diff --git a/src/jqLite.js b/src/jqLite.js
index b199f390e329..93b863bb42df 100644
--- a/src/jqLite.js
+++ b/src/jqLite.js
@@ -358,20 +358,24 @@ function jqLiteHasClass(element, selector) {
 }
 
 function jqLiteRemoveClass(element, cssClasses) {
-  if (cssClasses && element.setAttribute) {
+  if (cssClasses && (element.setAttribute || msie === 9)) {
+    var existingClasses = (" " +
+                                ((element.getAttribute && element.getAttribute('class')) ||
+                                  element.className || '') +
+                          " ").replace(/[\n\t]/g, " ");
+
     forEach(cssClasses.split(' '), function(cssClass) {
-      element.setAttribute('class', trim(
-          (" " + (element.getAttribute('class') || '') + " ")
-          .replace(/[\n\t]/g, " ")
-          .replace(" " + trim(cssClass) + " ", " "))
-      );
+      existingClasses = existingClasses.replace(" " + trim(cssClass) + " ", " ");
     });
+
+    (msie === 9 && !(element instanceof SVGElement)) ? element.className = trim(existingClasses) :
+      element.setAttribute('class', trim(existingClasses));
   }
 }
 
 function jqLiteAddClass(element, cssClasses) {
   if (cssClasses && element.setAttribute) {
-    var existingClasses = (' ' + (element.getAttribute('class') || '') + ' ')
+    var existingClasses = (' ' + (element.getAttribute('class') || element.className || '') + ' ')
                             .replace(/[\n\t]/g, " ");
 
     forEach(cssClasses.split(' '), function(cssClass) {
@@ -381,7 +385,8 @@ function jqLiteAddClass(element, cssClasses) {
       }
     });
 
-    element.setAttribute('class', trim(existingClasses));
+    (msie === 9 && !(element instanceof SVGElement)) ? element.className = trim(existingClasses) :
+      element.setAttribute('class', trim(existingClasses));
   }
 }
 
diff --git a/test/jqLiteSpec.js b/test/jqLiteSpec.js
index 356d2a36167f..1d236a84b41b 100644
--- a/test/jqLiteSpec.js
+++ b/test/jqLiteSpec.js
@@ -714,6 +714,15 @@ describe('jqLite', function() {
       });
 
 
+      it('should allow adding of class in IE9', function() {
+        if (!(jqLite(a).setAttribute && jqLite(a).getAttribute)) return; // IE9 doesn't support node.setAttribute
+        var selector = jqLite([a, b]);
+        expect(selector.addClass('abc')).toBe(selector);
+        expect(jqLite(a).hasClass('abc')).toBe(true);
+        expect(jqLite(b).hasClass('abc')).toBe(true);
+      });
+
+
       it('should ignore falsy values', function() {
         var jqA = jqLite(a);
         expect(jqA[0].className).toBe('');
@@ -836,6 +845,17 @@ describe('jqLite', function() {
       });
 
 
+      it('should allow removal of class in IE9', function() {
+        if (!(jqLite(a).setAttribute && jqLite(a).getAttribute)) return; // IE9 doesn't support node.setAttribute
+        var selector = jqLite([a, b]);
+        a.className = 'abc';
+        b.className = 'abc';
+        expect(selector.removeClass('abc')).toBe(selector);
+        expect(jqLite(a).hasClass('abc')).toBe(false);
+        expect(jqLite(b).hasClass('abc')).toBe(false);
+      });
+
+
       it('should correctly remove middle class', function() {
         var element = jqLite('<div class="foo bar baz"></div>');
         expect(element.hasClass('bar')).toBe(true);