diff --git a/externs/olx.js b/externs/olx.js
index 0d0130ba82..3b0db0d303 100644
--- a/externs/olx.js
+++ b/externs/olx.js
@@ -806,8 +806,8 @@ olx.control;
  *     collapsible: (boolean|undefined),
  *     collapsed: (boolean|undefined),
  *     tipLabel: (string|undefined),
- *     label: (string|undefined),
- *     collapseLabel: (string|undefined),
+ *     label: (string|Node|undefined),
+ *     collapseLabel: (string|Node|undefined),
  *     render: (function(ol.MapEvent)|undefined),
  *     target: (Element|undefined)}}
  * @api
@@ -859,15 +859,17 @@ olx.control.AttributionOptions.prototype.tipLabel;
 
 
 /**
- * Text label to use for the collapsed attributions button. Default is `i`
- * @type {string|undefined}
+ * Text label to use for the collapsed attributions button. Default is `i`.
+ * Instead of text, also a Node (e.g. a `span` element) can be used.
+ * @type {string|Node|undefined}
  * @api
  */
 olx.control.AttributionOptions.prototype.label;
 
 /**
- * Text label to use for the expanded attributions button. Default is `»`
- * @type {string|undefined}
+ * Text label to use for the expanded attributions button. Default is `»`.
+ * Instead of text, also a Node (e.g. a `span` element) can be used.
+ * @type {string|Node|undefined}
  * @api
  */
 olx.control.AttributionOptions.prototype.collapseLabel;
@@ -980,8 +982,8 @@ olx.control.DefaultsOptions.prototype.zoomOptions;
 
 /**
  * @typedef {{className: (string|undefined),
- *     label: (string|undefined),
- *     labelActive: (string|undefined),
+ *     label: (string|Node|undefined),
+ *     labelActive: (string|Node|undefined),
  *     tipLabel: (string|undefined),
  *     keys: (boolean|undefined),
  *     target: (Element|undefined)}}
@@ -1000,7 +1002,8 @@ olx.control.FullScreenOptions.prototype.className;
 
 /**
  * Text label to use for the button. Default is `\u2194` (an arrow).
- * @type {string|undefined}
+ * Instead of text, also a Node (e.g. a `span` element) can be used.
+ * @type {string|Node|undefined}
  * @api
  */
 olx.control.FullScreenOptions.prototype.label;
@@ -1009,7 +1012,8 @@ olx.control.FullScreenOptions.prototype.label;
 /**
  * Text label to use for the button when full-screen is active.
  * Default is `\u00d7` (a cross).
- * @type {string|undefined}
+ * Instead of text, also a Node (e.g. a `span` element) can be used.
+ * @type {string|Node|undefined}
  * @api
  */
 olx.control.FullScreenOptions.prototype.labelActive;
@@ -1102,9 +1106,9 @@ olx.control.MousePositionOptions.prototype.undefinedHTML;
 
 /**
  * @typedef {{collapsed: (boolean|undefined),
- *     collapseLabel: (string|undefined),
+ *     collapseLabel: (string|Node|undefined),
  *     collapsible: (boolean|undefined),
- *     label: (string|undefined),
+ *     label: (string|Node|undefined),
  *     layers: (Array.<ol.layer.Layer>|ol.Collection|undefined),
  *     render: (function(ol.MapEvent)|undefined),
  *     target: (Element|undefined),
@@ -1124,8 +1128,9 @@ olx.control.OverviewMapOptions.prototype.collapsed;
 
 
 /**
- * Text label to use for the expanded overviewmap button. Default is `«`
- * @type {string|undefined}
+ * Text label to use for the expanded overviewmap button. Default is `«`.
+ * Instead of text, also a Node (e.g. a `span` element) can be used.
+ * @type {string|Node|undefined}
  * @api
  */
 olx.control.OverviewMapOptions.prototype.collapseLabel;
@@ -1140,8 +1145,9 @@ olx.control.OverviewMapOptions.prototype.collapsible;
 
 
 /**
- * Text label to use for the collapsed overviewmap button. Default is `»`
- * @type {string|undefined}
+ * Text label to use for the collapsed overviewmap button. Default is `»`.
+ * Instead of text, also a Node (e.g. a `span` element) can be used.
+ * @type {string|Node|undefined}
  * @api
  */
 olx.control.OverviewMapOptions.prototype.label;
@@ -1237,7 +1243,7 @@ olx.control.ScaleLineOptions.prototype.units;
 /**
  * @typedef {{duration: (number|undefined),
  *     className: (string|undefined),
- *     label: (string|undefined),
+ *     label: (string|Node|undefined),
  *     tipLabel: (string|undefined),
  *     target: (Element|undefined),
  *     render: (function(ol.MapEvent)|undefined),
@@ -1256,8 +1262,9 @@ olx.control.RotateOptions.prototype.className;
 
