diff --git a/lib/style.js b/lib/style.js
index ae9fb6c8..68a74248 100644
--- a/lib/style.js
+++ b/lib/style.js
@@ -168,7 +168,7 @@ const computeStyle = (node) => {
   // collect inherited styles
   const computedStyles = computeOwnStyle(node, stylesheet);
   let parent = node;
-  while (parent.parentNode && parent.parentNode.elem !== '#document') {
+  while (parent.parentNode && parent.parentNode.type !== 'root') {
     const inheritedStyles = computeOwnStyle(parent.parentNode, stylesheet);
     for (const [name, computed] of Object.entries(inheritedStyles)) {
       if (
diff --git a/lib/svgo/css-select-adapter.js b/lib/svgo/css-select-adapter.js
index d8fbd583..e7e5c394 100644
--- a/lib/svgo/css-select-adapter.js
+++ b/lib/svgo/css-select-adapter.js
@@ -5,7 +5,7 @@
  * @return {node is any}
  */
 const isTag = (node) => {
-  return node.isElem();
+  return node.type === 'element';
 };
 
 const existsOne = (test, elems) => {
@@ -27,7 +27,7 @@ const getChildren = (node) => {
 };
 
 const getName = (elemAst) => {
-  return elemAst.elem;
+  return elemAst.name;
 };
 
 const getParent = (node) => {
diff --git a/lib/svgo/js2svg.js b/lib/svgo/js2svg.js
index 61279a8f..c1a4997d 100644
--- a/lib/svgo/js2svg.js
+++ b/lib/svgo/js2svg.js
@@ -97,17 +97,22 @@ JS2SVG.prototype.convert = function (data) {
     this.indentLevel++;
 
     data.content.forEach(function (item) {
-      if (item.elem) {
+      if (item.type === 'element') {
         svg += this.createElem(item);
-      } else if (item.type === 'text') {
+      }
+      if (item.type === 'text') {
         svg += this.createText(item);
-      } else if (item.type === 'doctype') {
+      }
+      if (item.type === 'doctype') {
         svg += this.createDoctype(item);
-      } else if (item.type === 'instruction') {
+      }
+      if (item.type === 'instruction') {
         svg += this.createProcInst(item);
-      } else if (item.type === 'comment') {
+      }
+      if (item.type === 'comment') {
         svg += this.createComment(item);
-      } else if (item.type === 'cdata') {
+      }
+      if (item.type === 'cdata') {
         svg += this.createCDATA(item);
       }
     }, this);
@@ -211,7 +216,7 @@ JS2SVG.prototype.createElem = function (data) {
       return (
         this.createIndent() +
         this.config.tagShortStart +
-        data.elem +
+        data.name +
         this.createAttrs(data) +
         this.config.tagShortEnd
       );
@@ -219,11 +224,11 @@ JS2SVG.prototype.createElem = function (data) {
       return (
         this.createIndent() +
         this.config.tagShortStart +
-        data.elem +
+        data.name +
         this.createAttrs(data) +
         this.config.tagOpenEnd +
         this.config.tagCloseStart +
-        data.elem +
+        data.name +
         this.config.tagCloseEnd
       );
     }
@@ -260,14 +265,14 @@ JS2SVG.prototype.createElem = function (data) {
     return (
       openIndent +
       tagOpenStart +
-      data.elem +
+      data.name +
       this.createAttrs(data) +
       tagOpenEnd +
       processedData +
       dataEnd +
       closeIndent +
       tagCloseStart +
-      data.elem +
+      data.name +
       tagCloseEnd
     );
   }
diff --git a/lib/svgo/jsAPI.js b/lib/svgo/jsAPI.js
index 972d2f22..b3cf989b 100644
--- a/lib/svgo/jsAPI.js
+++ b/lib/svgo/jsAPI.js
@@ -68,11 +68,16 @@ JSAPI.prototype.clone = function () {
  * @return {Boolean}
  */
 JSAPI.prototype.isElem = function (param) {
-  if (!param) return !!this.elem;
-
-  if (Array.isArray(param)) return !!this.elem && param.indexOf(this.elem) > -1;
-
-  return !!this.elem && this.elem === param;
+  if (this.type !== 'element') {
+    return false;
+  }
+  if (param == null) {
+    return true;
+  }
+  if (Array.isArray(param)) {
+    return param.includes(this.name);
+  }
+  return this.name === param;
 };
 
