diff --git a/src/parser/parser.rs b/src/parser/parser.rs
index 4c0cfd2..c016e7e 100644
--- a/src/parser/parser.rs
+++ b/src/parser/parser.rs
@@ -263,7 +263,14 @@ fn key(i: &str) -> IResult<&str, &str> {
 fn path(i: &str) -> IResult<&str, Path> {
     alt((
         map(separated_list1(tag("."), key), |body| Path { keys: body }),
-        value(Path { keys: Vec::new() }, tag(".")),
+        map(
+            tuple((tag("."), separated_list1(tag("."), key))),
+            |(dot, mut body)| {
+                body.insert(0, dot);
+                Path { keys: body }
+            },
+        ),
+        map(tag("."), |dot| Path { keys: vec![dot] }),
     ))(i)
 }
 
@@ -1210,7 +1217,7 @@ mod tests {
                                 contents: Some(Body {
                                     elements: vec![TemplateElement::TETag(DustTag::DTReference(
                                         Reference {
-                                            path: Path { keys: vec![] },
+                                            path: Path { keys: vec!["."] },
                                             filters: vec![]
                                         }
                                     ))]
@@ -1238,7 +1245,7 @@ mod tests {
                                             IgnoredWhitespace::StartOfLine("\n")
                                         ),
                                         TemplateElement::TETag(DustTag::DTReference(Reference {
-                                            path: Path { keys: vec![] },
+                                            path: Path { keys: vec!["."] },
                                             filters: vec![]
                                         })),
                                         TemplateElement::TEIgnoredWhitespace(