diff --git a/resources/mmv/mmv.bootstrap.js b/resources/mmv/mmv.bootstrap.js
index 43678545f..9b9898f4b 100644
--- a/resources/mmv/mmv.bootstrap.js
+++ b/resources/mmv/mmv.bootstrap.js
@@ -178,9 +178,7 @@
 	 * @param {Object} thumb
 	 */
 	MMVB.processThumb = function ( thumb ) {
-		var $thumbCaption,
-			caption,
-			bs = this,
+		var bs = this,
 			alwaysOpen = false,
 			$thumb = $( thumb ),
 			$link = $thumb.closest( 'a.image' ),
@@ -198,20 +196,6 @@
 		}
 
 		if ( $thumbContain.length !== 0 && $thumbContain.is( '.thumb' ) ) {
-			$thumbCaption = $thumbContain.find( '.thumbcaption' ).clone();
-			$thumbCaption.find( '.magnify' ).remove();
-			if ( !$thumbCaption.length ) { // gallery, maybe
-				$thumbCaption = $thumbContain
-					.closest( '.gallerybox' )
-					.not( function () {
-						// do not treat categories as galleries - the autogenerated caption they have is not helpful
-						return $thumbContain.closest( '#mw-category-media' ).length;
-					} )
-					.find( '.gallerytext' )
-					.clone();
-			}
-			caption = this.htmlUtils.htmlToTextWithLinks( $thumbCaption.html() || '' );
-
 			// If this is a thumb, we preload JS/CSS when the mouse cursor hovers the thumb container (thumb image + caption + border)
 			$thumbContain.mouseenter( function() {
 				// There is no point preloading if clicking the thumb won't open Media Viewer
@@ -253,13 +237,41 @@
 			$thumb : $thumb,
 			title : title,
 			link : link,
-			caption : caption } );
+			caption : this.findCaption( $thumbContain, $link ) } );
 
 		$link.add( $enlarge ).click( function ( e ) {
 			return bs.click( this, e, title, alwaysOpen );
 		} );
 	};
 
+	/**
+	 * Finds the caption for an image.
+	 * @param {jQuery} $thumbContain The container for the thumbnail.
+	 * @param {jQuery} $link The link that encompasses the thumbnail.
+	 * @returns {string|undefined} Unsafe HTML may be present - caution
+	 */
+	MMVB.findCaption = function ( $thumbContain, $link ) {
+		var $thumbCaption;
+
+		if ( $thumbContain.length !== 0 && $thumbContain.is( '.thumb' ) ) {
+			$thumbCaption = $thumbContain.find( '.thumbcaption' ).clone();
+			$thumbCaption.find( '.magnify' ).remove();
+			if ( !$thumbCaption.length ) { // gallery, maybe
+				$thumbCaption = $thumbContain
+					.closest( '.gallerybox' )
+					.not( function () {
+						// do not treat categories as galleries - the autogenerated caption they have is not helpful
+						return $thumbContain.closest( '#mw-category-media' ).length;
+					} )
+					.find( '.gallerytext' )
+					.clone();
+			}
+			return this.htmlUtils.htmlToTextWithLinks( $thumbCaption.html() || '' );
+		} else if ( $link.prop( 'title' ) ) {
+			return $link.prop( 'title' );
+		}
+	};
+
 	/**
 	 * Handles a click event on a link
 	 * @param {HTMLElement} element Clicked element
diff --git a/tests/qunit/mmv/mmv.bootstrap.test.js b/tests/qunit/mmv/mmv.bootstrap.test.js
index 438d2cb6f..4725a8e98 100644
--- a/tests/qunit/mmv/mmv.bootstrap.test.js
+++ b/tests/qunit/mmv/mmv.bootstrap.test.js
@@ -8,11 +8,14 @@
 		}
 	} ) );
 
-	function createGallery( imageSrc ) {
+	function createGallery( imageSrc, caption ) {
 		var div = $( '<div>' ).addClass( 'gallery' ).appendTo( '#qunit-fixture' ),
-			link = $( '<a>' ).addClass( 'image' ).appendTo( div );
+			galleryBox = $( '<div>' ).addClass( 'gallerybox' ).appendTo( div ),
+			thumbwrap = $( '<div>' ).addClass( 'thumb' ).appendTo( galleryBox ),
+			link = $( '<a>' ).addClass( 'image' ).appendTo( thumbwrap );
 
 		$( '<img>' ).attr( 'src',  ( imageSrc || 'thumb.jpg' ) ).appendTo( link );
+		$( '<div>' ).addClass( 'gallerytext' ).text( caption || 'Foobar' ).appendTo( galleryBox );
 
 		return div;
 	}
@@ -27,6 +30,12 @@
 		return div;
 	}
 
+	function createNormal( imageSrc, caption ) {
+		var link = $( '<a>' ).prop( 'title', caption ).addClass( 'image' ).appendTo( '#qunit-fixture' );
+		$( '<img>' ).prop( 'src', ( imageSrc || 'thumb.jpg' ) ).appendTo( link );
+		return link;
+	}
+
 	function createBootstrap( viewer ) {
 		var bootstrap = new mw.mmv.MultimediaViewerBootstrap();
 		bootstrap.getViewer = function() { return viewer ? viewer : { initWithThumbs : $.noop }; };
@@ -431,4 +440,15 @@
 		$thumb.addClass( 'noviewer' );
 		assert.strictEqual( bootstrap.isAllowedThumb( $thumb ), false, 'Image with a noviewer class is disallowed.' );
 	} );
+
+	QUnit.test( 'findCaption', 3, function ( assert ) {
+		var gallery = createGallery( 'foo.jpg', 'Baz' ),
+			thumb = createThumb( 'foo.jpg', 'Quuuuux' ),
+			link = createNormal( 'foo.jpg', 'Foobar' ),
+			bootstrap = createBootstrap();
+
+		assert.strictEqual( bootstrap.findCaption( gallery.find( '.thumb' ), gallery.find( 'a.image' ) ), 'Baz', 'A gallery caption is found.' );
+		assert.strictEqual( bootstrap.findCaption( thumb, thumb.find( 'a.image' ) ), 'Quuuuux', 'A thumbnail caption is found.' );
+		assert.strictEqual( bootstrap.findCaption( $(), link ), 'Foobar', 'The caption is found even if the image is not a thumbnail.' );
+	} );
 }( mediaWiki, jQuery ) );