 /**
@@ -82,7 +87,7 @@ JSAPI.prototype.isElem = function (param) {
  * @return {Object} element
  */
 JSAPI.prototype.renameElem = function (name) {
-  if (name && typeof name === 'string') this.elem = name;
+  if (name && typeof name === 'string') this.name = name;
 
   return this;
 };
diff --git a/lib/svgo/svg2js.js b/lib/svgo/svg2js.js
index 35e5d97a..d3eb3211 100644
--- a/lib/svgo/svg2js.js
+++ b/lib/svgo/svg2js.js
@@ -23,16 +23,14 @@ var config = {
  */
 module.exports = function (data) {
   var sax = SAX.parser(config.strict, config),
-    root = new JSAPI({ elem: '#document', content: [] }),
+    root = new JSAPI({ type: 'root', content: [] }),
     current = root,
     stack = [root];
 
   function pushToContent(content) {
-    content = new JSAPI(content, current);
-
-    (current.content = current.content || []).push(content);
-
-    return content;
+    const wrapped = new JSAPI(content, current);
+    current.content.push(wrapped);
+    return wrapped;
   }
 
   sax.ondoctype = function (doctype) {
@@ -80,42 +78,44 @@ module.exports = function (data) {
   };
 
   sax.onopentag = function (data) {
-    var elem = {
-      elem: data.name,
+    var element = {
+      type: 'element',
+      name: data.name,
       attrs: {},
+      content: [],
     };
 
-    elem.class = new CSSClassList(elem);
-    elem.style = new CSSStyleDeclaration(elem);
+    element.class = new CSSClassList(element);
+    element.style = new CSSStyleDeclaration(element);
 
     if (Object.keys(data.attributes).length) {
       for (const [name, attr] of Object.entries(data.attributes)) {
         if (name === 'class') {
           // has class attribute
-          elem.class.hasClass();
+          element.class.hasClass();
         }
 
         if (name === 'style') {
           // has style attribute
-          elem.style.hasStyle();
+          element.style.hasStyle();
         }
 
-        elem.attrs[name] = {
+        element.attrs[name] = {
           name: name,
           value: attr.value,
         };
       }
     }
 
-    elem = pushToContent(elem);
-    current = elem;
+    element = pushToContent(element);
+    current = element;
 
-    stack.push(elem);
+    stack.push(element);
   };
 
   sax.ontext = function (text) {
     // prevent trimming of meaningful whitespace inside textual tags
-    if (textElems.includes(current.elem) && !data.prefix) {
+    if (textElems.includes(current.name) && !data.prefix) {
       pushToContent({
         type: 'text',
         value: text,
diff --git a/plugins/cleanupAttrs.js b/plugins/cleanupAttrs.js
index 6c325707..83657b88 100644
--- a/plugins/cleanupAttrs.js
+++ b/plugins/cleanupAttrs.js
@@ -27,7 +27,7 @@ var regNewlinesNeedSpace = /(\S)\r?\n(\S)/g,
  * @author Kir Belevich
  */
 exports.fn = function (item, params) {
-  if (item.isElem()) {
+  if (item.type === 'element') {
     item.eachAttr(function (attr) {
       if (params.newlines) {
         // new line which requires a space instead of themselve
diff --git a/plugins/cleanupIDs.js b/plugins/cleanupIDs.js
index e840566a..83aedf4f 100644
--- a/plugins/cleanupIDs.js
+++ b/plugins/cleanupIDs.js
@@ -122,14 +122,14 @@ exports.fn = function (data, params) {
 
       // quit if <style> or <script> present ('force' param prevents quitting)
       if (!params.force) {
-        var isNotEmpty = Boolean(item.content);
+        var isNotEmpty = item.isEmpty() === false;
         if (item.isElem(styleOrScript) && isNotEmpty) {
           hasStyleOrScript = true;
           continue;
         }
 