 
 /**
- * Text label to use for the rotate button. Default is `⇧`
- * @type {string|undefined}
+ * Text label to use for the rotate button. Default is `⇧`.
+ * Instead of text, also a Node (e.g. a `span` element) can be used.
+ * @type {string|Node|undefined}
  * @api stable
  */
 olx.control.RotateOptions.prototype.label;
@@ -1307,8 +1314,8 @@ olx.control.RotateOptions.prototype.target;
 /**
  * @typedef {{duration: (number|undefined),
  *     className: (string|undefined),
- *     zoomInLabel: (string|undefined),
- *     zoomOutLabel: (string|undefined),
+ *     zoomInLabel: (string|Node|undefined),
+ *     zoomOutLabel: (string|Node|undefined),
  *     zoomInTipLabel: (string|undefined),
  *     zoomOutTipLabel: (string|undefined),
  *     delta: (number|undefined),
@@ -1335,16 +1342,18 @@ olx.control.ZoomOptions.prototype.className;
 
 
 /**
- * Text label to use for the zoom-in button. Default is `+`
- * @type {string|undefined}
+ * Text label to use for the zoom-in button. Default is `+`.
+ * Instead of text, also a Node (e.g. a `span` element) can be used.
+ * @type {string|Node|undefined}
  * @api stable
  */
 olx.control.ZoomOptions.prototype.zoomInLabel;
 
 
 /**
- * Text label to use for the zoom-out button. Default is `-`
- * @type {string|undefined}
+ * Text label to use for the zoom-out button. Default is `-`.
+ * Instead of text, also a Node (e.g. a `span` element) can be used.
+ * @type {string|Node|undefined}
  * @api stable
  */
 olx.control.ZoomOptions.prototype.zoomOutLabel;
@@ -1428,7 +1437,7 @@ olx.control.ZoomSliderOptions.prototype.render;
 /**
  * @typedef {{className: (string|undefined),
  *     target: (Element|undefined),
- *     label: (string|undefined),
+ *     label: (string|Node|undefined),
  *     tipLabel: (string|undefined),
  *     extent: (ol.Extent|undefined)}}
  * @api stable
@@ -1453,8 +1462,9 @@ olx.control.ZoomToExtentOptions.prototype.target;
 
 
 /**
- * Text label to use for the button. Default is `E`
- * @type {string|undefined}
+ * Text label to use for the button. Default is `E`.
+ * Instead of text, also a Node (e.g. a `span` element) can be used.
+ * @type {string|Node|undefined}
  * @api stable
  */
 olx.control.ZoomToExtentOptions.prototype.label;
diff --git a/src/ol/control/attributioncontrol.js b/src/ol/control/attributioncontrol.js
index 224f4dc167..a2623b956b 100644
--- a/src/ol/control/attributioncontrol.js
+++ b/src/ol/control/attributioncontrol.js
@@ -69,32 +69,33 @@ ol.control.Attribution = function(opt_options) {
   var tipLabel = goog.isDef(options.tipLabel) ?
       options.tipLabel : 'Attributions';
 
-  /**
-   * @private
-   * @type {string}
-   */
-  this.collapseLabel_ = goog.isDef(options.collapseLabel) ?
+  var collapseLabel = goog.isDef(options.collapseLabel) ?
       options.collapseLabel : '\u00BB';
 
   /**
    * @private
-   * @type {string}
+   * @type {Node}
    */
-  this.label_ = goog.isDef(options.label) ? options.label : 'i';
-  var label = goog.dom.createDom(goog.dom.TagName.SPAN, {},
-      (this.collapsible_ && !this.collapsed_) ?
-      this.collapseLabel_ : this.label_);
+  this.collapseLabel_ = /** @type {Node} */ (goog.isString(collapseLabel) ?
+      goog.dom.createDom(goog.dom.TagName.SPAN, {}, collapseLabel) :
+      collapseLabel);
 
+  var label = goog.isDef(options.label) ? options.label : 'i';
 
