diff --git a/.changeset/loud-mayflies-melt.md b/.changeset/loud-mayflies-melt.md
new file mode 100644
index 0000000000..af64eb8b29
--- /dev/null
+++ b/.changeset/loud-mayflies-melt.md
@@ -0,0 +1,5 @@
+---
+'svelte': minor
+---
+
+feat: allow dom elements as `svelte:element` `this` attribute
diff --git a/packages/svelte/src/internal/client/dom/blocks/svelte-element.js b/packages/svelte/src/internal/client/dom/blocks/svelte-element.js
index 18641300e5..b4fe477972 100644
--- a/packages/svelte/src/internal/client/dom/blocks/svelte-element.js
+++ b/packages/svelte/src/internal/client/dom/blocks/svelte-element.js
@@ -26,7 +26,7 @@ import { is_raw_text_element } from '../../../../utils.js';
 
 /**
  * @param {Comment | Element} node
- * @param {() => string} get_tag
+ * @param {() => string | HTMLElement | SVGElement} get_tag
  * @param {boolean} is_svg
  * @param {undefined | ((element: Element, anchor: Node | null) => void)} render_fn,
  * @param {undefined | (() => string)} get_namespace
@@ -42,10 +42,10 @@ export function element(node, get_tag, is_svg, render_fn, get_namespace, locatio
 
 	var filename = DEV && location && component_context?.function[FILENAME];
 
-	/** @type {string | null} */
+	/** @type {string | HTMLElement | SVGElement | null} */
 	var tag;
 
-	/** @type {string | null} */
+	/** @type {string | HTMLElement | SVGElement | null} */
 	var current_tag;
 
 	/** @type {null | Element} */
@@ -100,9 +100,11 @@ export function element(node, get_tag, is_svg, render_fn, get_namespace, locatio
 			effect = branch(() => {
 				element = hydrating
 					? /** @type {Element} */ (element)
-					: ns
-						? document.createElementNS(ns, next_tag)
-						: document.createElement(next_tag);
+					: typeof next_tag === 'string'
+						? ns
+							? document.createElementNS(ns, next_tag)
+							: document.createElement(next_tag)
+						: next_tag;
 
 				if (DEV && location) {
 					// @ts-expect-error
@@ -118,7 +120,10 @@ export function element(node, get_tag, is_svg, render_fn, get_namespace, locatio
 				assign_nodes(element, element);
 
 				if (render_fn) {
-					if (hydrating && is_raw_text_element(next_tag)) {
+					if (
+						hydrating &&
+						is_raw_text_element(typeof next_tag === 'string' ? next_tag : next_tag.nodeName)
+					) {
 						// prevent hydration glitches
 						element.append(document.createComment(''));
 					}
diff --git a/packages/svelte/src/internal/shared/validate.js b/packages/svelte/src/internal/shared/validate.js
index 852c0e83bf..07bff85134 100644
--- a/packages/svelte/src/internal/shared/validate.js
+++ b/packages/svelte/src/internal/shared/validate.js
@@ -7,13 +7,14 @@ import * as e from './errors.js';
 export { invalid_default_snippet } from './errors.js';
 
 /**
- * @param {() => string} tag_fn
+ * @param {() => string | HTMLElement | SVGElement} tag_fn
  * @returns {void}
  */
 export function validate_void_dynamic_element(tag_fn) {
 	const tag = tag_fn();
-	if (tag && is_void(tag)) {
-		w.dynamic_void_element_content(tag);
+	const tag_name = typeof tag === 'string' ? tag : tag?.tagName;
+	if (tag_name && is_void(tag_name)) {
+		w.dynamic_void_element_content(tag_name);
 	}
 }
 
@@ -21,7 +22,8 @@ export function validate_void_dynamic_element(tag_fn) {
 export function validate_dynamic_element_tag(tag_fn) {
 	const tag = tag_fn();
 	const is_string = typeof tag === 'string';
-	if (tag && !is_string) {
+	const is_element = tag instanceof HTMLElement || tag instanceof SVGElement;
+	if (tag && !(is_string || is_element)) {
 		e.svelte_element_invalid_this_value();
 	}
 }
diff --git a/packages/svelte/tests/runtime-runes/samples/svelte-element-element-null/_config.js b/packages/svelte/tests/runtime-runes/samples/svelte-element-element-null/_config.js
new file mode 100644
index 0000000000..29c900d592
--- /dev/null
+++ b/packages/svelte/tests/runtime-runes/samples/svelte-element-element-null/_config.js
@@ -0,0 +1,8 @@
+import { test } from '../../test';
+
+export default test({
+	ssrHtml: ``,
+	test({ assert, target }) {
+		assert.htmlEqual(target.innerHTML, `<div><b>children</b><p>children</p></div>`);
+	}
+});
diff --git a/packages/svelte/tests/runtime-runes/samples/svelte-element-element-null/main.svelte b/packages/svelte/tests/runtime-runes/samples/svelte-element-element-null/main.svelte
new file mode 100644
index 0000000000..afcc6adecb
--- /dev/null
+++ b/packages/svelte/tests/runtime-runes/samples/svelte-element-element-null/main.svelte
@@ -0,0 +1,13 @@
+<script>
+	let div = $state(null);
+
+	$effect(()=>{
+		const to_add = document.createElement("div");
+		to_add.innerHTML=`<b>children</b>`;
+		div = to_add;
+	})
+</script>
+
+<svelte:element this={div}>
+	<p>children</p>
+</svelte:element>
\ No newline at end of file
diff --git a/packages/svelte/tests/runtime-runes/samples/svelte-element-element/_config.js b/packages/svelte/tests/runtime-runes/samples/svelte-element-element/_config.js
new file mode 100644
index 0000000000..21bdc56de1
--- /dev/null
+++ b/packages/svelte/tests/runtime-runes/samples/svelte-element-element/_config.js
@@ -0,0 +1,8 @@
+import { test } from '../../test';
+
+export default test({
+	ssrHtml: `<div><p>children</p></div>`,
+	test({ assert, target }) {
+		assert.htmlEqual(target.innerHTML, `<div><b>children</b><p>children</p></div>`);
+	}
+});
diff --git a/packages/svelte/tests/runtime-runes/samples/svelte-element-element/main.svelte b/packages/svelte/tests/runtime-runes/samples/svelte-element-element/main.svelte
new file mode 100644
index 0000000000..8e8c5bad86
--- /dev/null
+++ b/packages/svelte/tests/runtime-runes/samples/svelte-element-element/main.svelte
@@ -0,0 +1,13 @@
+<script>
+	let div = $state(null);
+
+	$effect(()=>{
+		const to_add = document.createElement("div");
+		to_add.innerHTML=`<b>children</b>`;
+		div = to_add;
+	})
+</script>
+
+<svelte:element this={div ?? "div"}>
+	<p>children</p>
+</svelte:element>
\ No newline at end of file