diff --git a/ext/ragel/base_lexer.rl b/ext/ragel/base_lexer.rl
index e41b40e..d5f8070 100644
--- a/ext/ragel/base_lexer.rl
+++ b/ext/ragel/base_lexer.rl
@@ -53,6 +53,9 @@
     ident_char = unicode | [a-zA-Z0-9\-_\.];
     identifier = ident_char+;
 
+    html_ident_char = unicode | [a-zA-Z0-9\-_\.:];
+    html_identifier = html_ident_char+;
+
     whitespace_or_newline = whitespace | newline;
 
     action count_newlines {
@@ -390,12 +393,23 @@
     # Machine used for lexing the name/namespace of an element.
     element_name := |*
         identifier ':' => {
-            callback(id_on_element_ns, data, encoding, ts, te - 1);
+            if ( !html_p )
+            {
+                callback(id_on_element_ns, data, encoding, ts, te - 1);
+            }
         };
 
         identifier => {
             callback(id_on_element_name, data, encoding, ts, te);
-            fnext element_head;
+
+            if ( html_p )
+            {
+                fnext html_element_head;
+            }
+            else
+            {
+                fnext element_head;
+            }
         };
     *|;
 
@@ -508,8 +522,33 @@
         any => hold_and_return;
     *|;
 
-    # Machine used for processing the contents of an element's starting tag.
-    # This includes the name, namespace and attributes.
+    action start_attribute_pre {
+        fcall attribute_pre;
+    }
+
+    action close_open_element {
+        callback_simple(id_on_element_open_end);
+
+        if ( html_script_p() )
+        {
+            fnext html_script;
+        }
+        else if ( html_style_p() )
+        {
+            fnext html_style;
+        }
+        else
+        {
+            fnext main;
+        }
+    }
+
+    action close_self_closing_element {
+        callback_simple(id_on_element_end);
+        fnext main;
+    }
+
+    # Machine used for processing the contents of an XML element's starting tag.
     element_head := |*
         newline => advance_newline;
 
@@ -522,12 +561,30 @@
             callback(id_on_attribute, data, encoding, ts, te);
         };
 
-        # Attribute values.
-        '=' => {
-            fcall attribute_pre;
+        '=' => start_attribute_pre;
+
+        '>' => {
+            callback_simple(id_on_element_open_end);
+
+            fnext main;
         };
 
-        # We're done with the open tag of the element.
+        '/>' => close_self_closing_element;
+
+        any;
+    *|;
+
+    # Machine used for processing the contents of an HTML element's starting
+    # tag.
+    html_element_head := |*
+        newline => advance_newline;
+
+        html_identifier => {
+            callback(id_on_attribute, data, encoding, ts, te);
+        };
+
+        '=' => start_attribute_pre;
+
         '>' => {
             callback_simple(id_on_element_open_end);
 
@@ -545,11 +602,7 @@
             }
         };
 
-        # Self closing tags.
-        '/>' => {
-            callback_simple(id_on_element_end);
-            fnext main;
-        };
+        '/>' => close_self_closing_element;
 
         any;
     *|;
diff --git a/lib/oga/xml/element.rb b/lib/oga/xml/element.rb
index 02bda03..c513f3c 100644
--- a/lib/oga/xml/element.rb
+++ b/lib/oga/xml/element.rb
@@ -64,7 +64,11 @@ module Oga
       #
       # @return [Oga::XML::Attribute]
       def attribute(name)
-        name, ns = split_name(name)
+        if html?
+          ns = nil
+        else
+          name, ns = split_name(name)
+        end
 
         attributes.each do |attr|
           return attr if attribute_matches?(attr, ns, name)
diff --git a/spec/oga/html/lexer/attributes_spec.rb b/spec/oga/html/lexer/attributes_spec.rb
index e31c525..7773dd6 100644
--- a/spec/oga/html/lexer/attributes_spec.rb
+++ b/spec/oga/html/lexer/attributes_spec.rb
@@ -138,5 +138,16 @@ describe Oga::XML::Lexer do
         [:T_ELEM_END, nil, 2]
       ]
     end
+
+    it 'lexes an element containing a namespaced attribute' do
+      lex_html('<foo bar:baz="10" />').should == [
+        [:T_ELEM_NAME, 'foo', 1],
+        [:T_ATTR, 'bar:baz', 1],
+        [:T_STRING_DQUOTE, nil, 1],
+        [:T_STRING_BODY, '10', 1],
+        [:T_STRING_DQUOTE, nil, 1],
+        [:T_ELEM_END, nil, 1]
+      ]
+    end
   end
 end
diff --git a/spec/oga/html/lexer/elements_spec.rb b/spec/oga/html/lexer/elements_spec.rb
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..3988e8c
--- /dev/null
+++ b/spec/oga/html/lexer/elements_spec.rb
@@ -0,0 +1,12 @@
+require 'spec_helper'
+
+describe Oga::XML::Lexer do
+  describe 'HTML elements' do
+    it 'lexes an element containing an element namespace' do
+      lex_html('<foo:bar />').should == [
+        [:T_ELEM_NAME, 'bar', 1],
+        [:T_ELEM_END, nil, 1]
+      ]
+    end
+  end
+end
diff --git a/spec/oga/xml/element_spec.rb b/spec/oga/xml/element_spec.rb
index 286a1d4..d43c6e5 100644
--- a/spec/oga/xml/element_spec.rb
+++ b/spec/oga/xml/element_spec.rb
@@ -105,6 +105,16 @@ describe Oga::XML::Element do
     it 'returns nil if an attribute has a namespace that is not given' do
       @instance.attribute('bar').nil?.should == true
     end
+
+    describe 'using an HTML document' do
+      it 'returns an attribute containing a namespace separator' do
+        attr = Oga::XML::Attribute.new(:name => 'foo:bar', :value => 'foo')
+        el   = described_class.new(:name => 'foo', :attributes => [attr])
+        doc  = Oga::XML::Document.new(:children => [el], :type => :html)
+
+        el.attribute('foo:bar').should == attr
+      end
+    end
   end
 
   describe '#get' do