diff --git a/django/contrib/admin/media/js/admin/DateTimeShortcuts.js b/django/contrib/admin/media/js/admin/DateTimeShortcuts.js
index d840f78729..2e43a68674 100644
--- a/django/contrib/admin/media/js/admin/DateTimeShortcuts.js
+++ b/django/contrib/admin/media/js/admin/DateTimeShortcuts.js
@@ -14,15 +14,14 @@ var DateTimeShortcuts = {
     shortCutsClass: 'datetimeshortcuts', // class of the clock and cal shortcuts
     admin_media_prefix: '',
     init: function() {
-        // Deduce admin_media_prefix by looking at the <script>s in the
-        // current document and finding the URL of *this* module.
-        var scripts = document.getElementsByTagName('script');
-        for (var i=0; i<scripts.length; i++) {
-            if (scripts[i].src.match(/DateTimeShortcuts/)) {
-                var idx = scripts[i].src.indexOf('js/admin/DateTimeShortcuts');
-                DateTimeShortcuts.admin_media_prefix = scripts[i].src.substring(0, idx);
-                break;
-            }
+        // Get admin_media_prefix by grabbing it off the window object. It's
+        // set in the admin/base.html template, so if it's not there, someone's
+        // overridden the template. In that case, we'll set a clearly-invalid
+        // value in the hopes that someone will examine HTTP requests and see it.
+        if (window.__admin_media_prefix__ != undefined) {
+            DateTimeShortcuts.admin_media_prefix = window.__admin_media_prefix__;
+        } else {
+            DateTimeShortcuts.admin_media_prefix = '/missing-admin-media-prefix/';
         }
 
         var inputs = document.getElementsByTagName('input');
diff --git a/django/contrib/admin/templates/admin/base.html b/django/contrib/admin/templates/admin/base.html
index f3b403bdb3..3fd9eb3770 100644
--- a/django/contrib/admin/templates/admin/base.html
+++ b/django/contrib/admin/templates/admin/base.html
@@ -6,6 +6,7 @@
 {% block extrastyle %}{% endblock %}
 <!--[if lte IE 7]><link rel="stylesheet" type="text/css" href="{% block stylesheet_ie %}{% load adminmedia %}{% admin_media_prefix %}css/ie.css{% endblock %}" /><![endif]-->
 {% if LANGUAGE_BIDI %}<link rel="stylesheet" type="text/css" href="{% block stylesheet_rtl %}{% admin_media_prefix %}css/rtl.css{% endblock %}" />{% endif %}
+<script type="text/javascript">window.__admin_media_prefix__ = "{% filter escapejs %}{% admin_media_prefix %}{% endfilter %}";</script>
 {% block extrahead %}{% endblock %}
 {% block blockbots %}<meta name="robots" content="NONE,NOARCHIVE" />{% endblock %}
 </head>