diff --git a/demo/index.html b/demo/index.html
index 14b21b6..0d40425 100644
--- a/demo/index.html
+++ b/demo/index.html
@@ -68,11 +68,11 @@ <h3 id="bands-head">Rank the bands</h3>
     const dragonDrop = new DragonDrop(demo1, {
       handle: '.handle',
       announcement: {
-        grabbed: el => `${el.querySelector('span').innerText} grabbed`,
-        dropped: el => `${el.querySelector('span').innerText} dropped`,
+        grabbed: el => `${el.querySelector('span').innerHTML} grabbed`,
+        dropped: el => `${el.querySelector('span').innerHTML} dropped`,
         reorder: (el, items) => {
           const pos = items.indexOf(el) + 1;
-          const text = el.querySelector('span').innerText;
+          const text = el.querySelector('span').innerHTML;
           return `The rankings have been updated, ${text} is now ranked #${pos} out of ${items.length}`;
         },
         cancel: 'Reranking cancelled.'
@@ -99,11 +99,11 @@ <h3 id="schedule-head">Today's schedule</h3>
     new DragonDrop(demo2, {
       handle: false,
       announcement: {
-        grabbed: el => `${el.querySelector('div').innerText} grabbed`,
-        dropped: el => `${el.querySelector('div').innerText} dropped`,
+        grabbed: el => `${el.querySelector('div').innerHTML} grabbed`,
+        dropped: el => `${el.querySelector('div').innerHTML} dropped`,
         reorder: (el, items) => {
           const pos = items.indexOf(el) + 1;
-          const text = el.querySelector('div').innerText;
+          const text = el.querySelector('div').innerHTML;
           return `The schedule has changed, ${text} is now item ${pos} of ${items.length}`;
         },
         cancel: 'Reschedule cancelled.'
@@ -152,11 +152,11 @@ <h3 id="nested">Nested lists</h3>
       nested: true,
       item: ':scope > li',
       announcement: {
-        grabbed: function (el) { return el.querySelector('span').innerText + ' grabbed'; },
-        dropped: function (el) { return el.querySelector('span').innerText + ' dropped'; },
+        grabbed: function (el) { return el.querySelector('span').innerHTML + ' grabbed'; },
+        dropped: function (el) { return el.querySelector('span').innerHTML + ' dropped'; },
         reorder: function (el, items) {
           var pos = items.indexOf(el) + 1;
-          var text = el.querySelector('span').innerText;
+          var text = el.querySelector('span').innerHTML;
           return 'The order has changed, ' + text + ' is now item ' + pos + ' of ' + items.length;
         },
         cancel: function () { return 'Reorder cancelled.'; }
@@ -182,11 +182,11 @@ <h3 id="nested">Nested lists</h3>
       var demo1 = new DragonDrop(document.getElementById('demo-1'), {
         handle: '.handle',
         announcement: {
-          grabbed: function (el) { return el.querySelector('span').innerText + ' grabbed'; },
-          dropped: function (el) { return el.querySelector('span').innerText + ' dropped'; },
+          grabbed: function (el) { return el.querySelector('span').innerHTML + ' grabbed'; },
+          dropped: function (el) { return el.querySelector('span').innerHTML + ' dropped'; },
           reorder: function (el, items) {
             var pos = items.indexOf(el) + 1;
-            var text = el.querySelector('span').innerText;
+            var text = el.querySelector('span').innerHTML;
             return 'The rankings have been updated, ' + text + ' is now ranked #' + pos + ' of ' + items.length;
           },
           cancel: function() { return 'Reranking cancelled.'; }
@@ -214,11 +214,11 @@ <h3 id="nested">Nested lists</h3>
       var demo2 = new DragonDrop(document.getElementById('demo-2'), {
         handle: false,
         announcement: {
-          grabbed: function (el) { return el.querySelector('div').innerText + ' grabbed' },
