diff --git a/src/components/views/messages/DateSeparator.js b/src/components/views/messages/DateSeparator.js
index 88b59d0c26..56faa670b2 100644
--- a/src/components/views/messages/DateSeparator.js
+++ b/src/components/views/messages/DateSeparator.js
@@ -57,6 +57,7 @@ export default class DateSeparator extends React.Component {
 
     render() {
         // ARIA treats <hr/>s as separators, here we abuse them slightly so manually treat this entire thing as one
+        // tab-index=-1 to allow it to be focusable but do not add tab stop for it, primarily for screen readers
         return <h2 className="mx_DateSeparator" role="separator" tabIndex={-1}>
             <hr role="none" />
             <div>{ this.getLabel() }</div>
diff --git a/src/components/views/rooms/EventTile.js b/src/components/views/rooms/EventTile.js
index bc502d0674..9497324f5a 100644
--- a/src/components/views/rooms/EventTile.js
+++ b/src/components/views/rooms/EventTile.js
@@ -787,6 +787,7 @@ module.exports = createReactClass({
                     this.props.permalinkCreator,
                     'replyThread',
                 );
+                // tab-index=-1 to allow it to be focusable but do not add tab stop for it, primarily for screen readers
                 return (
                     <div className={classes} tabIndex={-1}>
                         <div className="mx_EventTile_msgOption">