diff --git a/src/js/_enqueues/wp/emoji.js b/src/js/_enqueues/wp/emoji.js
index b2c8e1a15a..27882d1e27 100644
--- a/src/js/_enqueues/wp/emoji.js
+++ b/src/js/_enqueues/wp/emoji.js
@@ -253,6 +253,11 @@
 
 					return ''.concat( options.base, icon, options.ext );
 				},
+				attributes: function() {
+					return {
+						role: 'img'
+					};
+				},
 				onerror: function() {
 					if ( twemoji.parentNode ) {
 						this.setAttribute( 'data-error', 'load-failed' );