diff --git a/src/js/BookReader.js b/src/js/BookReader.js
index b23107f2e..7ec614546 100644
--- a/src/js/BookReader.js
+++ b/src/js/BookReader.js
@@ -503,6 +503,8 @@ BookReader.prototype.init = function() {
 BookReader.prototype.trigger = function(name, props = this) {
   const eventName = 'BookReader:' + name;
   $(document).trigger(eventName, props);
+
+  utils.polyfillCustomEvent(window);
   window.dispatchEvent(new CustomEvent(eventName, {
     bubbles: true,
     composed: true,
diff --git a/src/js/BookReader/utils.js b/src/js/BookReader/utils.js
index a5fef1724..7bd14fbfe 100644
--- a/src/js/BookReader/utils.js
+++ b/src/js/BookReader/utils.js
@@ -137,3 +137,25 @@ export function throttle(fn, threshold, delay) {
     }
   };
 }
+
+/**
+ * FIXME we need a better way to do this :/ This is not automatically poly-filled by
+ * core-js https://github.com/zloirock/core-js/issues/354
+ * @param {Window} window
+ */
+export function polyfillCustomEvent(window) {
+  if (typeof window.CustomEvent === "function") return false;
+  window.CustomEvent = PolyfilledCustomEvent;
+}
+
+/**
+ * https://caniuse.com/customevent has issues on older browsers where it can't be
+ * called as a constructor, so we have to use older methods.
+ * @param {String} eventName
+ * @return {CustomEvent}
+ */
+export function PolyfilledCustomEvent(eventName, {bubbles = false, cancelable = false, detail = null} = {}) {
+  const event = document.createEvent('CustomEvent');
+  event.initCustomEvent(eventName, bubbles, cancelable, detail);
+  return event;
+}
diff --git a/tests/BookReader/utils.test.js b/tests/BookReader/utils.test.js
index a1b8d8cd9..c1feae141 100644
--- a/tests/BookReader/utils.test.js
+++ b/tests/BookReader/utils.test.js
@@ -6,6 +6,8 @@ import {
   decodeURIComponentPlus,
   encodeURIComponentPlus,
   escapeHTML,
+  polyfillCustomEvent,
+  PolyfilledCustomEvent,
 } from '../../src/js/BookReader/utils.js';
 
 test('clamp function returns Math.min(Math.max(value, min), max)', () => {
@@ -61,3 +63,32 @@ test('testing debounce', () => {
   clock.tick(1000);
   expect(func).toHaveBeenCalledTimes(1);  // func called
 });
+
+
+describe('polyfillCustomEvent', () => {
+  test('Overrides when missing', () => {
+    const win = {};
+    polyfillCustomEvent(win);
+    expect(win).toHaveProperty('CustomEvent');
+  });
+
+  test('Overrides when not a function', () => {
+    const win = { CustomEvent: {} };
+    polyfillCustomEvent(win);
+    expect(typeof win.CustomEvent).toBe('function');
+  });
+});
+
+describe('PolyfilledCustomEvent', () => {
+  test('Can be called as a constructor', () => {
+    new PolyfilledCustomEvent('foo');
+  });
+
+  test('Calls deprecated browser methods', () => {
+    const createEventSpy = sinon.spy(document, 'createEvent');
+    const initCustomEventSpy = sinon.spy(CustomEvent.prototype, 'initCustomEvent');
+    new PolyfilledCustomEvent('foo');
+    expect(createEventSpy.callCount).toBe(1);
+    expect(initCustomEventSpy.callCount).toBe(1);
+  });
+});