diff --git a/ckan/public/scripts/application.js b/ckan/public/scripts/application.js
index baa8d6b9233..7e8a8cb8c23 100644
--- a/ckan/public/scripts/application.js
+++ b/ckan/public/scripts/application.js
@@ -1406,17 +1406,17 @@ CKAN.Utils = function($, my) {
   function followButtonClicked(event) {
     var button = event.currentTarget;
     if (button.id === 'user_follow_button') {
-        var object_id = button.attributes.user_id.nodeValue;
+        var object_id = button.getAttribute('data-user-id');
         var object_type = 'user';
     } else if (button.id === 'dataset_follow_button') {
-        var object_id = button.attributes.dataset_id.nodeValue;
+        var object_id = button.getAttribute('data-dataset-id');
         var object_type = 'dataset';
     }
     else {
         // This shouldn't happen.
         return;
     }
-    if (button.attributes.state.nodeValue === "follow") {
+    if (button.getAttribute('data-state') === "follow") {
         var url = '/api/action/follower_create';
         var data = JSON.stringify({
           object_id: object_id,
@@ -1424,7 +1424,7 @@ CKAN.Utils = function($, my) {
         });
         var nextState = 'unfollow';
         var nextString = 'Unfollow';
-    } else if (button.attributes.state.nodeValue === "unfollow") {
+    } else if (button.getAttribute('data-state') === "unfollow") {
         var url = '/api/action/follower_delete';
         var data = JSON.stringify({
           id: object_id,
@@ -1444,7 +1444,7 @@ CKAN.Utils = function($, my) {
       processData: false,
       type: 'POST',
       success: function(data) {
-        button.attributes.state.nodeValue = nextState;
+        button.setAttribute('data-state', nextState);
         button.innerHTML = nextString;
       },
     });
diff --git a/ckan/templates/package/layout.html b/ckan/templates/package/layout.html
index 9265ca6fdcb..f283c182cdb 100644
--- a/ckan/templates/package/layout.html
+++ b/ckan/templates/package/layout.html
@@ -59,8 +59,8 @@
       </li>
       <li py:if="c.authorized_to_follow" style="float:right;">
         <py:choose test="c.pkg_dict.am_following">
-          <a py:when="True" dataset_id="${c.pkg.id}" state="unfollow" id="dataset_follow_button" class="btn btn-mini">Unfollow</a>
-          <a py:otherwise="" dataset_id="${c.pkg.id}" state="follow" id="dataset_follow_button" class="btn btn-mini">Follow</a>
+          <a py:when="True" id="dataset_follow_button" class="btn btn-mini" data-dataset-id="${c.pkg.id}" data-state="unfollow">Unfollow</a>
+          <a py:otherwise="" id="dataset_follow_button" class="btn btn-mini" data-dataset-id="${c.pkg.id}" data-state="follow">Follow</a>
         </py:choose>
       </li>
     </ul>
diff --git a/ckan/templates/user/layout.html b/ckan/templates/user/layout.html
index e4c2c356366..163ec911dd7 100644
--- a/ckan/templates/user/layout.html
+++ b/ckan/templates/user/layout.html
@@ -24,8 +24,8 @@
           <li class="${'active' if c.action=='read' else ''}"><a href="${h.url_for(controller='user', action='read', id=c.user_dict.name)}">View Profile</a></li>
           <li style="float:right;" py:if="c.authorized_to_follow">
             <py:choose test="c.user_dict.am_following">
-              <a py:when="True" user_id="${c.user_dict.id}" id="user_follow_button" state="unfollow" class="btn btn-mini">Unfollow</a>
-              <a py:otherwise="" user_id="${c.user_dict.id}" id="user_follow_button" state="follow" class="btn btn-mini">Follow</a>
+              <a py:when="True" id="user_follow_button" class="btn btn-mini" data-user-id="${c.user_dict.id}" data-state="unfollow">Unfollow</a>
+              <a py:otherwise="" id="user_follow_button" class="btn btn-mini" data-user-id="${c.user_dict.id}" data-state="follow">Follow</a>
             </py:choose>
           </li>
           <li style="float:right;" class="${'active' if c.action=='followers' else ''}">