diff --git a/NAMESPACE b/NAMESPACE
index 5737492a00..852cb97600 100644
--- a/NAMESPACE
+++ b/NAMESPACE
@@ -461,7 +461,6 @@ export(guides)
 export(has_flipped_aes)
 export(is.Coord)
 export(is.coord)
-export(is.element)
 export(is.facet)
 export(is.geom)
 export(is.ggplot)
@@ -475,6 +474,7 @@ export(is.position)
 export(is.scale)
 export(is.stat)
 export(is.theme)
+export(is.theme_element)
 export(label_both)
 export(label_bquote)
 export(label_context)
diff --git a/R/guide-.R b/R/guide-.R
index dd63949cd2..fc002c33d2 100644
--- a/R/guide-.R
+++ b/R/guide-.R
@@ -381,7 +381,7 @@ Guide <- ggproto(
   # Renders tickmarks
   build_ticks = function(key, elements, params, position = params$position,
                          length = elements$ticks_length) {
-    if (!is.element(elements)) {
+    if (!is.theme_element(elements)) {
       elements <- elements$ticks
     }
     if (!inherits(elements, "element_line")) {
diff --git a/R/plot-build.R b/R/plot-build.R
index c7e641c8e6..a624469b75 100644
--- a/R/plot-build.R
+++ b/R/plot-build.R
@@ -288,7 +288,7 @@ ggplot_gtable.ggplot_built <- function(data) {
   plot_margin <- calc_element("plot.margin", theme)
   plot_table  <- gtable_add_padding(plot_table, plot_margin)
 
-  if (is.element(theme$plot.background)) {
+  if (is.theme_element(theme$plot.background)) {
     plot_table <- gtable_add_grob(plot_table,
       element_render(theme, "plot.background"),
       t = 1, l = 1, b = -1, r = -1, name = "background", z = -Inf)
diff --git a/R/theme-elements.R b/R/theme-elements.R
index 7e5de2f777..fb3341bf49 100644
--- a/R/theme-elements.R
+++ b/R/theme-elements.R
@@ -204,7 +204,7 @@ element_geom <- function(
 
 #' @export
 #' @rdname is_tests
-is.element <- function(x) inherits(x, "element")
+is.theme_element <- function(x) inherits(x, "element")
 
 #' @export
 print.element <- function(x, ...) utils::str(x)
diff --git a/R/theme.R b/R/theme.R
index 2eedd300c5..2eecc13253 100644
--- a/R/theme.R
+++ b/R/theme.R
@@ -529,7 +529,7 @@ theme <- function(...,
   # If complete theme set all non-blank elements to inherit from blanks
   if (complete) {
     elements <- lapply(elements, function(el) {
-      if (is.element(el) && !inherits(el, "element_blank")) {
+      if (is.theme_element(el) && !inherits(el, "element_blank")) {
         el$inherit.blank <- TRUE
       }
       el
diff --git a/man/is_tests.Rd b/man/is_tests.Rd
index 62ded3db09..bcb7bf0683 100644
--- a/man/is_tests.Rd
+++ b/man/is_tests.Rd
@@ -10,7 +10,7 @@
 \alias{is.Coord}
 \alias{is.facet}
 \alias{is.stat}
-\alias{is.element}
+\alias{is.theme_element}
 \alias{is.guide}
 \alias{is.layer}
 \alias{is.guides}
@@ -36,7 +36,7 @@ is.facet(x)
 
 is.stat(x)
 
-is.element(x)
+is.theme_element(x)
 
 is.guide(x)