diff --git a/lib/oga/xpath/compiler.rb b/lib/oga/xpath/compiler.rb
index 038052c..c5d3eb7 100644
--- a/lib/oga/xpath/compiler.rb
+++ b/lib/oga/xpath/compiler.rb
@@ -352,18 +352,20 @@ module Oga
         node       = node_literal
         doc_node   = literal(:doc_node)
 
-        orig_input.is_a?(XML::Node)
-          .if_true { root.assign(orig_input.root_node) }
-          .else    { root.assign(orig_input) }
-          .followed_by do
-            root.each_node.add_block(doc_node) do
-              doc_node.eq(input)
-                .if_true { self.break }
-                .followed_by do
-                  process(ast, doc_node).if_true { yield doc_node }
+        input.is_a?(XML::Node).if_true do
+          root.assign(input.root_node)
+            .followed_by do
+              document_or_node(root).if_true do
+                root.each_node.add_block(doc_node) do
+                  doc_node.eq(input)
+                    .if_true { self.break }
+                    .followed_by do
+                      process(ast, doc_node).if_true { yield doc_node }
+                    end
                 end
+              end
             end
-          end
+        end
       end
 
       # @param [AST::Node] ast
diff --git a/spec/oga/xpath/compiler/axes/preceding_spec.rb b/spec/oga/xpath/compiler/axes/preceding_spec.rb
index de1deb1..d56298b 100644
--- a/spec/oga/xpath/compiler/axes/preceding_spec.rb
+++ b/spec/oga/xpath/compiler/axes/preceding_spec.rb
@@ -1,10 +1,9 @@
 require 'spec_helper'
 
 describe Oga::XPath::Compiler do
-  describe 'preceding axis' do
-    before do
-      @document = parse(<<-EOF.strip.gsub(/\s+/m, ''))
-<root>
+  before do
+    @document = parse(<<-EOF.strip.gsub(/^\s+|\n/m, ''))
+<root foo="bar">
   <foo>
     <bar></bar>
     <baz>
@@ -13,27 +12,64 @@ describe Oga::XPath::Compiler do
   </foo>
   <baz></baz>
 </root>
-      EOF
+    EOF
 
-      @foo1 = @document.children[0].children[0]
-      @bar1 = @foo1.children[0]
-      @baz1 = @foo1.children[1]
-      @baz2 = @baz1.children[0]
-      @baz3 = @document.children[0].children[1]
+    @foo1 = @document.children[0].children[0]
+    @bar1 = @foo1.children[0]
+    @baz1 = @foo1.children[1]
+    @baz2 = @baz1.children[0]
+    @baz3 = @document.children[0].children[1]
+  end
+
+  describe 'relative to a document' do
+    describe 'preceding::*' do
+      it 'returns an empty NodeSet' do
+        evaluate_xpath(@document).should == node_set
+      end
     end
 
-    it 'returns a node set containing preceding nodes of root/foo/baz' do
-      evaluate_xpath(@document, 'root/foo/baz/preceding::bar')
-        .should == node_set(@bar1)
+    describe 'root/foo/baz/preceding::bar' do
+      it 'returns a NodeSet' do
+        evaluate_xpath(@document).should == node_set(@bar1)
+      end
     end
 
-    it 'returns a node set containing preceding nodes for root/baz' do
-      evaluate_xpath(@document, 'root/baz/preceding::baz')
-        .should == node_set(@baz1, @baz2)
+    describe 'root/baz/preceding::baz' do
+      it 'returns a NodeSet' do
+        evaluate_xpath(@document).should == node_set(@baz1, @baz2)
+      end
+    end
+  end
+
+  describe 'relative to an element' do
+    describe 'preceding::root' do
+      it 'returns a NodeSet' do
+        evaluate_xpath(@foo1).should == @document.children
+      end
     end
 
-    it 'returns a node set containing preceding nodes relative to root/baz' do
-      evaluate_xpath(@baz3, 'preceding::baz').should == node_set(@baz1, @baz2)
+    describe 'preceding::baz' do
+      it 'returns a NodeSet' do
+        evaluate_xpath(@baz3).should == node_set(@baz1, @baz2)
+      end
+    end
+  end
+
+  describe 'relative to the root element' do
+    describe 'preceding::*' do
+      it 'returns an empty NodeSet' do
+        evaluate_xpath(@document.children[0]).should == node_set
+      end
+    end
+  end
+
+  describe 'relative to an attribute' do
+    describe 'preceding::*' do
+      it 'returns an empty NodeSet' do
+        root = @document.children[0]
+
+        evaluate_xpath(root.attribute('foo')).should == node_set
+      end
     end
   end
 end