   /**
    * @private
-   * @type {Element}
+   * @type {Node}
    */
-  this.labelSpan_ = label;
+  this.label_ = /** @type {Node} */ (goog.isString(label) ?
+      goog.dom.createDom(goog.dom.TagName.SPAN, {}, label) :
+      label);
+
+  var activeLabel = (this.collapsible_ && !this.collapsed_) ?
+      this.collapseLabel_ : this.label_;
   var button = goog.dom.createDom(goog.dom.TagName.BUTTON, {
     'type': 'button',
     'title': tipLabel
-  }, this.labelSpan_);
+  }, activeLabel);
 
   goog.events.listen(button, goog.events.EventType.CLICK,
       this.handleClick_, false, this);
@@ -341,8 +342,11 @@ ol.control.Attribution.prototype.handleClick_ = function(event) {
  */
 ol.control.Attribution.prototype.handleToggle_ = function() {
   goog.dom.classlist.toggle(this.element, 'ol-collapsed');
-  goog.dom.setTextContent(this.labelSpan_,
-      (this.collapsed_) ? this.collapseLabel_ : this.label_);
+  if (this.collapsed_) {
+    goog.dom.replaceNode(this.collapseLabel_, this.label_);
+  } else {
+    goog.dom.replaceNode(this.label_, this.collapseLabel_);
+  }
   this.collapsed_ = !this.collapsed_;
 };
 
diff --git a/src/ol/control/overviewmapcontrol.js b/src/ol/control/overviewmapcontrol.js
index 628bdc77a1..307c76b7bf 100644
--- a/src/ol/control/overviewmapcontrol.js
+++ b/src/ol/control/overviewmapcontrol.js
@@ -57,31 +57,33 @@ ol.control.OverviewMap = function(opt_options) {
   var tipLabel = goog.isDef(options.tipLabel) ?
       options.tipLabel : 'Overview map';
 
-  /**
-   * @private
-   * @type {string}
-   */
-  this.collapseLabel_ = goog.isDef(options.collapseLabel) ?
+  var collapseLabel = goog.isDef(options.collapseLabel) ?
       options.collapseLabel : '\u00AB';
 
   /**
    * @private
-   * @type {string}
+   * @type {Node}
    */
-  this.label_ = goog.isDef(options.label) ? options.label : '\u00BB';
-  var label = goog.dom.createDom(goog.dom.TagName.SPAN, {},
-      (this.collapsible_ && !this.collapsed_) ?
-      this.collapseLabel_ : this.label_);
+  this.collapseLabel_ = /** @type {Node} */ (goog.isString(collapseLabel) ?
+      goog.dom.createDom(goog.dom.TagName.SPAN, {}, collapseLabel) :
+      collapseLabel);
+
+  var label = goog.isDef(options.label) ? options.label : '\u00BB';
 
   /**
    * @private
-   * @type {Element}
+   * @type {Node}
    */
-  this.labelSpan_ = label;
+  this.label_ = /** @type {Node} */ (goog.isString(label) ?
+      goog.dom.createDom(goog.dom.TagName.SPAN, {}, label) :
+      label);
+
+  var activeLabel = (this.collapsible_ && !this.collapsed_) ?
+      this.collapseLabel_ : this.label_;
   var button = goog.dom.createDom(goog.dom.TagName.BUTTON, {
     'type': 'button',
     'title': tipLabel
-  }, this.labelSpan_);
+  }, activeLabel);
 
   goog.events.listen(button, goog.events.EventType.CLICK,
       this.handleClick_, false, this);
@@ -427,8 +429,11 @@ ol.control.OverviewMap.prototype.handleClick_ = function(event) {
  */
 ol.control.OverviewMap.prototype.handleToggle_ = function() {
   goog.dom.classlist.toggle(this.element, 'ol-collapsed');
-  goog.dom.setTextContent(this.labelSpan_,
-      (this.collapsed_) ? this.collapseLabel_ : this.label_);
+  if (this.collapsed_) {
+    goog.dom.replaceNode(this.collapseLabel_, this.label_);
+  } else {
+    goog.dom.replaceNode(this.label_, this.collapseLabel_);
+  }
   this.collapsed_ = !this.collapsed_;
 
   // manage overview map if it had not been rendered before and control
diff --git a/src/ol/control/rotatecontrol.js b/src/ol/control/rotatecontrol.js
index 4073063fe7..fc84d65828 100644
--- a/src/ol/control/rotatecontrol.js
+++ b/src/ol/control/rotatecontrol.js
@@ -32,12 +32,22 @@ ol.control.Rotate = function(opt_options) {
   var className = goog.isDef(options.className) ?
       options.className : 'ol-rotate';
 
+  var label = goog.isDef(options.label) ?
+      options.label : '\u21E7';
+
   /**
-   * @type {Element}
+   * @type {Node}
    * @private
    */
-  this.label_ = goog.dom.createDom(goog.dom.TagName.SPAN,
-      'ol-compass', goog.isDef(options.label) ? options.label : '\u21E7');
+  this.label_ = null;
+
+  if (goog.isString(label)) {
+    this.label_ = goog.dom.createDom(goog.dom.TagName.SPAN,
+        'ol-compass', label);
+  } else {
+    this.label_ = label;
+    goog.dom.classlist.add(this.label_, 'ol-compass');
+  }
 
   var tipLabel = goog.isDef(options.tipLabel) ?
       options.tipLabel : 'Reset rotation';