diff --git a/.changeset/odd-shirts-hear.md b/.changeset/odd-shirts-hear.md
new file mode 100644
index 0000000000..cc49c393d9
--- /dev/null
+++ b/.changeset/odd-shirts-hear.md
@@ -0,0 +1,5 @@
+---
+'svelte': patch
+---
+
+feat: Add accessibility warnings for buttons and anchors without explicit labels and content
diff --git a/packages/svelte/messages/compile-warnings/a11y.md b/packages/svelte/messages/compile-warnings/a11y.md
index 490a015693..a1f8a6da5d 100644
--- a/packages/svelte/messages/compile-warnings/a11y.md
+++ b/packages/svelte/messages/compile-warnings/a11y.md
@@ -22,6 +22,10 @@
 
 > Visible, non-interactive elements with a click event must be accompanied by a keyboard event handler. Consider whether an interactive element such as `<button type="button">` or `<a>` might be more appropriate. See https://svelte.dev/docs/accessibility-warnings#a11y-click-events-have-key-events for more details
 
+## a11y_consider_explicit_label
+
+> Buttons and links should either contain text or have an `aria-label` or `aria-labelledby` attribute
+
 ## a11y_distracting_elements
 
 > Avoid `<%name%>` elements
@@ -104,7 +108,7 @@
 
 ## a11y_missing_content
 
-> `<%name%>` element should have child content
+> `<%name%>` element should contain text
 
 ## a11y_mouse_events_have_key_events
 
diff --git a/packages/svelte/src/compiler/phases/2-analyze/visitors/shared/a11y.js b/packages/svelte/src/compiler/phases/2-analyze/visitors/shared/a11y.js
index 1ad29ae318..4e919e81d1 100644
--- a/packages/svelte/src/compiler/phases/2-analyze/visitors/shared/a11y.js
+++ b/packages/svelte/src/compiler/phases/2-analyze/visitors/shared/a11y.js
@@ -403,9 +403,9 @@ const a11y_required_attributes = {
 	object: ['title', 'aria-label', 'aria-labelledby']
 };
 const a11y_distracting_elements = ['blink', 'marquee'];
+
+// this excludes `<a>` and `<button>` because they are handled separately
 const a11y_required_content = [
-	// anchor-has-content
-	'a',
 	// heading-has-content
 	'h1',
 	'h2',
@@ -989,16 +989,17 @@ export function check_element(node, state) {
 	}
 
 	// element-specific checks
-	let contains_a11y_label = false;
+	const is_labelled = attribute_map.has('aria-label') || attribute_map.has('aria-labelledby');
 
-	if (node.name === 'a') {
-		const aria_label_attribute = attribute_map.get('aria-label');
-		if (aria_label_attribute) {
-			if (get_static_value(aria_label_attribute) !== '') {
-				contains_a11y_label = true;
-			}
+	if (node.name === 'a' || node.name === 'button') {
+		const is_hidden = get_static_value(attribute_map.get('aria-hidden')) === 'true';
+
+		if (!is_hidden && !is_labelled && !has_content(node)) {
+			w.a11y_consider_explicit_label(node);
 		}
+	}
 
+	if (node.name === 'a') {
 		const href = attribute_map.get('href') || attribute_map.get('xlink:href');
 		if (href) {
 			const href_value = get_static_text_value(href);
@@ -1139,11 +1140,34 @@ export function check_element(node, state) {
 
