diff --git a/lib/timeline/component/TimeAxis.js b/lib/timeline/component/TimeAxis.js
index 30f1903b..f575af4b 100644
--- a/lib/timeline/component/TimeAxis.js
+++ b/lib/timeline/component/TimeAxis.js
@@ -364,14 +364,12 @@ TimeAxis.prototype._repaintMajorText = function (x, text, orientation, className
   if (!label) {
     // create label
     var content = document.createElement('div');
-    content.innerHTML = text;
     label = document.createElement('div');
     label.appendChild(content);
     this.dom.foreground.appendChild(label);
   }
-  this.dom.majorTexts.push(label);
 
-  label.childNodes[0].nodeValue = text;
+  label.childNodes[0].innerHTML = text;
   label.className = 'vis-text vis-major ' + className;
   //label.title = title; // TODO: this is a heavy operation
 
@@ -383,6 +381,7 @@ TimeAxis.prototype._repaintMajorText = function (x, text, orientation, className
     label.style.left = x + 'px';
   };
 
+  this.dom.majorTexts.push(label);
   return label;
 };