diff --git a/src/jqLite.js b/src/jqLite.js
index d37fe1a63733..fe3ad25e84ae 100644
--- a/src/jqLite.js
+++ b/src/jqLite.js
@@ -207,7 +207,7 @@ function jqLiteBuildFragment(html, context) {
     nodes.push(context.createTextNode(html));
   } else {
     // Convert html into DOM nodes
-    tmp = tmp || fragment.appendChild(context.createElement("div"));
+    tmp = fragment.appendChild(context.createElement("div"));
     tag = (TAG_NAME_REGEXP.exec(html) || ["", ""])[1].toLowerCase();
     wrap = wrapMap[tag] || wrapMap._default;
     tmp.innerHTML = wrap[1] + html.replace(XHTML_TAG_REGEXP, "<$1></$2>") + wrap[2];