 	// Check content
 	if (
-		!contains_a11y_label &&
+		!is_labelled &&
 		!has_contenteditable_binding &&
 		a11y_required_content.includes(node.name) &&
-		node.fragment.nodes.length === 0
+		!has_content(node)
 	) {
 		w.a11y_missing_content(node, node.name);
 	}
 }
+
+/**
+ * @param {AST.RegularElement | AST.SvelteElement} element
+ */
+function has_content(element) {
+	for (const node of element.fragment.nodes) {
+		if (node.type === 'Text') {
+			if (node.data.trim() === '') {
+				continue;
+			}
+		}
+
+		if (node.type === 'RegularElement' || node.type === 'SvelteElement') {
+			if (!has_content(node)) {
+				continue;
+			}
+		}
+
+		// assume everything else has content — this will result in false positives
+		// (e.g. an empty `{#if ...}{/if}`) but that's probably fine
+		return true;
+	}
+}
diff --git a/packages/svelte/src/compiler/warnings.js b/packages/svelte/src/compiler/warnings.js
index 1ed5362964..2d7d710281 100644
--- a/packages/svelte/src/compiler/warnings.js
+++ b/packages/svelte/src/compiler/warnings.js
@@ -50,6 +50,7 @@ export const codes = [
 	"a11y_autocomplete_valid",
 	"a11y_autofocus",
 	"a11y_click_events_have_key_events",
+	"a11y_consider_explicit_label",
 	"a11y_distracting_elements",
 	"a11y_figcaption_index",
 	"a11y_figcaption_parent",
@@ -174,6 +175,14 @@ export function a11y_click_events_have_key_events(node) {
 	w(node, "a11y_click_events_have_key_events", "Visible, non-interactive elements with a click event must be accompanied by a keyboard event handler. Consider whether an interactive element such as `<button type=\"button\">` or `<a>` might be more appropriate. See https://svelte.dev/docs/accessibility-warnings#a11y-click-events-have-key-events for more details");
 }
 
+/**
+ * Buttons and links should either contain text or have an `aria-label` or `aria-labelledby` attribute
+ * @param {null | NodeLike} node
+ */
+export function a11y_consider_explicit_label(node) {
+	w(node, "a11y_consider_explicit_label", "Buttons and links should either contain text or have an `aria-label` or `aria-labelledby` attribute");
+}
+
 /**
  * Avoid `<%name%>` elements
  * @param {null | NodeLike} node
@@ -355,12 +364,12 @@ export function a11y_missing_attribute(node, name, article, sequence) {
 }
 
 /**
- * `<%name%>` element should have child content
+ * `<%name%>` element should contain text
  * @param {null | NodeLike} node
  * @param {string} name
  */
 export function a11y_missing_content(node, name) {
-	w(node, "a11y_missing_content", `\`<${name}>\` element should have child content`);
+	w(node, "a11y_missing_content", `\`<${name}>\` element should contain text`);
 }
 
 /**
diff --git a/packages/svelte/tests/runtime-browser/samples/head-script/main.svelte b/packages/svelte/tests/runtime-browser/samples/head-script/main.svelte
index 94ff3730f5..474c8dd71b 100644
--- a/packages/svelte/tests/runtime-browser/samples/head-script/main.svelte
+++ b/packages/svelte/tests/runtime-browser/samples/head-script/main.svelte
@@ -7,4 +7,4 @@
 		});
 	</script>
 </svelte:head>
-<button></button>
+<button>click me</button>
diff --git a/packages/svelte/tests/validator/samples/a11y-anchor-has-content/warnings.json b/packages/svelte/tests/validator/samples/a11y-anchor-has-content/warnings.json
index eff05f1b9a..cd3778a443 100644
--- a/packages/svelte/tests/validator/samples/a11y-anchor-has-content/warnings.json
+++ b/packages/svelte/tests/validator/samples/a11y-anchor-has-content/warnings.json
@@ -1,7 +1,7 @@
 [
 	{
-		"code": "a11y_missing_content",
-		"message": "`<a>` element should have child content",
+		"code": "a11y_consider_explicit_label",
+		"message": "Buttons and links should either contain text or have an `aria-label` or `aria-labelledby` attribute",
 		"start": {
 			"line": 1,
 			"column": 0
diff --git a/packages/svelte/tests/validator/samples/a11y-aria-proptypes-boolean/input.svelte b/packages/svelte/tests/validator/samples/a11y-aria-proptypes-boolean/input.svelte
index 4d05595185..e006516174 100644
--- a/packages/svelte/tests/validator/samples/a11y-aria-proptypes-boolean/input.svelte
+++ b/packages/svelte/tests/validator/samples/a11y-aria-proptypes-boolean/input.svelte
@@ -2,7 +2,7 @@
     const abc = 'abc';
 </script>
 
