diff --git a/lib/checks/forms/autocomplete-appropriate.js b/lib/checks/forms/autocomplete-appropriate.js
index ba44857169..0a5590babb 100644
--- a/lib/checks/forms/autocomplete-appropriate.js
+++ b/lib/checks/forms/autocomplete-appropriate.js
@@ -1,5 +1,5 @@
 // Select and textarea is always allowed
-if (virtualNode.elementNodeName !== 'input') {
+if (virtualNode.props.nodeName !== 'input') {
 	return true;
 }
 
diff --git a/lib/core/base/virtual-node.js b/lib/core/base/virtual-node.js
index 8aa998d783..f5df8f6736 100644
--- a/lib/core/base/virtual-node.js
+++ b/lib/core/base/virtual-node.js
@@ -17,18 +17,24 @@ class VirtualNode {
 		this._isHidden = null; // will be populated by axe.utils.isHidden
 		this._cache = {};
 
-		// abstract Node and Element APIs so we can run axe in DOM-less
-		// environments. these are static properties in the assumption
-		// that axe does not change any of them while it runs.
-		this.elementNodeType = node.nodeType;
-		this.elementNodeName = node.nodeName.toLowerCase();
-		this.elementId = node.id;
-
 		if (axe._cache.get('nodeMap')) {
 			axe._cache.get('nodeMap').set(node, this);
 		}
 	}
 
+	// abstract Node properties so we can run axe in DOM-less environments.
+	// add to the prototype so memory is shared across all virtual nodes
+	get props() {
+		const { nodeType, nodeName, id, type } = this.actualNode;
+
+		return {
+			nodeType,
+			nodeName: nodeName.toLowerCase(),
+			id,
+			type
+		};
+	}
+
 	/**
 	 * Determine if the actualNode has the given class name.
 	 * @see https://j11y.io/jquery/#v=2.0.3&fn=jQuery.fn.hasClass
@@ -66,7 +72,7 @@ class VirtualNode {
 	/**
 	 * Determine if the element has the given attribute.
 	 * @param {String} attrName The name of the attribute
-	 * @return {Bool} True if the element has the attribute, false otherwise.
+	 * @return {Boolean} True if the element has the attribute, false otherwise.
 	 */
 	hasAttr(attrName) {
 		if (typeof this.actualNode.hasAttribute !== 'function') {
diff --git a/lib/core/utils/qsa.js b/lib/core/utils/qsa.js
index b4d4df89ed..a9d4152bf3 100644
--- a/lib/core/utils/qsa.js
+++ b/lib/core/utils/qsa.js
@@ -6,8 +6,8 @@ var matchExpressions = function() {};
 
 function matchesTag(vNode, exp) {
 	return (
-		vNode.elementNodeType === 1 &&
-		(exp.tag === '*' || vNode.elementNodeName === exp.tag)
+		vNode.props.nodeType === 1 &&
+		(exp.tag === '*' || vNode.props.nodeName === exp.tag)
 	);
 }
 
@@ -26,7 +26,7 @@ function matchesAttributes(vNode, exp) {
 }
 
 function matchesId(vNode, exp) {
-	return !exp.id || vNode.elementId === exp.id;
+	return !exp.id || vNode.props.id === exp.id;
 }
 
 function matchesPseudos(target, exp) {
diff --git a/lib/rules/autocomplete-matches.js b/lib/rules/autocomplete-matches.js
index ace7eec2d2..8353418372 100644
--- a/lib/rules/autocomplete-matches.js
+++ b/lib/rules/autocomplete-matches.js
@@ -1,31 +1,34 @@
 const { text, aria, dom } = axe.commons;
 
-const autocomplete = node.getAttribute('autocomplete');
+const autocomplete = virtualNode.attr('autocomplete');
 if (!autocomplete || text.sanitize(autocomplete) === '') {
 	return false;
 }
 
-const nodeName = node.nodeName.toUpperCase();
-if (['TEXTAREA', 'INPUT', 'SELECT'].includes(nodeName) === false) {
+const nodeName = virtualNode.props.nodeName;
+if (['textarea', 'input', 'select'].includes(nodeName) === false) {
 	return false;
 }
 