         // Don't remove IDs if the whole SVG consists only of defs.
-        if (item.isElem('svg') && item.content) {
+        if (item.isElem('svg')) {
           var hasDefsOnly = true;
 
           for (var j = 0; j < item.content.length; j++) {
@@ -144,7 +144,7 @@ exports.fn = function (data, params) {
         }
       }
       // …and don't remove any ID if yes
-      if (item.isElem()) {
+      if (item.type === 'element') {
         item.eachAttr(function (attr) {
           var key, match;
 
diff --git a/plugins/cleanupNumericValues.js b/plugins/cleanupNumericValues.js
index 7b39ef2f..906e1d90 100644
--- a/plugins/cleanupNumericValues.js
+++ b/plugins/cleanupNumericValues.js
@@ -36,7 +36,7 @@ var regNumericValues = /^([-+]?\d*\.?\d+([eE][-+]?\d+)?)(px|pt|pc|mm|cm|m|in|ft|
  * @author Kir Belevich
  */
 exports.fn = function (item, params) {
-  if (item.isElem()) {
+  if (item.type === 'element') {
     var floatPrecision = params.floatPrecision;
 
     if (item.hasAttr('viewBox')) {
diff --git a/plugins/collapseGroups.js b/plugins/collapseGroups.js
index d5637f50..83f9f175 100644
--- a/plugins/collapseGroups.js
+++ b/plugins/collapseGroups.js
@@ -42,7 +42,7 @@ function hasAnimatedAttr(item) {
  */
 exports.fn = function (item) {
   // non-empty elements
-  if (item.isElem() && !item.isElem('switch') && !item.isEmpty()) {
+  if (item.type === 'element' && !item.isElem('switch') && !item.isEmpty()) {
     item.content.forEach(function (g, i) {
       // non-empty groups
       if (g.isElem('g') && !g.isEmpty()) {
@@ -51,7 +51,7 @@ exports.fn = function (item) {
           var inner = g.content[0];
 
           if (
-            inner.isElem() &&
+            inner.type === 'element' &&
             !inner.hasAttr('id') &&
             !g.hasAttr('filter') &&
             !(g.hasAttr('class') && inner.hasAttr('class')) &&
diff --git a/plugins/convertColors.js b/plugins/convertColors.js
index 32d3007e..3e6b4037 100644
--- a/plugins/convertColors.js
+++ b/plugins/convertColors.js
@@ -50,7 +50,7 @@ var collections = require('./_collections'),
  * @author Kir Belevich
  */
 exports.fn = function (item, params) {
-  if (item.elem) {
+  if (item.type === 'element') {
     item.eachAttr(function (attr) {
       if (collections.colorsProps.indexOf(attr.name) > -1) {
         var val = attr.value,
diff --git a/plugins/convertStyleToAttrs.js b/plugins/convertStyleToAttrs.js
index 2de7cbbf..152d45d2 100644
--- a/plugins/convertStyleToAttrs.js
+++ b/plugins/convertStyleToAttrs.js
@@ -67,7 +67,7 @@ var stylingProps = require('./_collections').attrsGroups.presentation,
  * @author Kir Belevich
  */
 exports.fn = function (item, params) {
-  if (item.elem && item.hasAttr('style')) {
+  if (item.type === 'element' && item.hasAttr('style')) {
     // ['opacity: 1', 'color: #000']
     var styleValue = item.attr('style').value,
       styles = [],
diff --git a/plugins/convertTransform.js b/plugins/convertTransform.js
index cd45a96f..3e6f7a43 100644
--- a/plugins/convertTransform.js
+++ b/plugins/convertTransform.js
@@ -44,7 +44,7 @@ var cleanupOutData = require('../lib/svgo/tools').cleanupOutData,
  * @author Kir Belevich
  */
 exports.fn = function (item, params) {
-  if (item.elem) {
+  if (item.type === 'element') {
     // transform
     if (item.hasAttr('transform')) {
       convertTransform(item, 'transform', params);
diff --git a/plugins/inlineStyles.js b/plugins/inlineStyles.js
index af94f5e3..5c5fca6a 100644
--- a/plugins/inlineStyles.js
+++ b/plugins/inlineStyles.js
@@ -248,7 +248,7 @@ exports.fn = function (document, opts) {
         1
       );
 