-<button aria-disabled="yes"></button>
-<button aria-disabled="no"></button>
-<button aria-disabled={1234}></button>
-<button aria-disabled={`${abc}`}></button>
+<button aria-disabled="yes">click me</button>
+<button aria-disabled="no">click me</button>
+<button aria-disabled={1234}>click me</button>
+<button aria-disabled={`${abc}`}>click me</button>
diff --git a/packages/svelte/tests/validator/samples/a11y-click-events-have-key-events/input.svelte b/packages/svelte/tests/validator/samples/a11y-click-events-have-key-events/input.svelte
index 37df598129..c525ebe813 100644
--- a/packages/svelte/tests/validator/samples/a11y-click-events-have-key-events/input.svelte
+++ b/packages/svelte/tests/validator/samples/a11y-click-events-have-key-events/input.svelte
@@ -31,7 +31,7 @@
 <div class="foo"></div>
 
 <a href="http://x.y.z" on:click={noop}>foo</a>
-<button on:click={noop}></button>
+<button on:click={noop}>click me</button>
 <select on:click={noop}></select>
 
 <input type="button" on:click={noop} />
diff --git a/packages/svelte/tests/validator/samples/a11y-consider-explicit-label/input.svelte b/packages/svelte/tests/validator/samples/a11y-consider-explicit-label/input.svelte
new file mode 100644
index 0000000000..6c5a35fc39
--- /dev/null
+++ b/packages/svelte/tests/validator/samples/a11y-consider-explicit-label/input.svelte
@@ -0,0 +1,11 @@
+<button></button>
+<a href="/#"><b></b></a>
+
+<button aria-label="Valid empty button"></button>
+<a href="/#" aria-label="Valid empty link"></a>
+
+<button aria-hidden='true'></button>
+<a href="/#" aria-hidden='true'><b></b></a>
+
+<button>Click me</button>
+<a href="/#">Link text</a>
diff --git a/packages/svelte/tests/validator/samples/a11y-consider-explicit-label/warnings.json b/packages/svelte/tests/validator/samples/a11y-consider-explicit-label/warnings.json
new file mode 100644
index 0000000000..2dcecf08b3
--- /dev/null
+++ b/packages/svelte/tests/validator/samples/a11y-consider-explicit-label/warnings.json
@@ -0,0 +1,26 @@
+[
+	{
+		"code": "a11y_consider_explicit_label",
+		"message": "Buttons and links should either contain text or have an `aria-label` or `aria-labelledby` attribute",
+		"start": {
+			"line": 1,
+			"column": 0
+		},
+		"end": {
+			"line": 1,
+			"column": 17
+		}
+	},
+	{
+		"code": "a11y_consider_explicit_label",
+		"message": "Buttons and links should either contain text or have an `aria-label` or `aria-labelledby` attribute",
+		"start": {
+			"line": 2,
+			"column": 0
+		},
+		"end": {
+			"line": 2,
+			"column": 24
+		}
+	}
+]
diff --git a/packages/svelte/tests/validator/samples/a11y-heading-has-content/warnings.json b/packages/svelte/tests/validator/samples/a11y-heading-has-content/warnings.json
index da77e2d36d..484d04400a 100644
--- a/packages/svelte/tests/validator/samples/a11y-heading-has-content/warnings.json
+++ b/packages/svelte/tests/validator/samples/a11y-heading-has-content/warnings.json
@@ -1,7 +1,7 @@
 [
 	{
 		"code": "a11y_missing_content",
-		"message": "`<h1>` element should have child content",
+		"message": "`<h1>` element should contain text",
 		"start": {
 			"line": 1,
 			"column": 0
diff --git a/packages/svelte/tests/validator/samples/a11y-interactive-supports-focus/input.svelte b/packages/svelte/tests/validator/samples/a11y-interactive-supports-focus/input.svelte
index 673c615704..0e2acb1225 100644
--- a/packages/svelte/tests/validator/samples/a11y-interactive-supports-focus/input.svelte
+++ b/packages/svelte/tests/validator/samples/a11y-interactive-supports-focus/input.svelte
@@ -3,7 +3,7 @@
 <div aria-disabled="true" role="button" on:keypress={() => {}}></div>
 <div disabled role="button" on:keypress={() => {}}></div>
 <div role="presentation" on:keypress={() => {}}></div>
-<button on:click={() => {}}></button>
+<button on:click={() => {}}>click me</button>
 <div role="menuitem" tabindex="0" on:click={() => {}} on:keypress={() => {}}></div>
 <div role="button" tabindex="-1" on:click={() => {}} on:keypress={() => {}}></div>
 
