A method of repairing wiring shorts on a surface of an organic layer. The organic layer, which is preferably a SLC/ASM layer, may be a surface layer of a Printed Circuit (PC) board. The absorption spectrum of the organic layer is examined. Based on that absorption spectrum, a laser is selected with a wavelength such that the surface layer slightly absorbs, 1-10%, laser energy striking it. Thus, the laser removes metal on the surface, while slightly etching the surface layer and without effect on any metal buried in or beneath the surface layer. Preferably, the laser is an Nd:YAG laser having a wavelength in a range where the ASM layer absorption is between 2-5%, and the copper ablation rate is high.