diff --git a/sphinx/themes/basic/static/searchtools.js b/sphinx/themes/basic/static/searchtools.js
index 970d0d975..261ecaa92 100644
--- a/sphinx/themes/basic/static/searchtools.js
+++ b/sphinx/themes/basic/static/searchtools.js
@@ -59,10 +59,10 @@ var Search = {
   _pulse_status : -1,
 
   htmlToText : function(htmlString) {
-      var htmlElement = document.createElement('span');
-      htmlElement.innerHTML = htmlString;
-      $(htmlElement).find('.headerlink').remove();
-      docContent = $(htmlElement).find('[role=main]')[0];
+      var virtualDocument = document.implementation.createHTMLDocument('virtual');
+      var htmlElement = $(htmlString, virtualDocument);
+      htmlElement.find('.headerlink').remove();
+      docContent = htmlElement.find('[role=main]')[0];
       if(docContent === undefined) {
           console.warn("Content block not found. Sphinx search tries to obtain it " +
                        "via '[role=main]'. Could you check your theme or template.");