 // The element is an `input` element a `type` of `hidden`, `button`, `submit` or `reset`
 const excludedInputTypes = ['submit', 'reset', 'button', 'hidden'];
-if (nodeName === 'INPUT' && excludedInputTypes.includes(node.type)) {
+if (
+	nodeName === 'input' &&
+	excludedInputTypes.includes(virtualNode.props.type)
+) {
 	return false;
 }
 
 // The element has a `disabled` or `aria-disabled="true"` attribute
-const ariaDisabled = node.getAttribute('aria-disabled') || 'false';
-if (node.disabled || ariaDisabled.toLowerCase() === 'true') {
+const ariaDisabled = virtualNode.attr('aria-disabled') || 'false';
+if (virtualNode.hasAttr('disabled') || ariaDisabled.toLowerCase() === 'true') {
 	return false;
 }
 
 // The element has `tabindex="-1"` and has a [[semantic role]] that is
 //   not a [widget](https://www.w3.org/TR/wai-aria-1.1/#widget_roles)
-const role = node.getAttribute('role');
-const tabIndex = node.getAttribute('tabindex');
+const role = virtualNode.attr('role');
+const tabIndex = virtualNode.attr('tabindex');
 if (tabIndex === '-1' && role) {
 	const roleDef = aria.lookupTable.role[role];
 	if (roleDef === undefined || roleDef.type !== 'widget') {
@@ -36,8 +39,9 @@ if (tabIndex === '-1' && role) {
 // The element is **not** visible on the page or exposed to assistive technologies
 if (
 	tabIndex === '-1' &&
-	!dom.isVisible(node, false) &&
-	!dom.isVisible(node, true)
+	virtualNode.actualNode &&
+	!dom.isVisible(virtualNode.actualNode, false) &&
+	!dom.isVisible(virtualNode.actualNode, true)
 ) {
 	return false;
 }
diff --git a/test/core/base/virtual-node.js b/test/core/base/virtual-node.js
index da2df876bf..71b7cf4b34 100644
--- a/test/core/base/virtual-node.js
+++ b/test/core/base/virtual-node.js
@@ -24,13 +24,16 @@ describe('VirtualNode', function() {
 			assert.equal(vNode.actualNode, node);
 		});
 
-		it('should abstract Node and Element APIs', function() {
+		it('should abstract Node properties', function() {
+			node = document.createElement('input');
 			node.id = 'monkeys';
 			var vNode = new VirtualNode(node);
 
-			assert.equal(vNode.elementNodeType, 1);
-			assert.equal(vNode.elementNodeName, 'div');
-			assert.equal(vNode.elementId, 'monkeys');
+			assert.isDefined(vNode.props);
+			assert.equal(vNode.props.nodeType, 1);
+			assert.equal(vNode.props.nodeName, 'input');
+			assert.equal(vNode.props.id, 'monkeys');
+			assert.equal(vNode.props.type, 'text');
 		});
 
 		it('should lowercase nodeName', function() {
@@ -39,7 +42,7 @@ describe('VirtualNode', function() {
 			};
 			var vNode = new VirtualNode(node);
 
-			assert.equal(vNode.elementNodeName, 'foobar');
+			assert.equal(vNode.props.nodeName, 'foobar');
 		});
 
 		describe('hasClass', function() {
diff --git a/test/rule-matches/autocomplete-matches.js b/test/rule-matches/autocomplete-matches.js
index e4343c601e..66cf1b7da9 100644
--- a/test/rule-matches/autocomplete-matches.js
+++ b/test/rule-matches/autocomplete-matches.js
@@ -1,6 +1,7 @@
 describe('autocomplete-matches', function() {
 	'use strict';
 	var fixture = document.getElementById('fixture');
+	var queryFixture = axe.testUtils.queryFixture;
 	var rule = axe._audit.rules.find(function(rule) {
 		return rule.id === 'autocomplete-valid';
 	});
@@ -14,105 +15,88 @@ describe('autocomplete-matches', function() {
 	});
 
