diff --git a/src/js/simplemde.js b/src/js/simplemde.js
index 016d693..f7923ce 100644
--- a/src/js/simplemde.js
+++ b/src/js/simplemde.js
@@ -109,7 +109,12 @@ function createIcon(options, enableTooltips, shortcuts) {
 	}
 
 	el.tabIndex = -1;
-	el.className = options.className;
+	
+	// Create icon element and append as a child to the button.
+	var icon = document.createElement("i");
+	icon.className = options.className;
+	el.appendChild(icon);
+
 	return el;
 }
 
@@ -2025,4 +2030,4 @@ SimpleMDE.prototype.toTextArea = function() {
 	}
 };
 
-module.exports = SimpleMDE;
\ No newline at end of file
+module.exports = SimpleMDE;