diff --git a/js/HomeScreenButton.js b/js/HomeScreenButton.js
index 4bdeefb3..0d28a9c6 100644
--- a/js/HomeScreenButton.js
+++ b/js/HomeScreenButton.js
@@ -107,7 +107,7 @@ class HomeScreenButton extends VBox {
       textPropertyOptions: { phetioReadOnly: true } // text is updated via screen.nameProperty
     } );
 
-    super( merge( { children: [ nodeContainer, text ] }, options ) );
+    super( merge( { children: [ nodeContainer, new Node( { children: [ text ] } ) ] }, options ) );
 
     // @public (read-only)
     this.screen = screen;
diff --git a/js/NavigationBarScreenButton.js b/js/NavigationBarScreenButton.js
index d579caea..9a26ba8e 100644
--- a/js/NavigationBarScreenButton.js
+++ b/js/NavigationBarScreenButton.js
@@ -91,7 +91,7 @@ class NavigationBarScreenButton extends Node {
 
     // spacing set by Property link below
     const iconAndText = new VBox( {
-      children: [ iconAndFrame, text ],
+      children: [ iconAndFrame, new Node( { children: [ text ] } ) ],
       pickable: false,
       usesOpacity: true, // hint, since we change its opacity
       maxHeight: navBarHeight