diff --git a/src/js/player.js b/src/js/player.js
index a943e193fe..57355fc250 100644
--- a/src/js/player.js
+++ b/src/js/player.js
@@ -490,8 +490,15 @@ class Player extends Component {
    *         The DOM element that gets created.
    */
   createEl() {
-    const el = this.el_ = super.createEl('div');
     const tag = this.tag;
+    let el;
+    const playerElIngest = this.playerElIngest_ = tag.parentNode && tag.parentNode.hasAttribute('data-vjs-player');
+
+    if (playerElIngest) {
+      el = this.el_ = tag.parentNode;
+    } else {
+      el = this.el_ = super.createEl('div');
+    }
 
     // Remove width/height attrs from tag so CSS can make it 100% width/height
     tag.removeAttribute('width');
@@ -505,7 +512,7 @@ class Player extends Component {
       // workaround so we don't totally break IE7
       // http://stackoverflow.com/questions/3653444/css-styles-not-applied-on-dynamic-elements-in-internet-explorer-7
       if (attr === 'class') {
-        el.className = attrs[attr];
+        el.className += ' ' + attrs[attr];
       } else {
         el.setAttribute(attr, attrs[attr]);
       }
@@ -555,7 +562,7 @@ class Player extends Component {
     tag.initNetworkState_ = tag.networkState;
 
     // Wrap video tag in div (el/box) container
-    if (tag.parentNode) {
+    if (tag.parentNode && !playerElIngest) {
       tag.parentNode.insertBefore(el, tag);
     }
 
@@ -836,6 +843,7 @@ class Player extends Component {
       'muted': this.options_.muted,
       'poster': this.poster(),
       'language': this.language(),
+      'playerElIngest': this.playerElIngest_ || false,
       'vtt.js': this.options_['vtt.js']
     }, this.options_[techName.toLowerCase()]);
 
diff --git a/src/js/tech/html5.js b/src/js/tech/html5.js
index 32037828eb..2f739bb0bc 100644
--- a/src/js/tech/html5.js
+++ b/src/js/tech/html5.js
@@ -185,15 +185,21 @@ class Html5 extends Tech {
     // Check if this browser supports moving the element into the box.
     // On the iPhone video will break if you move the element,
     // So we have to create a brand new element.
-    if (!el || this.movingMediaElementInDOM === false) {
+    // If we ingested the player div, we do not need to move the media element.
+    if (!el ||
+        !(this.options_.playerElIngest ||
+          this.movingMediaElementInDOM)) {
 
       // If the original tag is still there, clone and remove it.
       if (el) {
         const clone = el.cloneNode(true);
 
-        el.parentNode.insertBefore(clone, el);
+        if (el.parentNode) {
+          el.parentNode.insertBefore(clone, el);
+        }
         Html5.disposeMediaElement(el);
         el = clone;
+
       } else {
         el = document.createElement('video');
 
diff --git a/test/unit/player.test.js b/test/unit/player.test.js
index 8d325a67c2..c374776219 100644
--- a/test/unit/player.test.js
+++ b/test/unit/player.test.js
@@ -830,6 +830,93 @@ QUnit.test('should restore attributes from the original video tag when creating
   assert.equal(el.getAttribute('webkit-playsinline'), '', 'webkit-playsinline attribute was set properly');
 });
 
