diff --git a/lib/timeline/Core.js b/lib/timeline/Core.js
index 04c51ad6..1b4f1291 100644
--- a/lib/timeline/Core.js
+++ b/lib/timeline/Core.js
@@ -1146,4 +1146,4 @@ Core.prototype._createConfigurator = function () {
   throw new Error('Cannot invoke abstract method _createConfigurator');
 };
 
-module.exports = Core;
+module.exports = Core;
\ No newline at end of file
diff --git a/lib/timeline/Timeline.js b/lib/timeline/Timeline.js
index 05da12ac..cc44f3b0 100644
--- a/lib/timeline/Timeline.js
+++ b/lib/timeline/Timeline.js
@@ -28,8 +28,8 @@ import Validator from '../shared/Validator';
  * @constructor
  * @extends Core
  */
-
 function Timeline (container, items, groups, options) {
+
   if (!(this instanceof Timeline)) {
     throw new SyntaxError('Constructor must be called with the new operator');
   }
@@ -45,22 +45,21 @@ function Timeline (container, items, groups, options) {
   this.defaultOptions = {
     start: null,
     end:   null,
-
     autoResize: true,
-
     orientation: {
       axis: 'bottom',   // axis orientation: 'bottom', 'top', or 'both'
       item: 'bottom'    // not relevant
     },
     moment: moment,
-
     width: null,
     height: null,
     maxHeight: null,
     minHeight: null
   };
   this.options = util.deepExtend({}, this.defaultOptions);
-
+  if (options) {
+    this.options.rtl = options.rtl
+  }
   // Create the DOM, props, and emitter
   this._create(container);
 
@@ -104,11 +103,6 @@ function Timeline (container, items, groups, options) {
   // current time bar
   this.currentTime = new CurrentTime(this.body);
   this.components.push(this.currentTime);
-  
-  // apply options
-  if (options) {
-    this.setOptions(options);
-  }
 
   // item set
   this.itemSet = new ItemSet(this.body, this.options);
@@ -149,6 +143,11 @@ function Timeline (container, items, groups, options) {
     }
   });
 
+  // apply options
+  if (options) {
+    this.setOptions(options);
+  }
+
   // IMPORTANT: THIS HAPPENS BEFORE SET ITEMS!
   if (groups) {
     this.setGroups(groups);
@@ -194,7 +193,6 @@ Timeline.prototype.setOptions = function (options) {
   if (errorFound === true) {
     console.log('%cErrors have been found in the supplied options object.', printStyle);
   }
-
   Core.prototype.setOptions.call(this, options);
 
   if ('type' in options) {
diff --git a/lib/timeline/component/ItemSet.js b/lib/timeline/component/ItemSet.js
index 9eb46393..f2020b09 100644
--- a/lib/timeline/component/ItemSet.js
+++ b/lib/timeline/component/ItemSet.js
@@ -95,7 +95,9 @@ function ItemSet(body, options) {
 
   // options is shared by this ItemSet and all its items
   this.options = util.extend({}, this.defaultOptions);
-  this.options.rtl = options.rtl;
+  if (options) {
+    this.options.rtl = options.rtl; // required to determine from the initial creation if rtl
+  }
 
   // options for getting items from the DataSet with the correct type
   this.itemOptions = {
@@ -318,7 +320,7 @@ ItemSet.prototype.setOptions = function(options) {
     // copy all options that we know
     var fields = ['type', 'rtl', 'align', 'order', 'stack', 'selectable', 'multiselect', 'itemsAlwaysDraggable', 'multiselectPerGroup', 'groupOrder', 'dataAttributes', 'template', 'groupTemplate', 'hide', 'snap', 'groupOrderSwap'];
     util.selectiveExtend(fields, this.options, options);
-
+    
     if ('orientation' in options) {
       if (typeof options.orientation === 'string') {
         this.options.orientation.item = options.orientation === 'top' ? 'top' : 'bottom';
diff --git a/lib/timeline/component/item/Item.js b/lib/timeline/component/item/Item.js
index c12a3203..c1762805 100644
--- a/lib/timeline/component/item/Item.js
+++ b/lib/timeline/component/item/Item.js
@@ -197,7 +197,7 @@ Item.prototype._updateContents = function (element) {
     content = this.data.content;
   }
 
-  if (content instanceof Object) {
+  if ((content instanceof Object) && !(content instanceof Element)) {
     templateFunction(itemData, element)
   } else {
     var changed = this._contentToString(this.content) !== this._contentToString(content);