Back in 2021, Ticket #54483 was opened to address an accessibility concern on the WordPress login screen. The issue? After logging out (with ?loggedout=true in the URL), the form’s input fields were still using aria-describedby="login_error", even though no actual error was present. For screen reader users, that’s misleading.

I didn’t open the ticket, but when I came across it, I realized the patch hadn’t been written yet, and I decided to help.

The fix was straightforward: update the condition to exclude the logged-out state from triggering the aria-describedby reference. Here’s the relevant tweak:

if ( $errors->has_errors() && empty( $_GET['loggedout'] ) ) {
    $aria_describedby_error = ' aria-describedby="login_error"';
} else {
    $aria_describedby_error = '';
}

Simple. Clear. And enough to improve accessibility for thousands of users.

That patch sat quietly for a while, like many Trac tickets do. But in the lead-up to WordPress 6.1 “Misha,” it was reviewed, refined, and finally merged.

And with it, I earned my first Core Contributor badge.

Recognition with “Misha”

That patch merged into WordPress core during the release of version 6.1 “Misha”, officially announced on November 1, 2022. The release included nearly 60 accessibility improvements, emphasizing the project’s ongoing commitment to inclusivity..

When that PR landed, I received my first Core Contributor badge. A one-line patch, validated by a major, widely celebrated release.

Why this matters

• Proof of impact. The official “Misha” release announcement confirms the focus on accessibility, and my patch was part of it.
• Open source works. A 2021 ticket made inroads and was included in a 2022 release.
• Small changes, big difference. Accessibility tweaks like this enrich the user experience for all.

What I took from the experience

• Start where you can contribute. I didn’t start this ticket, but I helped finish it.
• Even small changes matter. This wasn’t a flashy feature, just a logic tweak that helped accessibility.
• Be patient. WordPress core moves with care. Your patch might take time, but it’s never wasted.
• You don’t need to do it all. Contributing to someone else’s ticket is just as valid as opening your own.