diff --git a/accessible/mac/mozAccessible.mm b/accessible/mac/mozAccessible.mm
index fdacb6f43911..5bd916e72777 100644
--- a/accessible/mac/mozAccessible.mm
+++ b/accessible/mac/mozAccessible.mm
@@ -600,12 +600,13 @@ struct RoleDescrComparator
 {
   NS_OBJC_BEGIN_TRY_ABORT_BLOCK_NIL;
 
-  AccessibleWrap* accWrap = [self getGeckoAccessible];
-  if (accWrap->IsDefunct())
-    return nil;
-
   nsAutoString desc;
-  accWrap->Description(desc);
+  if (AccessibleWrap* accWrap = [self getGeckoAccessible])
+    accWrap->Description(desc);
+  else if (ProxyAccessible* proxy = [self getProxyAccessible])
+    proxy->Description(desc);
+  else
+    return nil;
 
   return nsCocoaUtils::ToNSString(desc);