diff --git a/qutebrowser/browser/navigate.py b/qutebrowser/browser/navigate.py
index c78714315..cf4619924 100644
--- a/qutebrowser/browser/navigate.py
+++ b/qutebrowser/browser/navigate.py
@@ -75,8 +75,7 @@ def _find_prevnext(prev, elems):
         if e.tag_name() != 'link' or 'rel' not in e:
             continue
         if e['rel'] in rel_values:
-            log.hints.debug("Found '{}' with rel={}".format(
-                e.debug_text(), e['rel']))
+            log.hints.debug("Found {!r} with rel={}".format(e, e['rel']))
             return e
 
     # Then check for regular links/buttons.
diff --git a/qutebrowser/browser/webelem.py b/qutebrowser/browser/webelem.py
index 320879ab6..6adc5e69f 100644
--- a/qutebrowser/browser/webelem.py
+++ b/qutebrowser/browser/webelem.py
@@ -106,7 +106,7 @@ class AbstractWebElement(collections.abc.MutableMapping):
 
     def __repr__(self):
         try:
-            html = self.debug_text()
+            html = utils.compact_text(self.outer_xml(), 500)
         except Error:
             html = None
         return utils.get_repr(self, html=html)
@@ -310,10 +310,6 @@ class AbstractWebElement(collections.abc.MutableMapping):
                 break
             elem = elem.parent()
 
-    def debug_text(self):
-        """Get a text based on an element suitable for debug output."""
-        return utils.compact_text(self.outer_xml(), 500)
-
     def resolve_url(self, baseurl):
         """Resolve the URL in the element's src/href attribute.
 
@@ -365,9 +361,8 @@ class AbstractWebElement(collections.abc.MutableMapping):
 
         pos = self._mouse_pos()
 
-        log.hints.debug("Sending fake click to '{}' at position {} with "
-                        "target {}".format(self.debug_text(), pos,
-                                           click_target))
+        log.hints.debug("Sending fake click to {!r} at position {} with "
+                        "target {}".format(self, pos, click_target))
 
         if click_target in [usertypes.ClickTarget.tab,
                             usertypes.ClickTarget.tab_bg,
diff --git a/qutebrowser/browser/webkit/webkitelem.py b/qutebrowser/browser/webkit/webkitelem.py
index f8e98a04e..868bd4284 100644
--- a/qutebrowser/browser/webkit/webkitelem.py
+++ b/qutebrowser/browser/webkit/webkitelem.py
@@ -126,12 +126,10 @@ class WebKitElement(webelem.AbstractWebElement):
     def set_text(self, text, *, use_js=False):
         self._check_vanished()
         if self.is_content_editable() or not use_js:
-            log.misc.debug("Filling element {} via set_text.".format(
-                self.debug_text()))
+            log.misc.debug("Filling {!r} via set_text.".format(self))
             self._elem.setPlainText(text)
         else:
-            log.misc.debug("Filling element {} via javascript.".format(
-                self.debug_text()))
+            log.misc.debug("Filling {!r} via javascript.".format(self))
             text = javascript.string_escape(text)
             self._elem.evaluateJavaScript("this.value='{}'".format(text))
 
diff --git a/tests/unit/browser/webkit/test_webkitelem.py b/tests/unit/browser/webkit/test_webkitelem.py
index ca9a7dd07..78c1a2437 100644
--- a/tests/unit/browser/webkit/test_webkitelem.py
+++ b/tests/unit/browser/webkit/test_webkitelem.py
@@ -266,7 +266,6 @@ class TestWebKitElement:
         lambda e: e.is_editable(),
         lambda e: e.is_text_input(),
         lambda e: e.remove_blank_target(),
-        lambda e: e.debug_text(),
         lambda e: e.outer_xml(),
         lambda e: e.tag_name(),
         lambda e: e.rect_on_view(),
@@ -274,8 +273,8 @@ class TestWebKitElement:
     ], ids=['str', 'getitem', 'setitem', 'delitem', 'contains', 'iter', 'len',
             'frame', 'geometry', 'style_property', 'text', 'set_text',
             'insert_text', 'is_writable', 'is_content_editable', 'is_editable',
-            'is_text_input', 'remove_blank_target', 'debug_text', 'outer_xml',
-            'tag_name', 'rect_on_view', 'is_visible'])
+            'is_text_input', 'remove_blank_target', 'outer_xml', 'tag_name',
+            'rect_on_view', 'is_visible'])
     def test_vanished(self, elem, code):
         """Make sure methods check if the element is vanished."""
         elem._elem.isNull.return_value = True
@@ -286,14 +285,19 @@ class TestWebKitElement:
     def test_str(self, elem):
         assert str(elem) == 'text'
 
-    @pytest.mark.parametrize('is_null, expected', [
-        (False, "<qutebrowser.browser.webkit.webkitelem.WebKitElement "
-                "html='<fakeelem/>'>"),
-        (True, '<qutebrowser.browser.webkit.webkitelem.WebKitElement '
-               'html=None>'),
+    wke_qualname = 'qutebrowser.browser.webkit.webkitelem.WebKitElement'
+
+    @pytest.mark.parametrize('is_null, xml, expected', [
+        (False, '<fakeelem/>', "<{} html='<fakeelem/>'>".format(wke_qualname)),
+        (False, '<foo>\n<bar/>\n</foo>',
+         "<{} html='<foo><bar/></foo>'>".format(wke_qualname)),
+        (False, '<foo>{}</foo>'.format('x' * 500),
+         "<{} html='<foo>{}…'>".format(wke_qualname, 'x' * 494)),
+        (True, None, '<{} html=None>'.format(wke_qualname)),
     ])
-    def test_repr(self, elem, is_null, expected):
+    def test_repr(self, elem, is_null, xml, expected):
         elem._elem.isNull.return_value = is_null
+        elem._elem.toOuterXml.return_value = xml
         assert repr(elem) == expected
 
     def test_getitem(self):
@@ -384,15 +388,6 @@ class TestWebKitElement:
         elem = get_webelem(tagname=tagname, attributes=attributes)
         assert elem.is_text_input() == expected
 
-    @pytest.mark.parametrize('xml, expected', [
-        ('<fakeelem/>', '<fakeelem/>'),
-        ('<foo>\n<bar/>\n</foo>', '<foo><bar/></foo>'),
-        ('<foo>{}</foo>'.format('x' * 500), '<foo>{}…'.format('x' * 494)),
-    ], ids=['fakeelem', 'newlines', 'long'])
-    def test_debug_text(self, elem, xml, expected):
-        elem._elem.toOuterXml.return_value = xml
-        assert elem.debug_text() == expected
-
     @pytest.mark.parametrize('attribute, code', [
         ('geometry', lambda e: e.geometry()),
         ('toOuterXml', lambda e: e.outer_xml()),