diff --git a/anki/deck.py b/anki/deck.py
index 48f3c5632..33d9e2d06 100644
--- a/anki/deck.py
+++ b/anki/deck.py
@@ -28,6 +28,7 @@ from anki.hooks import runHook, hookEmpty
 from anki.template import render
 from anki.media import updateMediaCount, mediaFiles, \
      rebuildMediaDir
+import anki.latex # sets up hook
 
 # ensure all the DB metadata in other files is loaded before proceeding
 import anki.models, anki.facts, anki.cards, anki.stats
diff --git a/anki/latex.py b/anki/latex.py
index 1db827ff0..9c25ee739 100644
--- a/anki/latex.py
+++ b/anki/latex.py
@@ -8,8 +8,9 @@ Latex support
 """
 __docformat__ = 'restructuredtext'
 
-import re, tempfile, os, sys, subprocess, stat, time, shutil
-from anki.utils import genID, checksum
+import re, tempfile, os, sys, shutil, cgi
+from anki.utils import genID, checksum, call
+from anki.hooks import addHook
 from htmlentitydefs import entitydefs
 
 latexPreamble = ("\\documentclass[12pt]{article}\n"
@@ -56,24 +57,6 @@ def stripLatex(text):
         text = text.replace(match.group(), "")
     return text
 
-def call(argv, wait=True, **kwargs):
-    try:
-        o = subprocess.Popen(argv, **kwargs)
-    except OSError:
-        # command not found
-        return -1
-    if wait:
-        while 1:
-            try:
-                ret = o.wait()
-            except OSError:
-                # interrupted system call
-                continue
-            break
-    else:
-        ret = 0
-    return ret
-
 def latexImgFile(deck, latexCode):
     key = checksum(latexCode)
     return "latex-%s.png" % key
@@ -87,27 +70,6 @@ def mungeLatex(latex):
     latex = latex.encode("utf-8")
     return latex
 
-def deleteAllLatexImages(deck):
-    mdir = deck.mediaDir()
-    if not mdir:
-        return
-    deck.startProgress()
-    for c, f in enumerate(os.listdir(mdir)):
-        if f.startswith("latex-"):
-            os.unlink(os.path.join(mdir, f))
-        if c % 100 == 0:
-            deck.updateProgress()
-    deck.finishProgress()
-
-def cacheAllLatexImages(deck):
-    deck.startProgress()
-    fields = deck.s.column0("select value from fields")
-    for c, field in enumerate(fields):
-        if c % 10 == 0:
-            deck.updateProgress()
-        renderLatex(deck, field)
-    deck.finishProgress()
-
 def buildImg(deck, latex):
     log = open(os.path.join(tmpdir, "latex_log.txt"), "w+")
     texpath = os.path.join(tmpdir, "tmp.tex")
@@ -129,14 +91,20 @@ def buildImg(deck, latex):
         si = None
     try:
         os.chdir(tmpdir)
-        errmsg = _("Error executing %s.\n") + _(
-            "A log file is available here:\n%s") % tmpdir
+        def errmsg(type):
+            msg = _("Error executing %s.\n") % type
+            try:
+                log = open(os.path.join(tmpdir, "latex_log.txt")).read()
+                msg += "<small><pre>" + cgi.escape(log) + "</pre></small>"
+            except:
+                pass
+            return msg
         if call(["latex", "-interaction=nonstopmode",
                  "tmp.tex"], stdout=log, stderr=log, startupinfo=si):
-            return (False, errmsg % "latex")
+            return (False, errmsg("latex"))
         if call(latexDviPngCmd + ["tmp.dvi", "-o", "tmp.png"],
                 stdout=log, stderr=log, startupinfo=si):
-            return (False, errmsg % "dvipng")
+            return (False, errmsg("dvipng"))
         # add to media
         target = latexImgFile(deck, latex)
         shutil.copy2("tmp.png", os.path.join(deck.mediaDir(), target))
@@ -162,3 +130,9 @@ def imgLink(deck, latex, build=True):
         return '<img src="%s">' % img
     else:
         return img
+
+def formatQA(html, type, cid, mid, fact, tags, cm, deck):
+    return renderLatex(deck, html)
+
+# setup q/a filter
+addHook("formatQA", formatQA)
diff --git a/anki/utils.py b/anki/utils.py
index cd93845a5..7c3488d62 100644
--- a/anki/utils.py
+++ b/anki/utils.py
@@ -8,7 +8,7 @@ Miscellaneous utilities
 """
 __docformat__ = 'restructuredtext'
 
-import re, os, random, time, types, math, htmlentitydefs
+import re, os, random, time, types, math, htmlentitydefs, subprocess
 
 try:
     import hashlib
@@ -269,3 +269,21 @@ def deleteTags(tagstr, tags):
 
 def checksum(data):
     return md5(data).hexdigest()
+
+def call(argv, wait=True, **kwargs):
+    try:
+        o = subprocess.Popen(argv, **kwargs)
+    except OSError:
+        # command not found
+        return -1
+    if wait:
+        while 1:
+            try:
+                ret = o.wait()
+            except OSError:
+                # interrupted system call
+                continue
+            break
+    else:
+        ret = 0
+    return ret