diff --git a/core/modules/simpletest/src/AssertContentTrait.php b/core/modules/simpletest/src/AssertContentTrait.php
index 5a6c8c0..afd4392 100644
--- a/core/modules/simpletest/src/AssertContentTrait.php
+++ b/core/modules/simpletest/src/AssertContentTrait.php
@@ -300,7 +300,7 @@ protected function getAllOptions(\SimpleXMLElement $element) {
   protected function assertLink($label, $index = 0, $message = '', $group = 'Other') {
     // Cast MarkupInterface objects to string.
     $label = (string) $label;
-    $links = $this->xpath('//a[normalize-space(text())=:label]', [':label' => $label]);
+    $links = $this->xpath('//a[normalize-space()=:label]', [':label' => $label]);
     $message = ($message ? $message : strtr('Link with label %label found.', ['%label' => $label]));
     return $this->assert(isset($links[$index]), $message, $group);
   }
@@ -327,7 +327,7 @@ protected function assertLink($label, $index = 0, $message = '', $group = 'Other
   protected function assertNoLink($label, $message = '', $group = 'Other') {
     // Cast MarkupInterface objects to string.
     $label = (string) $label;
-    $links = $this->xpath('//a[normalize-space(text())=:label]', [':label' => $label]);
+    $links = $this->xpath('//a[normalize-space()=:label]', [':label' => $label]);
     $message = ($message ? $message : SafeMarkup::format('Link with label %label not found.', ['%label' => $label]));
     return $this->assert(empty($links), $message, $group);
   }
diff --git a/core/modules/simpletest/src/Tests/BrowserTest.php b/core/modules/simpletest/src/Tests/BrowserTest.php
index fdfaff8..cba169f 100644
--- a/core/modules/simpletest/src/Tests/BrowserTest.php
+++ b/core/modules/simpletest/src/Tests/BrowserTest.php
@@ -23,7 +23,7 @@ class BrowserTest extends WebTestBase {
    *
    * @var string[]
    */
-  public static $modules = ['block'];
+  public static $modules = ['block', 'node'];
 
   /**
    * {@inheritdoc}
@@ -86,6 +86,56 @@ public function testXPathEscaping() {
   }
 
   /**
+   * Tests link recognition when markup is within the link tags.
+   * Regression test to validate xpaths used by simpletest link helpers.
+   *
+   * @see https://www.drupal.org/node/855726
+   */
+  public function testLinkMatchingXpath() {
+    // Content to use for testing the functions which act on links:
+    $test_content = '<p>Some text and <a href="node/1">a link with <span class="kitten">a kitten span</span> in the middle</a><br>';
+    $test_content .= 'Some more text and <a href="node/1">a link with <em>emphasized text</em> in the middle</a><br>';
+    $test_content .= 'Even more text and <a href="node/1">a link with <span class="kitten">a <strong>bold</strong> kitten span</span></a></p>';
+
+    // Ensure an `article` node type exists.
+    $this->createContentType(['type' => 'page']);
+
+    // Create Full HTML text format.
+    $full_html_format = \Drupal\filter\Entity\FilterFormat::create([
+      'format' => 'full_html',
+      'name' => 'Full HTML',
+    ]);
+    $full_html_format->save();
+
+    // Create and log in an administrative user having access to the Full HTML
+    // text format.
+    $adminUser = $this->drupalCreateUser([
+      'access administration pages',
+      'create page content',
+      $full_html_format->getPermissionName(),
+    ]);
+    $this->drupalLogin($adminUser);
+
+    $edit = [
+      'title[0][value]' => 'test links',
+      'body[0][value]' => $test_content
+    ];
+
+    $this->drupalPostForm("node/add/page", $edit, t('Save'));
+    $this->drupalGet("node/1");
+    $links = [
+      "a link with a kitten span in the middle",
+      "a link with emphasized text in the middle",
+      "a link with a bold kitten span",
+    ];
+    // The same pattern is used for assertLink() and clickLink(). Verify both.
+    foreach ($links as $link) {
+      $this->assertLink($link);
+      $this->clickLink($link);
+    }
+  }
+
+  /**
    * Tests that cookies set during a request are available for testing.
    */
   public function testCookies() {
diff --git a/core/modules/views/src/Tests/SearchIntegrationTest.php b/core/modules/views/src/Tests/SearchIntegrationTest.php
index 1b6ab89..5c2ac63 100644
--- a/core/modules/views/src/Tests/SearchIntegrationTest.php
+++ b/core/modules/views/src/Tests/SearchIntegrationTest.php
@@ -141,7 +141,7 @@ public function testSearchIntegration() {
    *   TRUE if the assertion succeeded, FALSE otherwise.
    */
   protected function assertOneLink($label) {
-    $links = $this->xpath('//a[normalize-space(text())=:label]', [':label' => $label]);
+    $links = $this->xpath('//a[normalize-space()=:label]', [':label' => $label]);
     $message = SafeMarkup::format('Link with label %label found once.', ['%label' => $label]);
     return $this->assert(isset($links[0]) && !isset($links[1]), $message);
   }
diff --git a/core/modules/views_ui/src/Tests/DefaultViewsTest.php b/core/modules/views_ui/src/Tests/DefaultViewsTest.php
index a709d1f..17503e7 100644
--- a/core/modules/views_ui/src/Tests/DefaultViewsTest.php
+++ b/core/modules/views_ui/src/Tests/DefaultViewsTest.php
@@ -228,7 +228,7 @@ public function testPathDestination() {
    *   failure. Failure also results in a failed assertion.
    */
   public function clickViewsOperationLink($label, $unique_href_part) {
-    $links = $this->xpath('//a[normalize-space(text())=:label]', [':label' => $label]);
+    $links = $this->xpath('//a[normalize-space()=:label]', [':label' => $label]);
     foreach ($links as $link_index => $link) {
       $position = strpos($link['href'], $unique_href_part);
       if ($position !== FALSE) {