diff --git a/qutebrowser/browser/hints.py b/qutebrowser/browser/hints.py
index 2a1716bcf..143946309 100644
--- a/qutebrowser/browser/hints.py
+++ b/qutebrowser/browser/hints.py
@@ -1094,7 +1094,7 @@ class WordHinter:
         })
 
         return (attr_extractors[attr](elem)
-                for attr in extractable_attrs[elem.tagName()]
+                for attr in extractable_attrs[elem.tag_name()]
                 if attr in elem or attr == "text")
 
     def tag_words_to_hints(self, words):
diff --git a/qutebrowser/browser/webkit/webelem.py b/qutebrowser/browser/webkit/webelem.py
index 5fd21397a..41e321821 100644
--- a/qutebrowser/browser/webkit/webelem.py
+++ b/qutebrowser/browser/webkit/webelem.py
@@ -327,6 +327,11 @@ class WebElementWrapper(collections.abc.MutableMapping):
         self._check_vanished()
         return utils.compact_text(self._elem.toOuterXml(), 500)
 
+    def tag_name(self):
+        """Get the tag name for the current element."""
+        self._check_vanished()
+        return self._elem.tagName()
+
     def rect_on_view(self, *, elem_geometry=None, adjust_zoom=True, no_js=False):
         """Get the geometry of the element relative to the webview.