--- a/testing/marionette/client/marionette_driver/marionette.py
+++ b/testing/marionette/client/marionette_driver/marionette.py
@@ -1671,20 +1671,21 @@ class Marionette(object):
             with the specified id.
         """
         body = {"value": target, "using": method}
         if id:
             body["element"] = id
         return self._send_message(
             "findElements", body, key="value" if self.protocol == 1 else None)
 
-
     def get_active_element(self):
-        el = self._send_message("getActiveElement", key="value")
-        return HTMLElement(self, el)
+        el_or_ref = self._send_message("getActiveElement", key="value")
+        if self.protocol < 3:
+            return HTMLElement(self, el_or_ref)
+        return el_or_ref
 
     def log(self, msg, level="INFO"):
         """Stores a timestamped log message in the Marionette server
         for later retrieval.
 
         :param msg: String with message to log.
         :param level: String with log level (e.g. "INFO" or "DEBUG").
             Defaults to "INFO".