diff --git a/api/js/jsapi/egw.js b/api/js/jsapi/egw.js
index 86951e5d54..76984ad4f3 100644
--- a/api/js/jsapi/egw.js
+++ b/api/js/jsapi/egw.js
@@ -471,14 +471,12 @@ var exports = {};
 /**
  * Call a function specified by it's name (possibly dot separated, eg. "app.myapp.myfunc")
  *
- * @param {string} _func dot-separated function name
+ * @param {string|Function} _func dot-separated function name
  * @param {mixed} ...args variable number of arguments
  * @returns {Mixed|Promise}
- * @deprecated use egw.call(_func, ...) or egw.apply(_func, args)
+ * @deprecated use egw.callFunc(_func, ...) or egw.applyFunc(_func, args)
  */
 function et2_call(_func)
 {
-	let args = [].slice.call(arguments);	// convert arguments to array
-	let func = args.shift();
-	return egw.apply(func, args, window);
+	return egw.applyFunc(_func, [].slice.call(arguments, 1), this);
 }
diff --git a/api/js/jsapi/egw_global.d.ts b/api/js/jsapi/egw_global.d.ts
index 7a3ec78573..e565e57a67 100644
--- a/api/js/jsapi/egw_global.d.ts
+++ b/api/js/jsapi/egw_global.d.ts
@@ -795,20 +795,20 @@ declare interface IegwWndLocal extends IegwGlobal
 	/**
 	 * Call a function specified by it's name (possibly dot separated, eg. "app.myapp.myfunc")
 	 *
-	 * @param {string} _func dot-separated function name
+	 * @param {string|Function} _func dot-separated function name or function
 	 * @param {mixed} ...args variable number of arguments
 	 * @returns {mixed|Promise}
 	 */
-	call(_func : string|Function, ...args : any) : Promise<any>|any
+	callFunc(_func : string|Function, ...args : any) : Promise<any>|any
 	/**
 	 * Call a function specified by it's name (possibly dot separated, eg. "app.myapp.myfunc")
 	 *
-	 * @param {string} _func dot-separated function name
+	 * @param {string|Function} _func dot-separated function name or function
 	 * @param {array} args arguments
 	 * @param {object} _context
 	 * @returns {mixed|Promise}
 	 */
-	apply(_func : string|Function, args : Array<any>, _context : Object)  : Promise<any>|any
+	applyFunc(_func : string|Function, args : Array<any>, _context : Object)  : Promise<any>|any
 
 	/**
 	 * Registers a new handler plugin.
diff --git a/api/js/jsapi/egw_json.js b/api/js/jsapi/egw_json.js
index 2a7e441b08..ff13ade1b3 100644
--- a/api/js/jsapi/egw_json.js
+++ b/api/js/jsapi/egw_json.js
@@ -484,30 +484,27 @@ egw.extend('json', egw.MODULE_WND_LOCAL, function(_app, _wnd)
 		/**
 		 * Call a function specified by it's name (possibly dot separated, eg. "app.myapp.myfunc")
 		 *
-		 * @param {string} _func dot-separated function name
+		 * @param {string|Function} _func dot-separated function name or function
 		 * @param {mixed} ...args variable number of arguments
 		 * @returns {mixed|Promise}
 		 */
-		call: function(_func)
+		callFunc: function(_func)
 		{
-			let args = [].slice.call(arguments);	// convert arguments to array
-			let func = args.shift();
-
-			return this.apply(func, args);
+			return this.applyFunc(_func, [].slice.call(arguments, 1));
 		},
 
 		/**
 		 * Call a function specified by it's name (possibly dot separated, eg. "app.myapp.myfunc")
 		 *
-		 * @param {string} _func dot-separated function name
+		 * @param {string|Function} _func dot-separated function name or function
 		 * @param {array} args arguments
 		 * @param {object} _context
 		 * @returns {mixed|Promise}
 		 */
-		apply: function(_func, args, _context)
+		applyFunc: function(_func, args, _context)
 		{
 			let parent = _context || window;
-			let func;
+			let func = _func;
 
 			if (typeof _func === 'string')
 			{
@@ -713,7 +710,7 @@ egw.extend('json', egw.MODULE_WND_LOCAL, function(_app, _wnd)
 	json.registerJSONPlugin(function(type, res, req) {
 		if (typeof res.data.func == 'string')
 		{
-			req.egw.apply(res.data.func, res.data.parms, req.egw.window);
+			req.egw.applyFunc(res.data.func, res.data.parms, req.egw.window);
 			return true;
 		}
 		throw 'Invalid parameters';