diff --git a/lib/checks/keyboard/focusable-element.js b/lib/checks/keyboard/focusable-element.js
index eacb898168..dc5d750697 100644
--- a/lib/checks/keyboard/focusable-element.js
+++ b/lib/checks/keyboard/focusable-element.js
@@ -4,9 +4,35 @@
  * - if element is focusable
  * - if element is in focus order via `tabindex`
  */
-const isFocusable = virtualNode.isFocusable;
+if (virtualNode.hasAttr('contenteditable') && isContenteditable(virtualNode)) {
+	return true;
+}
 
-let tabIndex = parseInt(virtualNode.actualNode.getAttribute('tabindex'), 10);
+const isFocusable = virtualNode.isFocusable;
+let tabIndex = parseInt(virtualNode.attr('tabindex'), 10);
 tabIndex = !isNaN(tabIndex) ? tabIndex : null;
 
 return tabIndex ? isFocusable && tabIndex >= 0 : isFocusable;
+
+// contenteditable is focusable when it is an empty string (whitespace
+// is not considered empty) or "true". if the value is "false"
+// you can't edit it, but if it's anything else it inherits the value
+// from the first valid ancestor
+// @see https://developer.mozilla.org/en-US/docs/Web/HTML/Global_attributes/contenteditable
+function isContenteditable(vNode) {
+	const contenteditable = vNode.attr('contenteditable');
+	if (contenteditable === 'true' || contenteditable === '') {
+		return true;
+	}
+
+	if (contenteditable === 'false') {
+		return false;
+	}
+
+	const ancestor = axe.utils.closest(virtualNode.parent, '[contenteditable]');
+	if (!ancestor) {
+		return false;
+	}
+
+	return isContenteditable(ancestor);
+}
diff --git a/test/checks/keyboard/focusable-element.js b/test/checks/keyboard/focusable-element.js
index 179936c6dc..a989f2e8b7 100644
--- a/test/checks/keyboard/focusable-element.js
+++ b/test/checks/keyboard/focusable-element.js
@@ -43,4 +43,52 @@ describe('focusable-element tests', function() {
 		var actual = check.evaluate.apply(checkContext, params);
 		assert.isTrue(actual);
 	});
+
+	it('returns true when element made focusable by contenteditable', function() {
+		var params = checkSetup(
+			'<p id="target" contenteditable>I hold some text </p>'
+		);
+		var actual = check.evaluate.apply(checkContext, params);
+		assert.isTrue(actual);
+	});
+
+	it('returns true when element made focusable by contenteditable="true"', function() {
+		var params = checkSetup(
+			'<p id="target" contenteditable="true">I hold some text </p>'
+		);
+		var actual = check.evaluate.apply(checkContext, params);
+		assert.isTrue(actual);
+	});
+
+	it('returns false when element made focusable by contenteditable="false"', function() {
+		var params = checkSetup(
+			'<p id="target" contenteditable="false">I hold some text </p>'
+		);
+		var actual = check.evaluate.apply(checkContext, params);
+		assert.isFalse(actual);
+	});
+
+	it('returns true when element made focusable by contenteditable="invalid" and parent is contenteditable', function() {
+		var params = checkSetup(
+			'<div contenteditable><p id="target" contenteditable="invalid">I hold some text </p></div>'
+		);
+		var actual = check.evaluate.apply(checkContext, params);
+		assert.isTrue(actual);
+	});
+
+	it('returns false when element made focusable by contenteditable="invalid" and parent is not contenteditable', function() {
+		var params = checkSetup(
+			'<div><p id="target" contenteditable="invalid">I hold some text </p></div>'
+		);
+		var actual = check.evaluate.apply(checkContext, params);
+		assert.isFalse(actual);
+	});
+
+	it('returns false when element made focusable by contenteditable="invalid" and parent is contenteditable="false"', function() {
+		var params = checkSetup(
+			'<div contenteditable="false"><p id="target" contenteditable="invalid">I hold some text </p></div>'
+		);
+		var actual = check.evaluate.apply(checkContext, params);
+		assert.isFalse(actual);
+	});
 });
diff --git a/test/integration/rules/scrollable-region-focusable/scrollable-region-focusable.html b/test/integration/rules/scrollable-region-focusable/scrollable-region-focusable.html
index 3ee4ed78f7..94ad8f2a3a 100644
--- a/test/integration/rules/scrollable-region-focusable/scrollable-region-focusable.html
+++ b/test/integration/rules/scrollable-region-focusable/scrollable-region-focusable.html
@@ -16,6 +16,26 @@
 	<p style="height: 200px;" tabindex="0"></p>
 </div>
 
+<div id="pass4" style="height: 200px; overflow-y: auto" contenteditable="true">
+	<div style="height: 2000px">
+		<p>Content</p>
+	</div>
+</div>
+
+<div id="pass5" style="height: 200px; overflow-y: auto" contenteditable="true">
+	<div style="height: 2000px">
+		<div
+			id="pass6"
+			style="height: 200px; overflow-y: auto"
+			contenteditable="invalid"
+		>
+			<div style="height: 2000px">
+				<p>Content</p>
+			</div>
+		</div>
+	</div>
+</div>
+
 <!-- fail -->
 <div id="fail1" style="height: 5px; overflow: auto;">
 	<input type="text" tabindex="-1" />
@@ -27,6 +47,12 @@
 	<textarea tabindex="-1"></textarea>
 </div>
 
+<div id="fail3" style="height: 200px; overflow-y: auto" contenteditable="false">
+	<div style="height: 2000px">
+		<p>Content</p>
+	</div>
+</div>
+
 <!-- inapplicable -->
 <section id="inapplicable1">This element is not scrollable</section>
 
diff --git a/test/integration/rules/scrollable-region-focusable/scrollable-region-focusable.json b/test/integration/rules/scrollable-region-focusable/scrollable-region-focusable.json
index 44d2f4d059..65efdf74d2 100644
--- a/test/integration/rules/scrollable-region-focusable/scrollable-region-focusable.json
+++ b/test/integration/rules/scrollable-region-focusable/scrollable-region-focusable.json
@@ -1,6 +1,13 @@
 {
 	"description": "scrollable-region-focusable tests",
 	"rule": "scrollable-region-focusable",
-	"violations": [["#fail1"], ["#fail2"]],
-	"passes": [["#pass1"], ["#pass2"], ["#pass3"]]
+	"violations": [["#fail1"], ["#fail2"], ["#fail3"]],
+	"passes": [
+		["#pass1"],
+		["#pass2"],
+		["#pass3"],
+		["#pass4"],
+		["#pass5"],
+		["#pass6"]
+	]
 }