 	it('returns true for input elements', function() {
-		var elm = document.createElement('input');
-		elm.setAttribute('autocomplete', 'foo');
-		fixture.appendChild(elm);
-		assert.isTrue(rule.matches(elm));
+		var vNode = queryFixture('<input id="target" autocomplete="foo">');
+		assert.isTrue(rule.matches(null, vNode));
 	});
 
 	it('returns true for select elements', function() {
-		var elm = document.createElement('select');
-		elm.setAttribute('autocomplete', 'foo');
-		fixture.appendChild(elm);
-		assert.isTrue(rule.matches(elm));
+		var vNode = queryFixture('<select id="target" autocomplete="foo">');
+		assert.isTrue(rule.matches(null, vNode));
 	});
 
 	it('returns true for textarea elements', function() {
-		var elm = document.createElement('textarea');
-		elm.setAttribute('autocomplete', 'foo');
-		fixture.appendChild(elm);
-		assert.isTrue(rule.matches(elm));
+		var vNode = queryFixture('<textarea id="target" autocomplete="foo">');
+		assert.isTrue(rule.matches(null, vNode));
 	});
 
 	it('returns false for buttons elements', function() {
-		var elm = document.createElement('button');
-		elm.setAttribute('autocomplete', 'foo');
-		fixture.appendChild(elm);
-		assert.isFalse(rule.matches(elm));
+		var vNode = queryFixture('<button id="target" autocomplete="foo">');
+		assert.isFalse(rule.matches(null, vNode));
 	});
 
 	it('should return false for non-form field elements', function() {
-		var elm = document.createElement('div');
-		elm.setAttribute('autocomplete', 'foo');
-		fixture.appendChild(elm);
-		assert.isFalse(rule.matches(elm));
+		var vNode = queryFixture('<div id="target" autocomplete="foo">');
+		assert.isFalse(rule.matches(null, vNode));
 	});
 
 	it('returns false for input buttons', function() {
 		['reset', 'submit', 'button'].forEach(function(type) {
-			var elm = document.createElement('input');
-			elm.setAttribute('autocomplete', 'foo');
-			elm.type = type;
-			fixture.appendChild(elm);
-			assert.isFalse(rule.matches(elm));
+			var vNode = queryFixture(
+				'<input id="target" type="' + type + '" autocomplete="foo">'
+			);
+			assert.isFalse(rule.matches(null, vNode));
 		});
 	});
 
 	it('returns false for elements with an empty autocomplete', function() {
-		var elm = document.createElement('input');
-		elm.setAttribute('autocomplete', '  ');
-		fixture.appendChild(elm);
-		assert.isFalse(rule.matches(elm));
+		var vNode = queryFixture('<input id="target" autocomplete="  ">');
+		assert.isFalse(rule.matches(null, vNode));
 	});
 
 	it('returns false for intput[type=hidden]', function() {
-		var elm = document.createElement('input');
-		elm.setAttribute('autocomplete', 'foo');
-		elm.type = 'hidden';
-		fixture.appendChild(elm);
-		assert.isFalse(rule.matches(elm));
+		var vNode = queryFixture(
+			'<input id="target" type="hidden" autocomplete="foo">'
+		);
+		assert.isFalse(rule.matches(null, vNode));
 	});
 
 	it('returns false for disabled fields', function() {
 		['input', 'select', 'textarea'].forEach(function(tagName) {
-			var elm = document.createElement(tagName);
-			elm.setAttribute('autocomplete', 'foo');
-			elm.disabled = true;
-			fixture.appendChild(elm);
-			assert.isFalse(rule.matches(elm));
+			var vNode = queryFixture(
+				'<' + tagName + ' id="target" disabled autocomplete="foo">'
+			);
+			assert.isFalse(rule.matches(null, vNode));
 		});
 	});
 