diff --git a/packages/svelte/tests/validator/samples/a11y-no-noninteractive-element-interactions/input.svelte b/packages/svelte/tests/validator/samples/a11y-no-noninteractive-element-interactions/input.svelte
index 742d21245b..1adea90ba3 100644
--- a/packages/svelte/tests/validator/samples/a11y-no-noninteractive-element-interactions/input.svelte
+++ b/packages/svelte/tests/validator/samples/a11y-no-noninteractive-element-interactions/input.svelte
@@ -2,7 +2,7 @@
 <div role="presentation" on:mouseup={() => {}}></div>
 <div role="button" tabindex="-1" on:click={() => {}} on:keypress={() => {}}></div>
 <div role="listitem" aria-hidden="true" on:click={() => {}} on:keypress={() => {}}></div>
-<button on:click={() => {}}></button>
+<button on:click={() => {}}>click me</button>
 <h1 contenteditable="true" on:keydown={() => {}}>Heading</h1>
 <h1>Heading</h1>
 
diff --git a/packages/svelte/tests/validator/samples/a11y-no-noninteractive-tabindex/input.svelte b/packages/svelte/tests/validator/samples/a11y-no-noninteractive-tabindex/input.svelte
index 8cb10941ae..93bf4d3fb6 100644
--- a/packages/svelte/tests/validator/samples/a11y-no-noninteractive-tabindex/input.svelte
+++ b/packages/svelte/tests/validator/samples/a11y-no-noninteractive-tabindex/input.svelte
@@ -1,7 +1,7 @@
 <!-- valid -->
-<button></button>
-<button tabindex='0'></button>
-<button tabindex='{0}'></button>
+<button>click me</button>
+<button tabindex='0'>click me</button>
+<button tabindex='{0}'>click me</button>
 <div></div>
 <div tabindex='-1'></div>
 <div role='button' tabindex='0'></div>
diff --git a/packages/svelte/tests/validator/samples/a11y-no-redundant-roles/input.svelte b/packages/svelte/tests/validator/samples/a11y-no-redundant-roles/input.svelte
index 8b6da3b8c8..2ccd765aa2 100644
--- a/packages/svelte/tests/validator/samples/a11y-no-redundant-roles/input.svelte
+++ b/packages/svelte/tests/validator/samples/a11y-no-redundant-roles/input.svelte
@@ -2,7 +2,7 @@
 <article role="article"></article>
 <aside role="complementary"></aside>
 <body role="document"></body>
-<button role="button"></button>
+<button role="button">click me</button>
 <datalist role="listbox"></datalist>
 <dd role="definition"></dd>
 <dfn role="term"></dfn>
diff --git a/packages/svelte/tests/validator/samples/a11y-no-static-element-interactions/input.svelte b/packages/svelte/tests/validator/samples/a11y-no-static-element-interactions/input.svelte
index 44d8b8beb1..ee7ed4f084 100644
--- a/packages/svelte/tests/validator/samples/a11y-no-static-element-interactions/input.svelte
+++ b/packages/svelte/tests/validator/samples/a11y-no-static-element-interactions/input.svelte
@@ -3,7 +3,7 @@
 </script>
 
