diff --git a/library/HTMLPurifier/HTMLModule.php b/library/HTMLPurifier/HTMLModule.php
index c6de7670..5589432e 100644
--- a/library/HTMLPurifier/HTMLModule.php
+++ b/library/HTMLPurifier/HTMLModule.php
@@ -137,9 +137,11 @@ class HTMLPurifier_HTMLModule
      *              element?
      * @param $attr What unique attributes does the element define?
      * @note See ElementDef for in-depth descriptions of these parameters.
+     * @return Reference to created element definition object, so you 
+     *         can set advanced parameters
      * @protected
      */
-    function addElement($element, $safe, $type, $contents, $attr_includes, $attr = array()) {
+    function &addElement($element, $safe, $type, $contents, $attr_includes, $attr = array()) {
         $this->elements[] = $element;
         // parse content_model
         list($content_model_type, $content_model) = $this->parseContents($contents);
@@ -153,6 +155,7 @@ class HTMLPurifier_HTMLModule
         );
         // literal object $contents means direct child manipulation
         if (!is_string($contents)) $this->info[$element]->child = $contents;
+        return $this->info[$element];
     }
     
     /**
diff --git a/library/HTMLPurifier/HTMLModule/Bdo.php b/library/HTMLPurifier/HTMLModule/Bdo.php
index e8f4349e..3b9081c0 100644
--- a/library/HTMLPurifier/HTMLModule/Bdo.php
+++ b/library/HTMLPurifier/HTMLModule/Bdo.php
@@ -17,7 +17,7 @@ class HTMLPurifier_HTMLModule_Bdo extends HTMLPurifier_HTMLModule
     
     function HTMLPurifier_HTMLModule_Bdo() {
         $dir = new HTMLPurifier_AttrDef_Enum(array('ltr','rtl'), false);
-        $this->addElement(
+        $bdo =& $this->addElement(
             'bdo', true, 'Inline', 'Inline', array('Core', 'Lang'),
             array(
                 'dir' => $dir, // required
@@ -28,7 +28,8 @@ class HTMLPurifier_HTMLModule_Bdo extends HTMLPurifier_HTMLModule
                 // be managed with a global attribute transform)
             )
         );
-        $this->info['bdo']->attr_transform_post['required-dir'] = new HTMLPurifier_AttrTransform_BdoDir();
+        $bdo->attr_transform_post['required-dir'] = new HTMLPurifier_AttrTransform_BdoDir();
+        
         $this->attr_collections['I18N']['dir'] = $dir;
     }
     
diff --git a/library/HTMLPurifier/HTMLModule/Hypertext.php b/library/HTMLPurifier/HTMLModule/Hypertext.php
index fd89d7df..a9a9d352 100644
--- a/library/HTMLPurifier/HTMLModule/Hypertext.php
+++ b/library/HTMLPurifier/HTMLModule/Hypertext.php
@@ -12,7 +12,7 @@ class HTMLPurifier_HTMLModule_Hypertext extends HTMLPurifier_HTMLModule
     var $name = 'Hypertext';
     
     function HTMLPurifier_HTMLModule_Hypertext() {
-        $this->addElement(
+        $a =& $this->addElement(
             'a', true, 'Inline', 'Inline', 'Common',
             array(
                 // 'accesskey' => 'Character',
@@ -25,7 +25,7 @@ class HTMLPurifier_HTMLModule_Hypertext extends HTMLPurifier_HTMLModule
                 // 'type' => 'ContentType',
             )
         );
-        $this->info['a']->excludes = array('a' => true);
+        $a->excludes = array('a' => true);
     }
     
 }
diff --git a/library/HTMLPurifier/HTMLModule/Image.php b/library/HTMLPurifier/HTMLModule/Image.php
index cebe4f41..6608e9dc 100644
--- a/library/HTMLPurifier/HTMLModule/Image.php
+++ b/library/HTMLPurifier/HTMLModule/Image.php
@@ -18,7 +18,7 @@ class HTMLPurifier_HTMLModule_Image extends HTMLPurifier_HTMLModule
     var $content_sets = array('Inline' => 'img');
     
     function HTMLPurifier_HTMLModule_Image() {
-        $this->addElement(
+        $img =& $this->addElement(
             'img', true, 'Inline', 'Empty', 'Common',
             array(
                 'alt' => 'Text',
@@ -28,7 +28,7 @@ class HTMLPurifier_HTMLModule_Image extends HTMLPurifier_HTMLModule
                 'width' => 'Length'
             )
         );
-        $this->info['img']->attr_transform_post[] =
+        $img->attr_transform_post[] =
             new HTMLPurifier_AttrTransform_ImgRequired();
     }
     
diff --git a/library/HTMLPurifier/HTMLModule/List.php b/library/HTMLPurifier/HTMLModule/List.php
index 84d1cd38..894ac5aa 100644
--- a/library/HTMLPurifier/HTMLModule/List.php
+++ b/library/HTMLPurifier/HTMLModule/List.php
@@ -26,8 +26,8 @@ class HTMLPurifier_HTMLModule_List extends HTMLPurifier_HTMLModule
         $this->addElement('ul', true, 'List', 'Required: li', 'Common');
         $this->addElement('dl', true, 'List', 'Required: dt | dd', 'Common');
         
-        $this->addElement('li', true, false, 'Flow', 'Common');
-        $this->info['li']->auto_close = array('li' => true);
+        $li =& $this->addElement('li', true, false, 'Flow', 'Common');
+        $li->auto_close = array('li' => true);
         
         $this->addElement('dd', true, false, 'Flow', 'Common');
         $this->addElement('dt', true, false, 'Inline', 'Common');
diff --git a/tests/HTMLPurifier/HTMLModuleTest.php b/tests/HTMLPurifier/HTMLModuleTest.php
index 3803a715..ba13a49e 100644
--- a/tests/HTMLPurifier/HTMLModuleTest.php
+++ b/tests/HTMLPurifier/HTMLModuleTest.php
@@ -21,7 +21,7 @@ class HTMLPurifier_HTMLModuleTest extends UnitTestCase
     function test_addElement() {
         
         $module = new HTMLPurifier_HTMLModule();
-        $module->addElement(
+        $def =& $module->addElement(
             'a', true, 'Inline', 'Optional: #PCDATA', array('Common'),
             array(
                 'href' => 'URI'
@@ -29,19 +29,21 @@ class HTMLPurifier_HTMLModuleTest extends UnitTestCase
         );
         
         $module2 = new HTMLPurifier_HTMLModule();
-        $def = new HTMLPurifier_ElementDef();
-        $def->safe = true;
-        $def->content_model = '#PCDATA';
-        $def->content_model_type = 'optional';
-        $def->attr = array(
+        $def2 = new HTMLPurifier_ElementDef();
+        $def2->safe = true;
+        $def2->content_model = '#PCDATA';
+        $def2->content_model_type = 'optional';
+        $def2->attr = array(
             'href' => 'URI',
             0 => array('Common')
         );
-        $module2->info['a'] = $def;
+        $module2->info['a'] = $def2;
         $module2->elements = array('a');
         $module2->content_sets['Inline'] = 'a';
         
         $this->assertIdentical($module, $module2);
+        $this->assertIdentical($def, $def2);
+        $this->assertReference($def, $module->info['a']);
         
     }