-          dropped: function (el) { return el.querySelector('div').innerText + ' dropped' },
+          grabbed: function (el) { return el.querySelector('div').innerHTML + ' grabbed' },
+          dropped: function (el) { return el.querySelector('div').innerHTML + ' dropped' },
           reorder: function (el, items) {
             var pos = items.indexOf(el) + 1;
-            var text = el.querySelector('div').innerText;
+            var text = el.querySelector('div').innerHTML;
             return 'The schedule has changed, ' + text + ' is now item ' + pos + ' of ' + items.length;
           },
           cancel: function () { return 'Reschedule cancelled.'; }
@@ -233,11 +233,11 @@ <h3 id="nested">Nested lists</h3>
         nested: true,
         item: ':scope > li',
         announcement: {
-          grabbed: function (el) { return el.querySelector('span').innerText + ' grabbed'; },
-          dropped: function (el) { return el.querySelector('span').innerText + ' dropped'; },
+          grabbed: function (el) { return el.querySelector('span').innerHTML + ' grabbed'; },
+          dropped: function (el) { return el.querySelector('span').innerHTML + ' dropped'; },
           reorder: function (el, items) {
             var pos = items.indexOf(el) + 1;
-            var text = el.querySelector('span').innerText;
+            var text = el.querySelector('span').innerHTML;
             return 'The order has changed, ' + text + ' is now item ' + pos + ' of ' + items.length;
           },
           cancel: function () { return 'Reorder cancelled.'; }
diff --git a/dist/dragon-drop.js b/dist/dragon-drop.js
index 5f876f1..59fd549 100644
--- a/dist/dragon-drop.js
+++ b/dist/dragon-drop.js
@@ -456,14 +456,14 @@ var defaults = {
   nested: false, // if true, stops propagation on keydown / click events
   announcement: {
     grabbed: function grabbed(el) {
-      return 'Item ' + el.innerText + ' grabbed';
+      return 'Item ' + el.innerHTML + ' grabbed';
     },
     dropped: function dropped(el) {
-      return 'Item ' + el.innerText + ' dropped';
+      return 'Item ' + el.innerHTML + ' dropped';
     },
     reorder: function reorder(el, items) {
       var pos = items.indexOf(el) + 1;
-      var text = el.innerText;
+      var text = el.innerHTML;
       return 'The list has been reordered, ' + text + ' is now item ' + pos + ' of ' + items.length;
     },
     cancel: 'Reordering cancelled'
diff --git a/dist/dragon-drop.min.js b/dist/dragon-drop.min.js
index 5cf586f..8f70668 100644
--- a/dist/dragon-drop.min.js
+++ b/dist/dragon-drop.min.js
@@ -2,7 +2,7 @@
 "use strict";Object.defineProperty(exports,"__esModule",{value:!0});var _createClass=function(){function e(e,t){for(var n=0;n<t.length;n++){var r=t[n];r.enumerable=r.enumerable||!1,r.configurable=!0,"value"in r&&(r.writable=!0),Object.defineProperty(e,r.key,r)}}return function(t,n,r){return n&&e(t.prototype,n),r&&e(t,r),t}}(),_extends=Object.assign||function(e){for(var t=1;t<arguments.length;t++){var n=arguments[t];for(var r in n)Object.prototype.hasOwnProperty.call(n,r)&&(e[r]=n[r])}return e};require("@babel/polyfill"),require("element-qsa-scope");var _dragula=require("dragula"),_dragula2=_interopRequireDefault(_dragula),_liveRegion=require("live-region"),_liveRegion2=_interopRequireDefault(_liveRegion),_debug=require("debug"),_debug2=_interopRequireDefault(_debug),_componentEmitter=require("component-emitter"),_componentEmitter2=_interopRequireDefault(_componentEmitter),_domMatches=require("dom-matches"),_domMatches2=_interopRequireDefault(_domMatches),_defaults=require("./lib/defaults"),_defaults2=_interopRequireDefault(_defaults),_queryAll=require("./lib/query-all"),_queryAll2=_interopRequireDefault(_queryAll);function _interopRequireDefault(e){return e&&e.