diff --git a/CHANGELOG b/CHANGELOG
index f10bdda..3f8b16f 100644
--- a/CHANGELOG
+++ b/CHANGELOG
@@ -1,5 +1,7 @@
 *SVN*
 
+* Remove the dependency on Element.ClassNames from Element#addClassName/removeClassName/toggleClassName, and deprecate Element.ClassNames. Closes #9073. [Tobie Langel]
+
 * Make Element#wrap accept a second argument for setting attributes on the wrapper. Allow wrapping elements which are not part of the document. Closes #9071. [Tobie Langel]
 
 * Improvements for Element#replace, Element#update and Element#insert.  Closes #7429, #9060.  [Tobie Langel]
diff --git a/src/deprecated.js b/src/deprecated.js
index b320049..e284025 100644
--- a/src/deprecated.js
+++ b/src/deprecated.js
@@ -20,7 +20,7 @@ var Insertion = {
   After: function(element, content) {
     return Element.insert(element, {after:content});
   }
-}
+};
 
 var $continue = new Error('"throw $continue" is deprecated, use "return" instead');
 
@@ -109,5 +109,41 @@ var Position = {
     options = options || {};
     return Element.clonePosition(target, source, options);
   }
-}
+};
+
+/*--------------------------------------------------------------------------*/
+
+Element.ClassNames = Class.create();
+Element.ClassNames.prototype = {
+  initialize: function(element) {
+    this.element = $(element);
+  },
+
+  _each: function(iterator) {
+    this.element.className.split(/\s+/).select(function(name) {
+      return name.length > 0;
+    })._each(iterator);
+  },
+  
+  set: function(className) {
+    this.element.className = className;
+  },
+  
+  add: function(classNameToAdd) {
+    if (this.include(classNameToAdd)) return;
+    this.set($A(this).concat(classNameToAdd).join(' '));
+  },
+  
+  remove: function(classNameToRemove) {
+    if (!this.include(classNameToRemove)) return;
+    this.set($A(this).without(classNameToRemove).join(' '));
+  },
+  
+  toString: function() {
+    return $A(this).join(' ');
+  }
+};
+
+Object.extend(Element.ClassNames.prototype, Enumerable);
+
 /*--------------------------------------------------------------------------*/
diff --git a/src/dom.js b/src/dom.js
index f485a7f..27da475 100644
--- a/src/dom.js
+++ b/src/dom.js
@@ -285,7 +285,7 @@ Element.Methods = {
   },
   
   classNames: function(element) {
-    return new Element.ClassNames(element);
+    return $w(element.className);
   },
 
   hasClassName: function(element, className) {
@@ -297,20 +297,22 @@ Element.Methods = {
 
   addClassName: function(element, className) {
     if (!(element = $(element))) return;
-    Element.classNames(element).add(className);
+    if (!element.hasClassName(className))
+      element.className += (element.className ? ' ' : '') + className;
     return element;
   },
 
   removeClassName: function(element, className) {
     if (!(element = $(element))) return;
-    Element.classNames(element).remove(className);
+    element.className = element.className.replace(
+      new RegExp("(^|\\s+)" + className + "(\\s+|$)"), ' ').strip();
     return element;
   },
   
   toggleClassName: function(element, className) {
     if (!(element = $(element))) return;
-    Element.classNames(element)[element.hasClassName(className) ? 'remove' : 'add'](className);
-    return element;
+    return element[element.hasClassName(className) ?
+      'removeClassName' : 'addClassName'](className);
   },
   
   observe: function() {
@@ -1158,38 +1160,3 @@ Element.addMethods = function(methods) {
   if (Element.extend.refresh) Element.extend.refresh();
   Element.cache = {};
 };
-
-/*--------------------------------------------------------------------------*/
-
-Element.ClassNames = Class.create();
-Element.ClassNames.prototype = {
-  initialize: function(element) {
-    this.element = $(element);
-  },
-
-  _each: function(iterator) {
-    this.element.className.split(/\s+/).select(function(name) {
-      return name.length > 0;
-    })._each(iterator);
-  },
-  
-  set: function(className) {
-    this.element.className = className;
-  },
-  
-  add: function(classNameToAdd) {
-    if (this.include(classNameToAdd)) return;
-    this.set($A(this).concat(classNameToAdd).join(' '));
-  },
-  
-  remove: function(classNameToRemove) {
-    if (!this.include(classNameToRemove)) return;
-    this.set($A(this).without(classNameToRemove).join(' '));
-  },
-  
-  toString: function() {
-    return $A(this).join(' ');
-  }
-};
-
-Object.extend(Element.ClassNames.prototype, Enumerable);