diff --git a/Makefile b/Makefile
index d03f35a..ee6201a 100644
--- a/Makefile
+++ b/Makefile
@@ -6,6 +6,15 @@ JS := $(shell find lib -name '*.js' -print)
 
 PORT = 3000
 
+replace_symlinks: build
+	# Make a new client_no_symlinks directory, with symlinks replaced by
+	# copies, so we can upload to a server.  Ed 2016-09-08
+	rm -rf client_no_symlinks/
+	mkdir -p client_no_symlinks/
+	cp -a client/* client_no_symlinks/
+	find client_no_symlinks/build -type l | (while read x; do l=$$(readlink $$x); rm $$x; cp -a $$l $$x; done)
+	rm client_no_symlinks/config.js # so we don't overwrite server's version.
+
 build: components $(JS)
 	@$(COMPONENT) build --dev --out client/build
 
diff --git a/README.md b/README.md
index cbe7b30..2870f0f 100644
--- a/README.md
+++ b/README.md
@@ -15,8 +15,8 @@ To get started with otp.js and the sample web client:
 
 2. Install [npm](https://www.npmjs.org/) if needed. In the otp.js project directory, run `npm install` to install Component and set up the development environment (this in configured in package.json).
 
-3. Run `make`, which invokes Component to download any required dependencies and package them together with the local otp.js code (a copy of the packaged code is put in `client/build/`).
+3. Run `make`, which invokes Component to download any required dependencies and package them together with the local otp.js code (a copy of the packaged code is put in `client/build/`). Make also copies `client/` to  `client_no_symlinks/`, replacing all symlinks with a copy of the files they point to. 
 
 4. Copy the client configuration template from `client/config.js.template` to `client/config.js`; update `client/config.js` to reflect your specific setup including OTP backend, Mapbox keys, geocoder endpoints, etc.
 
-5. Deploy the client to the web by copying the `client` directory to your web server.
+5. Deploy the client to the web by copying the `client_no_symlinks/` directory, and the client/config.js file to your web server.
diff --git a/lib/request-form.js b/lib/request-form.js
index 9eb4265..965da4a 100644
--- a/lib/request-form.js
+++ b/lib/request-form.js
@@ -245,8 +245,8 @@ var RequestView = Backbone.View.extend({
     this.updatingForm = true
 
     var maxDistance = $('#mode').val().indexOf('WALK') !== -1
-      ? $('#maxWalkDistance').val()
-      : $('#maxBikeDistance').val()
+      ? $("#maxWalkDistance option[selected]").val()
+      : $('#maxBikeDistance option[selected]').val()
 
     var data = {
       date: this.$('#date input').val(),