diff --git a/src/js/poster-image.js b/src/js/poster-image.js
index ad890323d0..2e9057a632 100644
--- a/src/js/poster-image.js
+++ b/src/js/poster-image.js
@@ -46,15 +46,21 @@ class PosterImage extends ClickableComponent {
    *         The element that gets created.
    */
   createEl() {
-    const el = Dom.createEl('picture', {
-      className: 'vjs-poster',
-
-      // Don't want poster to be tabbable.
-      tabIndex: -1
-    }, {}, Dom.createEl('img', {
-      loading: 'lazy',
-      crossOrigin: this.crossOrigin()
-    }));
+    const el = Dom.createEl(
+      'picture', {
+        className: 'vjs-poster',
+
+        // Don't want poster to be tabbable.
+        tabIndex: -1
+      },
+      {},
+      Dom.createEl('img', {
+        loading: 'lazy',
+        crossOrigin: this.crossOrigin()
+      }, {
+        alt: ''
+      })
+    );
 
     return el;
   }
diff --git a/test/unit/poster.test.js b/test/unit/poster.test.js
index 98e0d5970e..4ac86fc94d 100644
--- a/test/unit/poster.test.js
+++ b/test/unit/poster.test.js
@@ -42,6 +42,12 @@ QUnit.test('should mirror crossOrigin', function(assert) {
 
 });
 
+QUnit.test('should populate an alt attribute', function(assert) {
+  const posterImage = new PosterImage(this.mockPlayer);
+
+  assert.ok(posterImage.$('img').hasAttribute('alt'), 'img has alt atttribute');
+});
+
 QUnit.test('should remove itself from the document flow when there is no poster', function(assert) {
   const posterImage = new PosterImage(this.mockPlayer);