diff --git a/lib/checks/media/caption.js b/lib/checks/media/caption.js
index 80b6af6372..d7d6090521 100644
--- a/lib/checks/media/caption.js
+++ b/lib/checks/media/caption.js
@@ -3,7 +3,7 @@ var tracks = axe.utils.querySelectorAll(virtualNode, 'track');
 if (tracks.length) {
   // return false if any track has kind === 'caption'
   return !tracks.some(({ actualNode }) => (
-    actualNode.getAttribute('kind').toLowerCase() === 'captions'
+    (actualNode.getAttribute('kind') || '').toLowerCase() === 'captions'
   ));
 }
 // Undefined if there are no tracks - media may be decorative
diff --git a/lib/checks/media/description.js b/lib/checks/media/description.js
index 65e29cd3b2..f6bb01a5fb 100644
--- a/lib/checks/media/description.js
+++ b/lib/checks/media/description.js
@@ -3,7 +3,7 @@ var tracks = axe.utils.querySelectorAll(virtualNode, 'track');
 if (tracks.length) {
   // return false if any track has kind === 'description'
   var out = !tracks.some(({ actualNode }) => (
-    actualNode.getAttribute('kind').toLowerCase() === 'descriptions'
+    (actualNode.getAttribute('kind') || '').toLowerCase() === 'descriptions'
   ));
   axe.log(tracks.map(t => t.actualNode.getAttribute('kind')), out);
   return out;
diff --git a/test/checks/media/caption.js b/test/checks/media/caption.js
index 3c313ed72c..3d7606a644 100644
--- a/test/checks/media/caption.js
+++ b/test/checks/media/caption.js
@@ -19,6 +19,11 @@ describe('caption', function () {
 		assert.isTrue(checks.caption.evaluate.apply(null, checkArgs));
 	});
 
+	it('should fail if there is no kind attribute', function () {
+		var checkArgs = checkSetup('<video><track></video>', 'video');
+		assert.isTrue(checks.description.evaluate.apply(null, checkArgs));
+	});
+
 	it('should pass if there is a kind=captions attribute', function () {
 		var checkArgs = checkSetup('<audio><track kind=captions></audio>', 'audio');
 		assert.isFalse(checks.caption.evaluate.apply(null, checkArgs));
diff --git a/test/checks/media/description.js b/test/checks/media/description.js
index a423e1f98b..46512a2e5a 100644
--- a/test/checks/media/description.js
+++ b/test/checks/media/description.js
@@ -18,6 +18,11 @@ describe('description', function () {
 		assert.isTrue(checks.description.evaluate.apply(null, checkArgs));
 	});
 
+	it('should fail if there is no kind attribute', function () {
+		var checkArgs = checkSetup('<video><track></video>', 'video');
+		assert.isTrue(checks.description.evaluate.apply(null, checkArgs));
+	});
+
 	it('should pass if there is a kind=descriptions attribute', function () {
 		var checkArgs = checkSetup('<video><track kind=descriptions></video>', 'video');
 		assert.isFalse(checks.description.evaluate.apply(null, checkArgs));