diff --git a/changelog.md b/changelog.md
index 739b77a1..8c1760d4 100644
--- a/changelog.md
+++ b/changelog.md
@@ -1,5 +1,9 @@
 # Changelog
 
+## unreleased
+
+- structurizr-core: Fixes https://github.com/structurizr/java/issues/298 (Unknown model item type on 'element')
+
 ## 2.1.2 (30th April 2024)
 
 - structurizr-core: Adds better backwards compatibility to deal with old workspaces and those created by third party tooling that are missing view `order` property on views.
diff --git a/structurizr-core/src/main/java/com/structurizr/view/Terminology.java b/structurizr-core/src/main/java/com/structurizr/view/Terminology.java
index b8daf3e1..575a16a5 100644
--- a/structurizr-core/src/main/java/com/structurizr/view/Terminology.java
+++ b/structurizr-core/src/main/java/com/structurizr/view/Terminology.java
@@ -134,6 +134,9 @@ public String findTerminology(ModelItem modelItem) {
             return !StringUtils.isNullOrEmpty(getDeploymentNode()) ? getDeploymentNode() : "Deployment Node";
         } else if (modelItem instanceof InfrastructureNode) {
             return !StringUtils.isNullOrEmpty(getInfrastructureNode()) ? getInfrastructureNode() : "Infrastructure Node";
+        } else if (modelItem instanceof CustomElement) {
+            String terminology = ((CustomElement)modelItem).getMetadata();
+            return !StringUtils.isNullOrEmpty(terminology) ? terminology : "Element";
         }
 
         throw new IllegalArgumentException("Unknown model item type.");
diff --git a/structurizr-core/src/test/java/com/structurizr/view/TerminologyTests.java b/structurizr-core/src/test/java/com/structurizr/view/TerminologyTests.java
index 7f19c895..316a23bb 100644
--- a/structurizr-core/src/test/java/com/structurizr/view/TerminologyTests.java
+++ b/structurizr-core/src/test/java/com/structurizr/view/TerminologyTests.java
@@ -12,6 +12,7 @@ public class TerminologyTests {
     void findTerminology() {
         Workspace workspace = new Workspace("Name", "Description");
         Terminology terminology = workspace.getViews().getConfiguration().getTerminology();
+        CustomElement element = workspace.getModel().addCustomElement("Element", "Hardware Device", "Description");
         Person person = workspace.getModel().addPerson("Name");
         SoftwareSystem softwareSystem = workspace.getModel().addSoftwareSystem("Name");
         Container container = softwareSystem.addContainer("Container");
@@ -22,6 +23,7 @@ void findTerminology() {
         ContainerInstance containerInstance = deploymentNode.add(container);
         Relationship relationship = person.uses(softwareSystem, "Uses");
 
+        assertEquals("Hardware Device", terminology.findTerminology(element));
         assertEquals("Person", terminology.findTerminology(person));
         assertEquals("Software System", terminology.findTerminology(softwareSystem));
         assertEquals("Container", terminology.findTerminology(container));