diff --git a/src/components/header/header_links/__snapshots__/header_links.test.js.snap b/src/components/header/header_links/__snapshots__/header_links.test.js.snap
index b34121939043..657c17754f8c 100644
--- a/src/components/header/header_links/__snapshots__/header_links.test.js.snap
+++ b/src/components/header/header_links/__snapshots__/header_links.test.js.snap
@@ -1,7 +1,7 @@
 // Jest Snapshot v1, https://goo.gl/fbAQLP
 
 exports[`EuiHeaderLinks is rendered 1`] = `
-<div
+<nav
   aria-label="aria-label"
   class="euiHeaderLinks testClass1 testClass2"
   data-test-subj="test subject string"
@@ -43,5 +43,5 @@ exports[`EuiHeaderLinks is rendered 1`] = `
       </button>
     </div>
   </div>
-</div>
+</nav>
 `;
diff --git a/src/components/header/header_links/header_links.js b/src/components/header/header_links/header_links.js
index 1b031abbbc08..e020cdc7b828 100644
--- a/src/components/header/header_links/header_links.js
+++ b/src/components/header/header_links/header_links.js
@@ -52,8 +52,9 @@ export class EuiHeaderLinks extends Component {
     );
 
     return (
-      <div
+      <nav
         className={classes}
+        aria-label="App navigation"
         {...rest}
       >
 
@@ -74,7 +75,7 @@ export class EuiHeaderLinks extends Component {
           {children}
         </EuiPopover>
 
-      </div>
+      </nav>
     );
   }
 }