diff --git a/lib/javascript-static.js b/lib/javascript-static.js
index 5d6f4ee81ac..d7fd22ea8bf 100644
--- a/lib/javascript-static.js
+++ b/lib/javascript-static.js
@@ -1464,7 +1464,7 @@ M.util.help_icon = {
                         });
                         this.overlay.render(Y.one(document.body));
 
-                        footerbtn.on('click', this.overlay.hide, this.overlay);
+                        footerbtn.on('click', this.close, this);
 
                         var boundingBox = this.overlay.get("boundingBox");
 
@@ -1525,8 +1525,14 @@ M.util.help_icon = {
                     },
 
                     display_callback : function(content) {
-                        content = '<div role="alert">' + content + '</div>';
-                        this.overlay.set('bodyContent', content);
+                        var contentnode, heading;
+                        contentnode = Y.Node.create('<div role="alert">' + content + '</div>');
+                        this.overlay.set('bodyContent', contentnode);
+                        heading = contentnode.one('h1');
+                        if (heading) {
+                            heading.set('tabIndex', 0);
+                            heading.focus();
+                        }
                     },
 
                     hideContent : function() {