diff --git a/.all-contributorsrc b/.all-contributorsrc
index 06802e81..1c181443 100644
--- a/.all-contributorsrc
+++ b/.all-contributorsrc
@@ -360,6 +360,16 @@
       "contributions": [
         "doc"
       ]
+    },
+    {
+      "login": "ehteshamkafeel",
+      "name": "Ehtesham Kafeel",
+      "avatar_url": "https://avatars1.githubusercontent.com/u/1213123?v=4",
+      "profile": "https://github.com/ehteshamkafeel",
+      "contributions": [
+        "code",
+        "doc"
+      ]
     }
   ]
 }
diff --git a/README.md b/README.md
index 7f66cc63..56fc3256 100644
--- a/README.md
+++ b/README.md
@@ -15,7 +15,7 @@
 [![version][version-badge]][package] [![downloads][downloads-badge]][npmtrends]
 [![MIT License][license-badge]][license]
 
-[![All Contributors](https://img.shields.io/badge/all_contributors-36-orange.svg?style=flat-square)](#contributors)
+[![All Contributors](https://img.shields.io/badge/all_contributors-37-orange.svg?style=flat-square)](#contributors)
 [![PRs Welcome][prs-badge]][prs] [![Code of Conduct][coc-badge]][coc]
 [![Join the community on Spectrum][spectrum-badge]][spectrum]
 
@@ -215,6 +215,19 @@ The containing DOM node of your rendered React Element (rendered using
 > `container.firstChild` will only get the first child of that Fragment, not the
 > Fragment itself.
 
+#### `baseElement`
+
+The containing DOM node where your React Element is rendered in the container.
+If you don't specify the `baseElement` in the options of `render`, it will
+default to `documentElement`.
+
+This is useful when the component you want to test renders something outside the
+container div, e.g. when you want to snapshot test your portal component which
+renders it's HTML directly in the body.
+
+> Note: the queries returned by the `render` looks into baseElement, so you can
+> use queries to test your portal component without the baseElement.
+
 #### `debug`
 
