diff --git a/Source/Details/_ASDisplayViewAccessiblity.mm b/Source/Details/_ASDisplayViewAccessiblity.mm
index 858fd5ddc..fa90666dd 100644
--- a/Source/Details/_ASDisplayViewAccessiblity.mm
+++ b/Source/Details/_ASDisplayViewAccessiblity.mm
@@ -259,6 +259,10 @@ @implementation _ASDisplayView (UIAccessibilityContainer)
 - (void)setAccessibilityElements:(NSArray *)accessibilityElements
 {
   ASDisplayNodeAssertMainThread();
+  // While it looks very strange to ignore the accessibilyElements param and set _accessibilityElements to nil, it is actually on purpose.
+  // _ASDisplayView's accessibilityElements method will always defer to the node for accessibilityElements when _accessibilityElements is
+  // nil. Calling setAccessibilityElements on _ASDisplayView is basically clearing the cache and forcing _ASDisplayView to ask the node
+  // for its accessibilityElements the next time they are requested.
   _accessibilityElements = nil;
 }
 
@@ -283,6 +287,14 @@ @implementation ASDisplayNode (AccessibilityInternal)
 
 - (NSArray *)accessibilityElements
 {
+  // NSObject implements the informal accessibility protocol. This means that all ASDisplayNodes already have an accessibilityElements
+  // property. If an ASDisplayNode subclass has explicitly set the property, let's use that instead of traversing the node tree to try
+  // to create the elements automatically
+  NSArray *elements = [super accessibilityElements];
+  if (elements.count) {
+    return elements;
+  }
+  
   if (!self.isNodeLoaded) {
     ASDisplayNodeFailAssert(@"Cannot access accessibilityElements since node is not loaded");
     return @[];
diff --git a/Tests/ASDisplayViewAccessibilityTests.mm b/Tests/ASDisplayViewAccessibilityTests.mm
index 15d14c29a..f2476a00d 100644
--- a/Tests/ASDisplayViewAccessibilityTests.mm
+++ b/Tests/ASDisplayViewAccessibilityTests.mm
@@ -12,6 +12,8 @@
 
 #import <XCTest/XCTest.h>
 
+#import <AsyncDisplayKit/_ASDisplayView.h>
+#import <AsyncDisplayKit/ASButtonNode.h>
 #import <AsyncDisplayKit/ASDisplayNode.h>
 #import <AsyncDisplayKit/ASDisplayNode+Beta.h>
 #import <AsyncDisplayKit/ASTextNode.h>
@@ -193,4 +195,60 @@ - (void)testActionForwarding {
   OCMVerifyAll(mockNode);
 }
 
+#pragma mark -
+#pragma mark AccessibilityElements
+
+// dummy action for a button
+- (void)fakeSelector:(id)sender { }
+
+- (void)testThatAccessibilityElementsWorks {
+  ASDisplayNode *containerNode = [[ASDisplayNode alloc] init];
+  containerNode.frame = CGRectMake(0, 0, 100, 200);
+
+  ASTextNode *label = [[ASTextNode alloc] init];
+  label.attributedText = [[NSAttributedString alloc] initWithString:@"test label"];
+  label.frame = CGRectMake(0, 0, 100, 20);
+  
+  ASButtonNode *button = [[ASButtonNode alloc] init];
+  [button setTitle:@"tap me" withFont:[UIFont systemFontOfSize:17] withColor:nil forState:UIControlStateNormal];
+  [button addTarget:self action:@selector(fakeSelector:) forControlEvents:ASControlNodeEventTouchUpInside];
+  button.frame = CGRectMake(0, 25, 100, 20);
+  
+  [containerNode addSubnode:label];
+  [containerNode addSubnode:button];
+  
+  // force load
+  __unused UIView *view = containerNode.view;
+  
+  NSArray *elements = [containerNode accessibilityElements];
+  XCTAssertTrue(elements.count == 2);
+  XCTAssertEqual([elements.firstObject asyncdisplaykit_node], label);
+  XCTAssertEqual([elements.lastObject asyncdisplaykit_node], button);
+}
+
+- (void)testThatAccessibilityElementsOverrideWorks {
+  ASDisplayNode *containerNode = [[ASDisplayNode alloc] init];
+  containerNode.frame = CGRectMake(0, 0, 100, 200);
+
+  ASTextNode *label = [[ASTextNode alloc] init];
+  label.attributedText = [[NSAttributedString alloc] initWithString:@"test label"];
+  label.frame = CGRectMake(0, 0, 100, 20);
+  
+  ASButtonNode *button = [[ASButtonNode alloc] init];
+  [button setTitle:@"tap me" withFont:[UIFont systemFontOfSize:17] withColor:nil forState:UIControlStateNormal];
+  [button addTarget:self action:@selector(fakeSelector:) forControlEvents:ASControlNodeEventTouchUpInside];
+  button.frame = CGRectMake(0, 25, 100, 20);
+  
+  [containerNode addSubnode:label];
+  [containerNode addSubnode:button];
+  containerNode.accessibilityElements = @[ label ];
+  
+  // force load
+  __unused UIView *view = containerNode.view;
+  
+  NSArray *elements = [containerNode accessibilityElements];
+  XCTAssertTrue(elements.count == 1);
+  XCTAssertEqual(elements.firstObject, label);
+}
+
 @end
diff --git a/Tests/ASViewControllerTests.mm b/Tests/ASViewControllerTests.mm
index ede0ab144..929ee67b3 100644
--- a/Tests/ASViewControllerTests.mm
+++ b/Tests/ASViewControllerTests.mm
@@ -77,8 +77,9 @@ - (void)testThatViewControllerFrameIsRightAfterCustomTransitionWithNonextendedEd
   nav.delegate = navDelegate;
   window.rootViewController = nav;
   [window makeKeyAndVisible];
-  [[NSRunLoop mainRunLoop] runMode:NSDefaultRunLoopMode beforeDate:[NSDate date]];
+  [[NSRunLoop mainRunLoop] runUntilDate:[NSDate dateWithTimeIntervalSinceNow:2]];
   [nav pushViewController:vc animated:YES];
+  [[NSRunLoop mainRunLoop] runUntilDate:[NSDate dateWithTimeIntervalSinceNow:2]];
 
   [self waitForExpectationsWithTimeout:2 handler:nil];