-      if (styleParentEl.elem === 'defs' && styleParentEl.content.length === 0) {
+      if (styleParentEl.name === 'defs' && styleParentEl.content.length === 0) {
         // also clean up now empty <def/>s
         var defsParentEl = styleParentEl.parentNode;
         defsParentEl.spliceContent(
diff --git a/plugins/mergePaths.js b/plugins/mergePaths.js
index 0c6691a8..9f0331ae 100644
--- a/plugins/mergePaths.js
+++ b/plugins/mergePaths.js
@@ -26,7 +26,7 @@ exports.params = {
  * @author Kir Belevich, Lev Solntsev
  */
 exports.fn = function (item, params) {
-  if (!item.isElem() || item.isEmpty()) return;
+  if (item.type !== 'element' || item.isEmpty()) return;
 
   var prevContentItem = null,
     prevContentItemKeys = null;
diff --git a/plugins/minifyStyles.js b/plugins/minifyStyles.js
index de7ba956..ff9bf131 100755
--- a/plugins/minifyStyles.js
+++ b/plugins/minifyStyles.js
@@ -81,7 +81,7 @@ function findStyleElems(ast) {
 
       if (item.isElem('style') && !item.isEmpty()) {
         styles.push(item);
-      } else if (item.isElem() && item.hasAttr('style')) {
+      } else if (item.type === 'element' && item.hasAttr('style')) {
         styles.push(item);
       }
     }
@@ -118,8 +118,8 @@ function collectUsageData(ast, options) {
         safe = false;
       }
 
-      if (item.isElem()) {
-        usageData.tags[item.elem] = true;
+      if (item.type === 'element') {
+        usageData.tags[item.name] = true;
 
         if (item.hasAttr('id')) {
           usageData.ids[item.attr('id').value] = true;
diff --git a/plugins/moveElemsAttrsToGroup.js b/plugins/moveElemsAttrsToGroup.js
index 45da7fd2..f6addb99 100644
--- a/plugins/moveElemsAttrsToGroup.js
+++ b/plugins/moveElemsAttrsToGroup.js
@@ -39,7 +39,7 @@ exports.fn = function (item) {
       hasTransform = false,
       hasClip = item.hasAttr('clip-path') || item.hasAttr('mask'),
       intersected = item.content.every(function (inner) {
-        if (inner.isElem() && inner.hasAttr()) {
+        if (inner.type === 'element' && inner.hasAttr()) {
           // don't mess with possible styles (hack until CSS parsing is implemented)
           if (inner.hasAttr('class')) return false;
           if (!Object.keys(intersection).length) {
diff --git a/plugins/prefixIds.js b/plugins/prefixIds.js
index 02007f4d..2fd11517 100755
--- a/plugins/prefixIds.js
+++ b/plugins/prefixIds.js
@@ -197,7 +197,7 @@ exports.fn = function (node, opts, extra) {
 
   // <style/> property values
 
-  if (node.elem === 'style') {
+  if (node.name === 'style') {
     if (node.isEmpty()) {
       // skip empty <style/>s
       return node;
diff --git a/plugins/removeAttrs.js b/plugins/removeAttrs.js
index a857b623..ae556c3a 100644
--- a/plugins/removeAttrs.js
+++ b/plugins/removeAttrs.js
@@ -87,7 +87,7 @@ exports.fn = function (item, params) {
     params.attrs = [params.attrs];
   }
 
