diff --git a/tests/unit/dialog/dialog.html b/tests/unit/dialog/dialog.html
index 97a5d44cd..d8260cc9f 100644
--- a/tests/unit/dialog/dialog.html
+++ b/tests/unit/dialog/dialog.html
@@ -19,6 +19,7 @@
 	<link rel="stylesheet" href="../../../external/qunit.css" type="text/css"/>
 	<script type="text/javascript" src="../../../external/qunit.js"></script>
 	<script type="text/javascript" src="../../jquery.simulate.js"></script>
+	<script type="text/javascript" src="../testsuite.js"></script>
 	
 	<script type="text/javascript" src="dialog_core.js"></script>
 	<script type="text/javascript" src="dialog_defaults.js"></script>
diff --git a/ui/jquery.ui.dialog.js b/ui/jquery.ui.dialog.js
index 5fb5f1007..46f931669 100644
--- a/ui/jquery.ui.dialog.js
+++ b/ui/jquery.ui.dialog.js
@@ -49,6 +49,10 @@ $.widget("ui.dialog", {
 	},
 	_create: function() {
 		this.originalTitle = this.element.attr('title');
+		// #5742 - .attr() might return a DOMElement
+		if ( typeof this.originalTitle !== "string" ) {
+			this.originalTitle = "";
+		}
 
 		var self = this,
 			options = self.options,