diff --git a/templates/narrative.hbs b/templates/narrative.hbs
index 08fd2d9..592afa4 100644
--- a/templates/narrative.hbs
+++ b/templates/narrative.hbs
@@ -32,7 +32,7 @@
         <div class="narrative__controls-container u-clearfix">
 
           <button data-direction="left" class="btn-icon narrative__controls narrative__controls-left js-narrative-controls-click" aria-label="{{_globals._accessibility._ariaLabels.previous}}">
-            <span class="icon"></span>
+            <span class="icon" aria-hidden="true"></span>
           </button>
 
           <div class="narrative__indicators">
@@ -42,7 +42,7 @@
           </div>
 
           <button data-direction="right" class="btn-icon narrative__controls narrative__controls-right js-narrative-controls-click" aria-label="{{_globals._accessibility._ariaLabels.next}}">
-            <span class="icon"></span>
+            <span class="icon" aria-hidden="true"></span>
           </button>
         </div>
 
@@ -64,7 +64,7 @@
             </span>
 
             <span class="btn-icon narrative__strapline-icon">
-              <span class="icon"></span>
+              <span class="icon" aria-hidden="true"></span>
             </span>
 
           </button>
@@ -98,11 +98,11 @@
       </div>
 
       <button data-direction="left" class="btn-icon narrative__controls narrative__controls-left js-narrative-controls-click" aria-label="{{_globals._accessibility._ariaLabels.previous}}">
-        <span class="icon"></span>
+        <span class="icon" aria-hidden="true"></span>
       </button>
 
       <button data-direction="right" class="btn-icon narrative__controls narrative__controls-right js-narrative-controls-click" aria-label="{{_globals._accessibility._ariaLabels.next}}">
-        <span class="icon"></span>
+        <span class="icon" aria-hidden="true"></span>
       </button>
 
     </div>