__esModule?e:{default:e}}function _classCallCheck(e,t){if(!(e instanceof t))throw new TypeError("Cannot call a class as a function")}var debug=(0,_debug2.default)("drag-on-drop:index"),arrayHandler=function(e){var t=arguments.length>1&&void 0!==arguments[1]?arguments[1]:{},n=t.nested,r=t.dragulaOptions,a=void 0===r?{}:r,i=[];if(e.forEach(function(e){i.push(new DragonDrop(e,t,n))}),n){var o=function(e,t){var n=i.find(function(e){return e.container===t});n&&n.announcement("grabbed",e)},s=function(e,t){var n=i.find(function(e){return e.container===t});n&&n.announcement("dropped",e).setItems()},u=e[0],c=Array.from(e);c.shift();var l=(0,_dragula2.default)([u],_extends({},a,{moves:function(e,t,n){return!c.find(function(e){return e.contains(n)})}}));l.on("drag",o),l.on("drop",s);var d=(0,_dragula2.default)(c,_extends({},a,{accepts:function(e,t,n){return t===n}}));d.on("drag",o),d.on("drop",s),i.forEach(function(e,t){e.dragula=0===t?l:d})}return i},DragonDrop=function(){function e(t){var n=arguments.length>1&&void 0!==arguments[1]?arguments[1]:{};if(_classCallCheck(this,e),Array.isArray(t))return arrayHandler(t,n);(0,_componentEmitter2.default)(this),this.handledHandles=[],this.initOptions(n);var r=this.options,a=r.handle;if(!r.nested){var i=a&&{moves:function(e,t,n){return(0,_domMatches2.default)(n,a)}};this.dragula=(0,_dragula2.default)([t],_extends({},n.dragulaOptions,i))}return this.liveRegion=new _liveRegion2.default({ariaLive:"assertive",ariaRelevant:"additions",ariaAtomic:"true"}),this.onKeydown=this.onKeydown.bind(this),this.initElements(t).mouseEvents(),debug("dragon initialized: ",this),this}return _createClass(e,[{key:"initOptions",value:function(e){return e.announcement=e.announcement||{},this.options=_extends({},_defaults2.default,e,{announcement:_extends({},_defaults2.default.announcement,e.announcement)}),this}},{key:"initClick",value:function(){var e=this,t=this.options,n=t.activeClass,r=t.inactiveClass,a=t.nested;return this.handles.forEach(function(t){e.handledHandles.includes(t)||(t.addEventListener("click",function(i){a&&i.stopPropagation();var o="true"===t.getAttribute("data-drag-on"),s=o?"dropped":"grabbed";e.handles.filter(function(e){return"true"===e.getAttribute("aria-pressed")}).forEach(function(e){e.setAttribute("aria-pressed","false"),e.setAttribute("data-drag-on","false"),e.classList.remove(n)}),t.setAttribute("aria-pressed",""+!o),t.setAttribute("data-drag-on",""+!o);var u=e.items.find(function(e){return e===t||e.contains(t)});e.announcement(s,u),e.emit(s,e.container,u),e.items.forEach(function(e){var a=o?"remove":"add",i=e===t||e.contains(t);e.classList[i&&!o?"add":"remove"](n),e.classList[i&&!o?"remove":a](r)}),o||(e.cachedItems=(0,_queryAll2.default)(e.options.item,e.container))}),e.handledHandles.push(t))}),this}},{key:"initElements",value:function(e){var t=this;return this.container=e,this.setItems().initClick(),this.handles.forEach(function(e){e.tabIndex=0,"BUTTON"!==e.tagName&&e.setAttribute("role","button"),e.removeEventListener("keydown",t.onKeydown),e.addEventListener("keydown",t.onKeydown)}),this}},{key:"setItems",value:function(){var e=this.options;return this.items=(0,_queryAll2.default)(e.item,this.container),this.handles=e.handle?(0,_queryAll2.default)([e.item,e.handle].join(" "),this.container):this.items,this}},{key:"onKeydown",value:function(e){var t=this.options.nested,n=e.target,r=e.which,a=function(){return"true"===n.getAttribute("data-drag-on")};switch(r){case 13:case 32:t&&e.stopPropagation(),e.preventDefault(),n.click();break;case 37:case 38:case 39:case 40:a()&&(e.preventDefault(),this.arrow(r,n));break;case 9:a()&&n.click();break;case 27:a()&&(n.click(),this.cancel())}return this}},{key:"arrow",value:function(e,t){var n=this.handles,r=this.items,a=37===e||38===e,i=n.indexOf(t),o=a?i-1:i+1,s=n[o],u=r[i];if(s&&u){var