diff --git a/src/js/tech/html5.js b/src/js/tech/html5.js
index 4a8ea8e00d..edf79f8249 100644
--- a/src/js/tech/html5.js
+++ b/src/js/tech/html5.js
@@ -767,25 +767,7 @@ Html5.canControlPlaybackRate = function() {
  * @return {Boolean}
  */
 Html5.supportsNativeTextTracks = function() {
-  let supportsTextTracks;
-
-  // Figure out native text track support
-  // If mode is a number, we cannot change it because it'll disappear from view.
-  // Browsers with numeric modes include IE10 and older (<=2013) samsung android models.
-  // Firefox isn't playing nice either with modifying the mode
-  // TODO: Investigate firefox: https://github.com/videojs/video.js/issues/1862
-  supportsTextTracks = !!Html5.TEST_VID.textTracks;
-  if (supportsTextTracks && Html5.TEST_VID.textTracks.length > 0) {
-    supportsTextTracks = typeof Html5.TEST_VID.textTracks[0].mode !== 'number';
-  }
-  if (supportsTextTracks && browser.IS_FIREFOX) {
-    supportsTextTracks = false;
-  }
-  if (supportsTextTracks && !('onremovetrack' in Html5.TEST_VID.textTracks)) {
-    supportsTextTracks = false;
-  }
-
-  return supportsTextTracks;
+  return browser.IS_ANY_SAFARI;
 };
 
 /**
diff --git a/src/js/utils/browser.js b/src/js/utils/browser.js
index 9220972d50..cd52242e83 100644
--- a/src/js/utils/browser.js
+++ b/src/js/utils/browser.js
@@ -66,5 +66,8 @@ export const IE_VERSION = (function(result) {
   return result && parseFloat(result[1]);
 }((/MSIE\s(\d+)\.\d/).exec(USER_AGENT)));
 
+export const IS_SAFARI = (/Safari/i).test(USER_AGENT) && !IS_CHROME && !IS_ANDROID && !IS_EDGE;
+export const IS_ANY_SAFARI = IS_SAFARI || IS_IOS;
+
 export const TOUCH_ENABLED = !!(('ontouchstart' in window) || window.DocumentTouch && document instanceof window.DocumentTouch);
 export const BACKGROUND_SIZE_SUPPORTED = 'backgroundSize' in document.createElement('video').style;
diff --git a/test/unit/tracks/text-tracks.test.js b/test/unit/tracks/text-tracks.test.js
index df53357535..1f6e849ce7 100644
--- a/test/unit/tracks/text-tracks.test.js
+++ b/test/unit/tracks/text-tracks.test.js
@@ -250,37 +250,24 @@ QUnit.test('if native text tracks are not supported, create a texttrackdisplay',
   player.dispose();
 });
 
-QUnit.test('html5 tech supports native text tracks if the video supports it, unless mode is a number', function(assert) {
+QUnit.test('emulated tracks are always used, except in safari', function(assert) {
   const oldTestVid = Html5.TEST_VID;
+  const oldIsAnySafari = browser.IS_ANY_SAFARI;
 
   Html5.TEST_VID = {
-    textTracks: [{
-      mode: 0
-    }]
+    textTracks: []
   };
 
-  assert.ok(!Html5.supportsNativeTextTracks(),
-           'native text tracks are not supported if mode is a number');
-
-  Html5.TEST_VID = oldTestVid;
-});
-
-QUnit.test('html5 tech supports native text tracks if the video supports it, unless it is firefox', function(assert) {
-  const oldTestVid = Html5.TEST_VID;
-  const oldIsFirefox = browser.IS_FIREFOX;
+  browser.IS_ANY_SAFARI = false;
 
-  Html5.TEST_VID = {
-    textTracks: []
-  };
+  assert.ok(!Html5.supportsNativeTextTracks(), 'Html5 does not support native text tracks, in non-safari');
 
-  browser.IS_FIREFOX = true;
+  browser.IS_ANY_SAFARI = true;
 
-  assert.ok(!Html5.supportsNativeTextTracks(),
-           'if textTracks are available on video element,' +
-           ' native text tracks are supported');
+  assert.ok(Html5.supportsNativeTextTracks(), 'Html5 does support native text tracks in safari');
 
   Html5.TEST_VID = oldTestVid;
-  browser.IS_FIREFOX = oldIsFirefox;
+  browser.IS_ANY_SAFARI = oldIsAnySafari;
 });
 
 QUnit.test('when switching techs, we should not get a new text track', function(assert) {