+QUnit.test('if tag exists and movingMediaElementInDOM, re-use the tag', function(assert) {
+  // simulate attributes stored from the original tag
+  const tag = Dom.createEl('video');
+
+  tag.setAttribute('preload', 'auto');
+  tag.setAttribute('autoplay', '');
+  tag.setAttribute('webkit-playsinline', '');
+
+  const html5Mock = {
+    options_: {
+      tag,
+      playerElIngest: false
+    },
+    movingMediaElementInDOM: true
+  };
+
+  // set options that should override tag attributes
+  html5Mock.options_.preload = 'none';
+
+  // create the element
+  const el = Html5.prototype.createEl.call(html5Mock);
+
+  assert.equal(el.getAttribute('preload'), 'none', 'attribute was successful overridden by an option');
+  assert.equal(el.getAttribute('autoplay'), '', 'autoplay attribute was set properly');
+  assert.equal(el.getAttribute('webkit-playsinline'), '', 'webkit-playsinline attribute was set properly');
+
+  assert.equal(el, tag, 'we have re-used the tag as expected');
+});
+
+QUnit.test('if tag exists and *not* movingMediaElementInDOM, create a new tag', function(assert) {
+  // simulate attributes stored from the original tag
+  const tag = Dom.createEl('video');
+
+  tag.setAttribute('preload', 'auto');
+  tag.setAttribute('autoplay', '');
+  tag.setAttribute('webkit-playsinline', '');
+
+  const html5Mock = {
+    options_: {
+      tag,
+      playerElIngest: false
+    },
+    movingMediaElementInDOM: false
+  };
+
+  // set options that should override tag attributes
+  html5Mock.options_.preload = 'none';
+
+  // create the element
+  const el = Html5.prototype.createEl.call(html5Mock);
+
+  assert.equal(el.getAttribute('preload'), 'none', 'attribute was successful overridden by an option');
+  assert.equal(el.getAttribute('autoplay'), '', 'autoplay attribute was set properly');
+  assert.equal(el.getAttribute('webkit-playsinline'), '', 'webkit-playsinline attribute was set properly');
+
+  assert.notEqual(el, tag, 'we have not re-used the tag as expected');
+});
+
+QUnit.test('if tag exists and *not* movingMediaElementInDOM, but playerElIngest re-use tag', function(assert) {
+  // simulate attributes stored from the original tag
+  const tag = Dom.createEl('video');
+
+  tag.setAttribute('preload', 'auto');
+  tag.setAttribute('autoplay', '');
+  tag.setAttribute('webkit-playsinline', '');
+
+  const html5Mock = {
+    options_: {
+      tag,
+      playerElIngest: true
+    },
+    movingMediaElementInDOM: false
+  };
+
+  // set options that should override tag attributes
+  html5Mock.options_.preload = 'none';
+
+  // create the element
+  const el = Html5.prototype.createEl.call(html5Mock);
+
+  assert.equal(el.getAttribute('preload'), 'none', 'attribute was successful overridden by an option');
+  assert.equal(el.getAttribute('autoplay'), '', 'autoplay attribute was set properly');
+  assert.equal(el.getAttribute('webkit-playsinline'), '', 'webkit-playsinline attribute was set properly');
+
+  assert.equal(el, tag, 'we have re-used the tag as expected');
+});
+
 QUnit.test('should honor default inactivity timeout', function(assert) {
   const clock = sinon.useFakeTimers();
 
diff --git a/test/unit/video.test.js b/test/unit/video.test.js
index 0ba89af735..c9252613c1 100644
--- a/test/unit/video.test.js
+++ b/test/unit/video.test.js
@@ -40,6 +40,9 @@ QUnit.test('should return a video player instance', function(assert) {
   const player2 = videojs(tag2, { techOrder: ['techFaker'] });
 
   assert.ok(player2.id() === 'test_vid_id2', 'created player from element');
+
+  player.dispose();
+  player2.dispose();
 });
 
 QUnit.test('should return a video player instance from el html5 tech', function(assert) {
@@ -66,6 +69,9 @@ QUnit.test('should return a video player instance from el html5 tech', function(
   const player2 = videojs(tag2, { techOrder: ['techFaker'] });
 
   assert.ok(player2.id() === 'test_vid_id2', 'created player from element');
+
+  player.dispose();
+  player2.dispose();
 });
 
 QUnit.test('should return a video player instance from el techfaker', function(assert) {
@@ -91,6 +97,9 @@ QUnit.test('should return a video player instance from el techfaker', function(a
   const player2 = videojs(tag2, { techOrder: ['techFaker'] });
 
   assert.ok(player2.id() === 'test_vid_id2', 'created player from element');
+
+  player.dispose();
+  player2.dispose();
 });
 