-  if (item.isElem()) {
+  if (item.type === 'element') {
     var elemSeparator =
       typeof params.elemSeparator == 'string'
         ? params.elemSeparator
@@ -122,7 +122,7 @@ exports.fn = function (item, params) {
     // loop patterns
     patterns.forEach(function (pattern) {
       // matches element
-      if (pattern[0].test(item.elem)) {
+      if (pattern[0].test(item.name)) {
         // loop attributes
         item.eachAttr(function (attr) {
           var name = attr.name;
diff --git a/plugins/removeEditorsNSData.js b/plugins/removeEditorsNSData.js
index cb964f90..a7e8259b 100644
--- a/plugins/removeEditorsNSData.js
+++ b/plugins/removeEditorsNSData.js
@@ -34,7 +34,7 @@ exports.fn = function (item, params) {
     editorNamespaces = editorNamespaces.concat(params.additionalNamespaces);
   }
 
-  if (item.elem) {
+  if (item.type === 'element') {
     if (item.isElem('svg')) {
       item.eachAttr(function (attr) {
         const { prefix, local } = parseName(attr.name);
@@ -56,7 +56,7 @@ exports.fn = function (item, params) {
     });
 
     // <sodipodi:*>
-    const { prefix } = parseName(item.elem);
+    const { prefix } = parseName(item.name);
     if (prefixes.includes(prefix)) {
       return false;
     }
diff --git a/plugins/removeElementsByAttr.js b/plugins/removeElementsByAttr.js
index e576cdea..2b010bc5 100644
--- a/plugins/removeElementsByAttr.js
+++ b/plugins/removeElementsByAttr.js
@@ -60,7 +60,7 @@ exports.fn = function (item, params) {
   });
 
   // abort if current item is no an element
-  if (!item.isElem()) {
+  if (item.type !== 'element') {
     return;
   }
 
diff --git a/plugins/removeEmptyAttrs.js b/plugins/removeEmptyAttrs.js
index daad5c51..ded52e2d 100644
--- a/plugins/removeEmptyAttrs.js
+++ b/plugins/removeEmptyAttrs.js
@@ -17,7 +17,7 @@ exports.description = 'removes empty attributes';
  * @author Kir Belevich
  */
 exports.fn = function (item) {
-  if (item.elem) {
+  if (item.type === 'element') {
     item.eachAttr(function (attr) {
       if (
         attr.value === '' &&
diff --git a/plugins/removeHiddenElems.js b/plugins/removeHiddenElems.js
index 51356835..05b59986 100644
--- a/plugins/removeHiddenElems.js
+++ b/plugins/removeHiddenElems.js
@@ -48,7 +48,7 @@ exports.params = {
  * @author Kir Belevich
  */
 exports.fn = function (item, params) {
-  if (item.elem) {
+  if (item.type === 'element') {
     // Removes hidden elements
     // https://www.w3schools.com/cssref/pr_class_visibility.asp
     const computedStyle = computeStyle(item);
diff --git a/plugins/removeOffCanvasPaths.js b/plugins/removeOffCanvasPaths.js
index 2b0c4f89..3a214dae 100644
--- a/plugins/removeOffCanvasPaths.js
+++ b/plugins/removeOffCanvasPaths.js
@@ -102,7 +102,9 @@ function parseViewBox(svg) {
   };
 
   var path = new JSAPI({
-    elem: 'path',
+    type: 'element',
+    name: 'path',
+    content: []
   });
   path.addAttr({
     name: 'd',
diff --git a/plugins/removeUnknownsAndDefaults.js b/plugins/removeUnknownsAndDefaults.js
index 300eb2de..619e86c4 100644
--- a/plugins/removeUnknownsAndDefaults.js
+++ b/plugins/removeUnknownsAndDefaults.js
@@ -68,8 +68,8 @@ for (const elem of Object.values(elems)) {
  */
 exports.fn = function (item, params) {
   // elems w/o namespace prefix
-  if (item.isElem() && !parseName(item.elem).prefix) {
-    var elem = item.elem;
+  if (item.type === 'element' && !parseName(item.name).prefix) {
+    var elem = item.name;
 