c=r[o],l=a?c:c.nextElementSibling;return u.parentNode.insertBefore(u,l),t.focus(),this.setItems().emit("reorder",this.container,u).announcement("reorder",u),this}}},{key:"announcement",value:function(e,t){debug(e+" announcement",t);var n=(this.options.announcement||{})[e];if(n&&"function"==typeof n){var r=n(t,this.items);this.liveRegion.announce(r,5e3),this.emit("announcement",r)}return this}},{key:"mouseEvents",value:function(){var e=this;return this.options.nested||(this.dragula.on("drag",function(t){e.announcement("grabbed",t)}),this.dragula.on("drop",function(t){e.announcement("dropped",t).setItems()})),this}},{key:"cancel",value:function(){var e=this,t=document.activeElement;return this.cachedItems.forEach(function(t){return e.container.appendChild(t)}),this.items=this.cachedItems,t.focus(),this.announcement("cancel").emit("cancel").setItems(),this}}]),e}();exports.default=DragonDrop,module.exports=DragonDrop;
 
 },{"./lib/defaults":2,"./lib/query-all":3,"@babel/polyfill":4,"component-emitter":280,"debug":286,"dom-matches":288,"dragula":290,"element-qsa-scope":291,"live-region":292}],2:[function(require,module,exports){
-"use strict";Object.defineProperty(exports,"__esModule",{value:!0});var defaults={item:"li",handle:"button",activeClass:"dragon-active",inactiveClass:"dragon-inactive",nested:!1,announcement:{grabbed:function(e){return"Item "+e.innerText+" grabbed"},dropped:function(e){return"Item "+e.innerText+" dropped"},reorder:function(e,n){var t=n.indexOf(e)+1;return"The list has been reordered, "+e.innerText+" is now item "+t+" of "+n.length},cancel:"Reordering cancelled"}};exports.default=defaults;
+"use strict";Object.defineProperty(exports,"__esModule",{value:!0});var defaults={item:"li",handle:"button",activeClass:"dragon-active",inactiveClass:"dragon-inactive",nested:!1,announcement:{grabbed:function(e){return"Item "+e.innerHTML+" grabbed"},dropped:function(e){return"Item "+e.innerHTML+" dropped"},reorder:function(e,n){var r=n.indexOf(e)+1;return"The list has been reordered, "+e.innerHTML+" is now item "+r+" of "+n.length},cancel:"Reordering cancelled"}};exports.default=defaults;
 
 },{}],3:[function(require,module,exports){
 "use strict";Object.defineProperty(exports,"__esModule",{value:!0});var queryAll=function(e,r){return r=r||document,Array.prototype.slice.call(r.querySelectorAll(e))};exports.default=queryAll;
diff --git a/lib/defaults.js b/lib/defaults.js
index 4952df9..ffb06fb 100644
--- a/lib/defaults.js
+++ b/lib/defaults.js
@@ -5,11 +5,11 @@ const defaults = {
   inactiveClass: 'dragon-inactive', // added to other items when item is being dragged
   nested: false, // if true, stops propagation on keydown / click events
   announcement: {
-    grabbed: el => `Item ${el.innerText} grabbed`,
-    dropped: el => `Item ${el.innerText} dropped`,
+    grabbed: el => `Item ${el.innerHTML} grabbed`,
+    dropped: el => `Item ${el.innerHTML} dropped`,
     reorder: (el, items) => {
       const pos = items.indexOf(el) + 1;
-      const text = el.innerText;
+      const text = el.innerHTML;
       return `The list has been reordered, ${text} is now item ${pos} of ${items.length}`;
     },
     cancel: 'Reordering cancelled'
diff --git a/package-lock.json b/package-lock.json
index 659ca9f..8fdbadf 100644
--- a/package-lock.json
+++ b/package-lock.json
@@ -3398,6 +3398,7 @@
           "version": "0.1.4",
           "bundled": true,
           "dev": true,
+          "optional": true,
           "requires": {
             "kind-of": "^3.0.2",
             "longest": "^1.0.1",
@@ -4557,7 +4558,8 @@
         "longest": {
           "version": "1.0.1",
           "bundled": true,
-          "dev": true
+          "dev": true,
+          "optional": true
         },
         "loose-envify": {
           "version": "1.3.1",