diff --git a/src/calibre/srv/render_book.py b/src/calibre/srv/render_book.py
index a1e12171ff..488e6d41da 100644
--- a/src/calibre/srv/render_book.py
+++ b/src/calibre/srv/render_book.py
@@ -432,7 +432,7 @@ def transform_inline_styles(container, name, transform_sheet, transform_style):
 
 
 def transform_html(container, name, virtualize_resources, link_uid, link_to_map, virtualized_names):
-    link_xpath = XPath('//h:a[@href]')
+    link_xpath = XPath('//h:*[@href and (self::h:a or self::h:area)]')
     svg_link_xpath = XPath('//svg:a')
     img_xpath = XPath('//h:img[@src]')
     svg_img_xpath = XPath('//svg:image[@xl:href]')
@@ -604,7 +604,7 @@ def worker_main():
 def virtualize_html(container, name, link_uid, link_to_map, virtualized_names):
 
     changed = set()
-    link_xpath = XPath('//h:a[@href]')
+    link_xpath = XPath('//h:*[@href and (self::h:a or self::h:area)]')
     svg_link_xpath = XPath('//svg:a')
     link_replacer = create_link_replacer(container, link_uid, changed)
 
diff --git a/src/pyj/read_book/iframe.pyj b/src/pyj/read_book/iframe.pyj
index 4bd699d854..526ba30dca 100644
--- a/src/pyj/read_book/iframe.pyj
+++ b/src/pyj/read_book/iframe.pyj
@@ -691,7 +691,7 @@ class IframeBoss:
         self.comm.send_message(action, data)
 
     def connect_links(self):
-        for a in document.body.querySelectorAll(f'a[{self.link_attr}]'):
+        for a in document.body.querySelectorAll(f'a[{self.link_attr}],area[{self.link_attr}]'):
             a.addEventListener('click', self.link_activated)
         if runtime.is_standalone_viewer:
             # links with a target get turned into requests to open a new window by Qt