     // remove unknown element's content
     if (
@@ -80,12 +80,12 @@ exports.fn = function (item, params) {
     ) {
       item.content.forEach(function (content, i) {
         if (
-          content.isElem() &&
-          !parseName(content.elem).prefix &&
+          content.type === 'element' &&
+          !parseName(content.name).prefix &&
           ((elems[elem].content && // Do we have a record of its permitted content?
-            elems[elem].content.indexOf(content.elem) === -1) ||
+            elems[elem].content.indexOf(content.name) === -1) ||
             (!elems[elem].content && // we dont know about its permitted content
-              !elems[content.elem])) // check that we know about the element at all
+              !elems[content.name])) // check that we know about the element at all
         ) {
           item.content.splice(i, 1);
         }
diff --git a/plugins/removeUnusedNS.js b/plugins/removeUnusedNS.js
index 9f3d1bbe..75e4421e 100644
--- a/plugins/removeUnusedNS.js
+++ b/plugins/removeUnusedNS.js
@@ -65,7 +65,7 @@ exports.fn = function (data) {
       }
 
       if (xmlnsCollection.length) {
-        const { prefix } = parseName(item.elem);
+        const { prefix } = parseName(item.name);
         // check item for the ns-attrs
         if (prefix) {
           removeNSfromCollection(prefix);
diff --git a/plugins/reusePaths.js b/plugins/reusePaths.js
index 2dd26cdd..3bc6071e 100644
--- a/plugins/reusePaths.js
+++ b/plugins/reusePaths.js
@@ -49,7 +49,8 @@ exports.fn = function (data) {
   if (defs.length > 0) {
     const defsTag = new JSAPI(
       {
-        elem: 'defs',
+        type: 'element',
+        name: 'defs',
         content: [],
         attrs: [],
       },
diff --git a/plugins/sortAttrs.js b/plugins/sortAttrs.js
index 9df6f459..6b7141fa 100644
--- a/plugins/sortAttrs.js
+++ b/plugins/sortAttrs.js
@@ -44,7 +44,7 @@ exports.fn = function (item, params) {
     orderlen = params.order.length + 1,
     xmlnsOrder = params.xmlnsOrder || 'front';
 
-  if (item.elem) {
+  if (item.type === 'element') {
     item.eachAttr(function (attr) {
       attrs.push(attr);
     });
diff --git a/plugins/sortDefsChildren.js b/plugins/sortDefsChildren.js
index e5abc860..fea76a95 100644
--- a/plugins/sortDefsChildren.js
+++ b/plugins/sortDefsChildren.js
@@ -19,23 +19,23 @@ exports.fn = function (item) {
   if (item.isElem('defs')) {
     if (item.content) {
       var frequency = item.content.reduce(function (frequency, child) {
-        if (child.elem in frequency) {
-          frequency[child.elem]++;
+        if (child.name in frequency) {
+          frequency[child.name]++;
         } else {
-          frequency[child.elem] = 1;
+          frequency[child.name] = 1;
         }
         return frequency;
       }, {});
       item.content.sort(function (a, b) {
-        var frequencyComparison = frequency[b.elem] - frequency[a.elem];
+        var frequencyComparison = frequency[b.name] - frequency[a.name];
         if (frequencyComparison !== 0) {
           return frequencyComparison;
         }
-        var lengthComparison = b.elem.length - a.elem.length;
+        var lengthComparison = b.name.length - a.name.length;
         if (lengthComparison !== 0) {
           return lengthComparison;
         }
-        return a.elem != b.elem ? (a.elem > b.elem ? -1 : 1) : 0;
+        return a.name != b.name ? (a.name > b.name ? -1 : 1) : 0;
       });
     }
 
diff --git a/test/svg2js/_index.js b/test/svg2js/_index.js
index 8f8439e6..0b5287dc 100644
--- a/test/svg2js/_index.js
+++ b/test/svg2js/_index.js
@@ -76,9 +76,11 @@ describe('svg2js', function () {
       });
     });
 
-    describe('elem', function () {
-      it('should have property elem: "svg"', function () {
-        expect(root.content[3]).to.have.property('elem', 'svg');
+    describe('name', function () {
+      it('should have property name: "svg"', function () {
+        expect(root.content[3]).to.include({
+          name: 'svg',
+        });
       });
     });