).first.id
+  aspect = find(:xpath, "//div[@id='aspect_nav']/ul/a[@data-aspect-id='#{aspect_id}']")
+  target = direction == "up" ? aspect.all(:xpath, "./preceding-sibling::a").last :
+                               aspect.all(:xpath, "./following-sibling::a").first
+  aspect.drag_to(target)
+  expect(page).to have_no_css "#aspect_nav .ui-sortable.syncing"
 end
 
 And /^I toggle the aspect "([^"]*)"$/ do |name|