diff --git a/packages/metal-dom/src/domNamed.js b/packages/metal-dom/src/domNamed.js
index 9cae389c..e5e80f04 100644
--- a/packages/metal-dom/src/domNamed.js
+++ b/packages/metal-dom/src/domNamed.js
@@ -209,15 +209,11 @@ export function buildFragment(htmlString) {
  * Checks if the first element contains the second one.
  * @param {!Element} element1
  * @param {!Element} element2
+ * @deprecated Use element1.contains(element2) directly instead of this method
  * @return {boolean}
  */
 export function contains(element1, element2) {
-	if (isDocument(element1)) {
-		// document.contains is not defined on IE9, so call it on documentElement instead.
-		return element1.documentElement.contains(element2);
-	} else {
-		return element1.contains(element2);
-	}
+	return element1.contains(element2);
 }
 
 /**
diff --git a/packages/metal-dom/src/events.js b/packages/metal-dom/src/events.js
index 63756e32..3afdb142 100644
--- a/packages/metal-dom/src/events.js
+++ b/packages/metal-dom/src/events.js
@@ -1,7 +1,7 @@
 'use strict';
 
 import {isServerSide} from 'metal';
-import {registerCustomEvent, contains} from './dom';
+import {registerCustomEvent} from './dom';
 import features from './features';
 
 /**
@@ -23,7 +23,7 @@ function registerEvents() {
 				// eslint-disable-next-line
 				if (
 					!related ||
-					(related !== target && !contains(target, related))
+					(related !== target && !target.contains(related))
 				) {
 					event.customType = eventName;
 					return callback(event);