diff --git a/aio/src/app/custom-elements/code/code-tabs.component.ts b/aio/src/app/custom-elements/code/code-tabs.component.ts
index 369216adbb..3ed2cc6d11 100644
--- a/aio/src/app/custom-elements/code/code-tabs.component.ts
+++ b/aio/src/app/custom-elements/code/code-tabs.component.ts
@@ -57,11 +57,17 @@ export class CodeTabsComponent implements OnInit, AfterViewInit {
     this.tabs = [];
     const contentElem = this.content.nativeElement;
     const codeExamples = Array.from(contentElem.querySelectorAll('code-pane'));
-    contentElem.innerHTML = '';  // Remove DOM nodes that are no longer needed.
 
     for (const tabContent of codeExamples) {
       this.tabs.push(this.getTabInfo(tabContent));
     }
+
+    // Remove DOM nodes that are no longer needed.
+    //
+    // NOTE:
+    // In IE11, doing this also empties the `<code-pane>` nodes captured in `codeExamples` ¯\_(ツ)_/¯
+    // Only remove the unnecessary nodes after having captured the `<code-pane>` contents.
+    contentElem.innerHTML = '';
   }
 
   ngAfterViewInit() {