 	it('returns false for aria-disabled=true fields', function() {
 		['input', 'select', 'textarea'].forEach(function(tagName) {
-			var elm = document.createElement(tagName);
-			elm.setAttribute('autocomplete', 'foo');
-			elm.setAttribute('aria-disabled', 'true');
-			fixture.appendChild(elm);
-			assert.isFalse(rule.matches(elm));
+			var vNode = queryFixture(
+				'<' + tagName + ' id="target" aria-disabled="true" autocomplete="foo">'
+			);
+			assert.isFalse(rule.matches(null, vNode));
 		});
 	});
 
 	it('returns true for aria-disabled=false fields', function() {
 		['input', 'select', 'textarea'].forEach(function(tagName) {
-			var elm = document.createElement(tagName);
-			elm.setAttribute('autocomplete', 'foo');
-			elm.setAttribute('aria-disabled', 'false');
-			fixture.appendChild(elm);
-			assert.isTrue(rule.matches(elm));
+			var vNode = queryFixture(
+				'<' + tagName + ' id="target" aria-disabled="false" autocomplete="foo">'
+			);
+			assert.isTrue(rule.matches(null, vNode));
 		});
 	});
 
 	it('returns false for non-widget roles with tabindex=-1', function() {
 		var nonWidgetRoles = ['application', 'fakerole', 'main'];
 		nonWidgetRoles.forEach(function(role) {
-			var elm = document.createElement('input');
-			elm.setAttribute('autocomplete', 'foo');
-			elm.setAttribute('role', role);
-			elm.setAttribute('tabindex', '-1');
-			fixture.appendChild(elm);
+			var vNode = queryFixture(
+				'<input id="target" role="' +
+					role +
+					'" tabindex="-1" autocomplete="foo">'
+			);
 			assert.isFalse(
-				rule.matches(elm),
+				rule.matches(null, vNode),
 				'Expect role=' + role + ' to be ignored when it has tabindex=-1'
 			);
 		});
@@ -121,36 +105,30 @@ describe('autocomplete-matches', function() {
 	it('returns true for form fields with a widget role with tabindex=-1', function() {
 		var nonWidgetRoles = ['button', 'menuitem', 'slider'];
 		nonWidgetRoles.forEach(function(role) {
-			var elm = document.createElement('input');
-			elm.setAttribute('autocomplete', 'foo');
-			elm.setAttribute('role', role);
-			elm.setAttribute('tabindex', '-1');
-			fixture.appendChild(elm);
-			assert.isTrue(rule.matches(elm));
+			var vNode = queryFixture(
+				'<input id="target" role="' +
+					role +
+					'" tabindex="-1" autocomplete="foo">'
+			);
+			assert.isTrue(rule.matches(null, vNode));
 		});
 	});
 
 	it('returns true for form fields with tabindex=-1', function() {
 		['input', 'select', 'textarea'].forEach(function(tagName) {
-			var elm = document.createElement(tagName);
-			elm.setAttribute('autocomplete', 'foo');
-			elm.setAttribute('tabindex', -1);
-			fixture.appendChild(elm);
-			assert.isTrue(rule.matches(elm));
+			var vNode = queryFixture(
+				'<' + tagName + ' id="target" tabindex="-1" autocomplete="foo">'
+			);
+			assert.isTrue(rule.matches(null, vNode));
 		});
 	});
 
 	it('returns false for off screen and hidden form fields with tabindex=-1', function() {
-		var elm = document.createElement('input');
-		elm.setAttribute('autocomplete', 'foo');
-		elm.setAttribute('tabindex', -1);
-		elm.setAttribute('style', 'position:absolute; top:-9999em');
-
-		var parent = document.createElement('div');
-		parent.appendChild(elm);
-		parent.setAttribute('aria-hidden', 'true');
-
-		fixture.appendChild(parent);
-		assert.isFalse(rule.matches(elm));
+		var vNode = queryFixture(
+			'<div aria-hidden="true">' +
+				'<input id="target" tabindex="-1" style="position:absolute; top:-9999em" autocomplete="foo">' +
+				'</div>'
+		);
+		assert.isFalse(rule.matches(null, vNode));
 	});
 });