 <!-- valid -->
-<button on:click={() => {}}></button>
+<button on:click={() => {}}>click me</button>
 <!-- svelte-ignore a11y_interactive_supports_focus -->
 <div on:keydown={() => {}} role="button"></div>
 <input type="text" on:click={() => {}} />
diff --git a/packages/svelte/tests/validator/samples/a11y-role-supports-aria-props/input.svelte b/packages/svelte/tests/validator/samples/a11y-role-supports-aria-props/input.svelte
index d641d77e5d..917e6167ad 100644
--- a/packages/svelte/tests/validator/samples/a11y-role-supports-aria-props/input.svelte
+++ b/packages/svelte/tests/validator/samples/a11y-role-supports-aria-props/input.svelte
@@ -4,7 +4,7 @@
 <article aria-autocomplete="inline"></article>
 <aside aria-modal="true"></aside>
 <body aria-invalid="true"></body>
-<button aria-valuemax="0"></button>
+<button aria-valuemax="0">click me</button>
 <datalist aria-valuenow="0"></datalist>
 <dd aria-rowindex="0"></dd>
 <dfn aria-colcount="0"></dfn>
diff --git a/packages/svelte/tests/validator/samples/a11y-tabindex-no-positive/input.svelte b/packages/svelte/tests/validator/samples/a11y-tabindex-no-positive/input.svelte
index eacfdace57..843247fb4d 100644
--- a/packages/svelte/tests/validator/samples/a11y-tabindex-no-positive/input.svelte
+++ b/packages/svelte/tests/validator/samples/a11y-tabindex-no-positive/input.svelte
@@ -2,7 +2,7 @@
 	let foo;
 </script>
 
-<button tabindex='-1'></button>
-<button tabindex='0'></button>
-<button tabindex='1'></button>
-<button tabindex='{foo}'></button>
+<button tabindex='-1'>click me</button>
+<button tabindex='0'>click me</button>
+<button tabindex='1'>click me</button>
+<button tabindex='{foo}'>click me</button>
diff --git a/packages/svelte/tests/validator/samples/global-event-reference/input.svelte b/packages/svelte/tests/validator/samples/global-event-reference/input.svelte
index 9a34449b42..378d0adeb9 100644
--- a/packages/svelte/tests/validator/samples/global-event-reference/input.svelte
+++ b/packages/svelte/tests/validator/samples/global-event-reference/input.svelte
@@ -2,8 +2,8 @@
     let onclick;
 </script>
 
-<button {onclick}></button>
-<button onclick={onclick}></button>
+<button {onclick}>click me</button>
+<button onclick={onclick}>click me</button>
 
-<button {onkeydown}></button>
-<button onkeydown={onkeydown}></button>
+<button {onkeydown}>click me</button>
+<button onkeydown={onkeydown}>click me</button>
diff --git a/packages/svelte/tests/validator/samples/illegal-attribute-character/input.svelte b/packages/svelte/tests/validator/samples/illegal-attribute-character/input.svelte
index d05607f50c..8f5bb8a2cc 100644
--- a/packages/svelte/tests/validator/samples/illegal-attribute-character/input.svelte
+++ b/packages/svelte/tests/validator/samples/illegal-attribute-character/input.svelte
@@ -2,14 +2,14 @@
     import C from './irrelevant';
 </script>
 
-<button on:click></button>
-<button xml:click></button>
-<button xmlns:click></button>
-<button xlink:click></button>
+<button on:click>click me</button>
+<button xml:click>click me</button>
+<button xmlns:click>click me</button>
+<button xlink:click>click me</button>
 <C on:click />
 <C xml:click />
 <C xmlns:click />
 <C xlink:click />
 
-<button foo:bar></button>
+<button foo:bar>click me</button>
 <C foo:bar />
diff --git a/packages/svelte/tests/validator/samples/state-referenced-locally-types/input.svelte b/packages/svelte/tests/validator/samples/state-referenced-locally-types/input.svelte
index 30d282d7e4..4b992a774b 100644
--- a/packages/svelte/tests/validator/samples/state-referenced-locally-types/input.svelte
+++ b/packages/svelte/tests/validator/samples/state-referenced-locally-types/input.svelte
@@ -3,4 +3,4 @@
 	let { b }: { b: string } = $derived(a);
 </script>
 
-<button onclick={()=>a++}></button>
\ No newline at end of file
+<button onclick={()=>a++}>click me</button>
diff --git a/packages/svelte/tests/validator/samples/style-directive-valid-reference/input.svelte b/packages/svelte/tests/validator/samples/style-directive-valid-reference/input.svelte
index cccb0dd208..40e78397c6 100644
--- a/packages/svelte/tests/validator/samples/style-directive-valid-reference/input.svelte
+++ b/packages/svelte/tests/validator/samples/style-directive-valid-reference/input.svelte
@@ -2,4 +2,4 @@
 	export let height;
 </script>
 
-<button style:height></button>
+<button style:height>click me</button>