 QUnit.test('should add the value to the languages object', function(assert) {
@@ -166,3 +175,96 @@ QUnit.test('should expose DOM functions', function(assert) {
                       `videojs.${vjsName} is a reference to Dom.${domName}`);
   });
 });
+
+QUnit.test('ingest player div if data-vjs-player attribute is present on video parentNode', function(assert) {
+  const fixture = document.querySelector('#qunit-fixture');
+
+  fixture.innerHTML = `
+    <div data-vjs-player class="foo">
+      <video id="test_vid_id">
+        <source src="http://example.com/video.mp4" type="video/mp4"></source>
+      </video>
+    </div>
+  `;
+
+  const playerDiv = document.querySelector('.foo');
+  const vid = document.querySelector('#test_vid_id');
+
+  const player = videojs(vid, {
+    techOrder: ['html5']
+  });
+
+  assert.equal(player.el(), playerDiv, 'we re-used the given div');
+  assert.ok(player.hasClass('foo'), 'keeps any classes that were around previously');
+
+  player.dispose();
+});
+
+QUnit.test('ingested player div should not create a new tag for movingMediaElementInDOM', function(assert) {
+  const Html5 = videojs.getTech('Html5');
+  const oldIS = Html5.isSupported;
+  const oldMoving = Html5.prototype.movingMediaElementInDOM;
+  const oldCPT = Html5.nativeSourceHandler.canPlayType;
+  const fixture = document.querySelector('#qunit-fixture');
+
+  fixture.innerHTML = `
+    <div data-vjs-player class="foo">
+      <video id="test_vid_id">
+        <source src="http://example.com/video.mp4" type="video/mp4"></source>
+      </video>
+    </div>
+  `;
+  Html5.prototype.movingMediaElementInDOM = false;
+  Html5.isSupported = () => true;
+  Html5.nativeSourceHandler.canPlayType = () => true;
+
+  const playerDiv = document.querySelector('.foo');
+  const vid = document.querySelector('#test_vid_id');
+
+  const player = videojs(vid, {
+    techOrder: ['html5']
+  });
+
+  assert.equal(player.el(), playerDiv, 'we re-used the given div');
+  assert.equal(player.tech_.el(), vid, 'we re-used the video element');
+  assert.ok(player.hasClass('foo'), 'keeps any classes that were around previously');
+
+  player.dispose();
+  Html5.prototype.movingMediaElementInDOM = oldMoving;
+  Html5.isSupported = oldIS;
+  Html5.nativeSourceHandler.canPlayType = oldCPT;
+});
+
+QUnit.test('should create a new tag for movingMediaElementInDOM', function(assert) {
+  const Html5 = videojs.getTech('Html5');
+  const oldMoving = Html5.prototype.movingMediaElementInDOM;
+  const oldCPT = Html5.nativeSourceHandler.canPlayType;
+  const fixture = document.querySelector('#qunit-fixture');
+  const oldIS = Html5.isSupported;
+
+  fixture.innerHTML = `
+    <div class="foo">
+      <video id="test_vid_id">
+        <source src="http://example.com/video.mp4" type="video/mp4"></source>
+      </video>
+    </div>
+  `;
+  Html5.prototype.movingMediaElementInDOM = false;
+  Html5.isSupported = () => true;
+  Html5.nativeSourceHandler.canPlayType = () => true;
+
+  const playerDiv = document.querySelector('.foo');
+  const vid = document.querySelector('#test_vid_id');
+
+  const player = videojs(vid, {
+    techOrder: ['html5']
+  });
+
+  assert.notEqual(player.el(), playerDiv, 'we used a new div');
+  assert.notEqual(player.tech_.el(), vid, 'we a new video element');
+
+  player.dispose();
+  Html5.prototype.movingMediaElementInDOM = oldMoving;
+  Html5.isSupported = oldIS;
+  Html5.nativeSourceHandler.canPlayType = oldCPT;
+});