diff -u b/panels_ipe/panels_ipe.module b/panels_ipe/panels_ipe.module
--- b/panels_ipe/panels_ipe.module
+++ b/panels_ipe/panels_ipe.module
@@ -117,9 +117,8 @@
  * @see panels_ipe_theme()
  */
 function theme_panels_ipe_add_pane_button(array $variables) {
-  $links = theme_links(array(
+  $links = _panels_theme_links(array(
     'links' => $variables['links'],
-    'heading' => '',
     'attributes' => array(
       'class' => array('panels-ipe-linkbar', 'inline'),
     ),
@@ -211,19 +210,16 @@
   }
 
   $links['panels-ipe-menu'] = array(
-    'title' => t('Options') . theme_links(array(
+    'title' => t('Options') . _panels_theme_links(array(
       'links' => $renderer->pane_group_links($groups),
-      'heading' => '',
-      'attributes' => array(),
     )),
     'href' => '',
     'html' => TRUE,
     'attributes' => array(),
   );
 
-  $variables['links'] = theme_links(array(
+  $variables['links'] = _panels_theme_links(array(
     'links' => $links,
-    'heading' => '',
     'attributes' => array(
       'class' => array('panels-ipe-linkbar'),
     ),
diff -u b/plugins/display_renderers/panels_renderer_editor.class.php b/plugins/display_renderers/panels_renderer_editor.class.php
--- b/plugins/display_renderers/panels_renderer_editor.class.php
+++ b/plugins/display_renderers/panels_renderer_editor.class.php
@@ -218,7 +218,9 @@
     if (user_access('administer panels styles')) {
       $style_links = $this->get_style_links('display');
       $links[] = array(
-        'title' => '<span class="dropdown-header">' . t('Style') . '</span>' . theme_links(array('links' => $style_links, 'attributes' => array(), 'heading' => array())),
+        'title' => '<span class="dropdown-header">' . t('Style') . '</span>' . _panels_theme_links(array(
+          'links' => $style_links,
+        )),
         'html' => TRUE,
         'attributes' => array('class' => array('panels-sub-menu')),
       );
@@ -252,13 +254,17 @@
       }
 
       $links[] = array(
-        'title' => '<span class="dropdown-header">' . t('Caching') . '</span>' . theme_links(array('links' => $cache_links, 'attributes' => array(), 'heading' => array())),
+        'title' => '<span class="dropdown-header">' . t('Caching') . '</span>' . _panels_theme_links(array('links' => $cache_links)),
         'html' => TRUE,
         'attributes' => array('class' => array('panels-sub-menu')),
       );
     }
 
-    return theme('ctools_dropdown', array('title' => t('Display settings'), 'links' => $links, 'class' => 'panels-display-links'));
+    return theme('ctools_dropdown', array(
+      'title' => t('Display settings'),
+      'links' => $links,
+      'class' => 'panels-display-links',
+    ));
   }
 
   /**
@@ -286,13 +292,20 @@
       $style_links = $this->get_style_links('region', $region_id);
 
       $links[] = array(
-        'title' => '<span class="dropdown-header">' . t('Style') . '</span>' . theme_links(array('links' => $style_links, 'attributes' => array(), 'heading' => array())),
+        'title' => '<span class="dropdown-header">' . t('Style') . '</span>' . _panels_theme_links(array('links' => $style_links)),
         'html' => TRUE,
         'attributes' => array('class' => array('panels-sub-menu')),
       );
     }
 
-    return theme('ctools_dropdown', array('title' => theme('image', array('path' => ctools_image_path('icon-addcontent.png', 'panels'))), 'links' => $links, 'image' => TRUE, 'class' => 'pane-add-link panels-region-links-' . $region_id));
+    return theme('ctools_dropdown', array(
+      'links' => $links,
+      'image' => TRUE,
+      'class' => 'pane-add-link panels-region-links-' . $region_id,
+      'title' => theme('image', array(
+        'path' => ctools_image_path('icon-addcontent.png', 'panels'),
+      )),
+    ));
   }
 
   /**
@@ -515,11 +528,9 @@
       );
 
       $dropdown_links[] = array(
-        'title' => '<span class="dropdown-header">' . $label . '</span>' . theme_links(array(
-            'links' => $links[$category],
-            'attributes' => array(),
-            'heading' => array(),
-          )),
+        'title' => '<span class="dropdown-header">' . $label . '</span>' . _panels_theme_links(array(
+          'links' => $links[$category],
+        )),
         'html' => TRUE,
         'attributes' => array('class' => array('panels-sub-menu')),
       );
only in patch2:
unchanged:
--- a/panels.module
+++ b/panels.module
@@ -1913,3 +1913,24 @@ function panels_preprocess_html(&$vars) {
     $vars['classes_array'][] = check_plain($panel_body_css['body_classes_to_add']);
   }
 }
+
+/**
+ * Helper for render HTML lists.
+ *
+ * @param array $variables
+ *   An array with parameters that are the same as for theme_links(). Required
+ *   key - is a "links" and it value should be an array.
+ *
+ * @see theme_links()
+ *
+ * @throws \Exception
+ *
+ * @return string
+ *   HTML output.
+ */
+function _panels_theme_links(array $variables) {
+  return theme('links', $variables + array(
+    'heading' => '',
+    'attributes' => array(),
+  ));
+}