 This method is a shortcut for `console.log(prettyDOM(container))`.
@@ -946,7 +959,7 @@ Thanks goes to these people ([emoji key][emojis]):
 | [<img src="https://avatars1.githubusercontent.com/u/29602306?v=4" width="100px;"/><br /><sub><b>Michal Baranowski</b></sub>](https://twitter.com/baranovskim)<br />[📝](#blog-mbaranovski "Blogposts") [✅](#tutorial-mbaranovski "Tutorials") | [<img src="https://avatars3.githubusercontent.com/u/13985684?v=4" width="100px;"/><br /><sub><b>Arthur Puthin</b></sub>](https://github.com/aputhin)<br />[📖](https://github.com/kentcdodds/react-testing-library/commits?author=aputhin "Documentation") | [<img src="https://avatars2.githubusercontent.com/u/21194045?v=4" width="100px;"/><br /><sub><b>Thomas Chia</b></sub>](https://github.com/thchia)<br />[💻](https://github.com/kentcdodds/react-testing-library/commits?author=thchia "Code") [📖](https://github.com/kentcdodds/react-testing-library/commits?author=thchia "Documentation") | [<img src="https://avatars3.githubusercontent.com/u/20430611?v=4" width="100px;"/><br /><sub><b>Thiago Galvani</b></sub>](http://ilegra.com/)<br />[📖](https://github.com/kentcdodds/react-testing-library/commits?author=thiagopaiva99 "Documentation") | [<img src="https://avatars1.githubusercontent.com/u/19828824?v=4" width="100px;"/><br /><sub><b>Christian</b></sub>](http://Chriswcs.github.io)<br />[⚠️](https://github.com/kentcdodds/react-testing-library/commits?author=ChrisWcs "Tests") | [<img src="https://avatars3.githubusercontent.com/u/1571667?v=4" width="100px;"/><br /><sub><b>Alex Krolick</b></sub>](https://alexkrolick.com)<br />[💬](#question-alexkrolick "Answering Questions") [📖](https://github.com/kentcdodds/react-testing-library/commits?author=alexkrolick "Documentation") [💡](#example-alexkrolick "Examples") [🤔](#ideas-alexkrolick "Ideas, Planning, & Feedback") | [<img src="https://avatars3.githubusercontent.com/u/1239401?v=4" width="100px;"/><br /><sub><b>Johann Hubert Sonntagbauer</b></sub>](https://github.com/johann-sonntagbauer)<br />[💻](https://github.com/kentcdodds/react-testing-library/commits?author=johann-sonntagbauer "Code") [📖](https://github.com/kentcdodds/react-testing-library/commits?author=johann-sonntagbauer "Documentation") [⚠️](https://github.com/kentcdodds/react-testing-library/commits?author=johann-sonntagbauer "Tests") |
 | [<img src="https://avatars2.githubusercontent.com/u/2224291?v=4" width="100px;"/><br /><sub><b>Maddi Joyce</b></sub>](http://www.maddijoyce.com)<br />[💻](https://github.com/kentcdodds/react-testing-library/commits?author=maddijoyce "Code") | [<img src="https://avatars2.githubusercontent.com/u/10080111?v=4" width="100px;"/><br /><sub><b>Ryan Vice</b></sub>](http://www.vicesoftware.com)<br />[📖](https://github.com/kentcdodds/react-testing-library/commits?author=RyanAtViceSoftware "Documentation") | [<img src="https://avatars1.githubusercontent.com/u/7942604?v=4" width="100px;"/><br /><sub><b>Ian Wilson</b></sub>](https://ianwilson.io)<br />[📝](#blog-iwilsonq "Blogposts") [✅](#tutorial-iwilsonq "Tutorials") | [<img src="https://avatars2.githubusercontent.com/u/1635491?v=4" width="100px;"/><br /><sub><b>Daniel</b></sub>](https://github.com/InExtremaRes)<br />[🐛](https://github.com/kentcdodds/react-testing-library/issues?q=author%3AInExtremaRes "Bug reports") [💻](https://github.com/kentcdodds/react-testing-library/commits?author=InExtremaRes "Code") | [<img src="https://avatars0.githubusercontent.com/u/767959?v=4" width="100px;"/><br /><sub><b>Giorgio Polvara</b></sub>](https://twitter.com/Gpx)<br />[🐛](https://github.com/kentcdodds/react-testing-library/issues?q=author%3AGpx "Bug reports") [🤔](#ideas-Gpx "Ideas, Planning, & Feedback") | [<img src="https://avatars2.githubusercontent.com/u/132233?v=4" width="100px;"/><br /><sub><b>John Gozde</b></sub>](https://github.com/jgoz)<br />[💻](https://github.com/kentcdodds/react-testing-library/commits?author=jgoz "Code") | [<img src="https://avatars0.githubusercontent.com/u/8203211?v=4" width="100px;"/><br /><sub><b>Sam Horton</b></sub>](https://twitter.com/SavePointSam)<br />[📖](https://github.com/kentcdodds/react-testing-library/commits?author=SavePointSam "Documentation") [💡](#example-SavePointSam "Examples") [🤔](#ideas-SavePointSam "Ideas, Planning, & Feedback") |
 | [<img src="https://avatars2.githubusercontent.com/u/10452163?v=4" width="100px;"/><br /><sub><b>Richard Kotze (mobile)</b></sub>](http://www.richardkotze.com)<br />[📖](https://github.com/kentcdodds/react-testing-library/commits?author=rkotze "Documentation") | [<img src="https://avatars2.githubusercontent.com/u/10819833?v=4" width="100px;"/><br /><sub><b>Brahian E. Soto Mercedes</b></sub>](https://github.com/sotobuild)<br />[📖](https://github.com/kentcdodds/react-testing-library/commits?author=sotobuild "Documentation") | [<img src="https://avatars2.githubusercontent.com/u/7151559?v=4" width="100px;"/><br /><sub><b>Benoit de La Forest</b></sub>](https://github.com/bdelaforest)<br />[📖](https://github.com/kentcdodds/react-testing-library/commits?author=bdelaforest "Documentation") | [<img src="https://avatars3.githubusercontent.com/u/6624197?v=4" width="100px;"/><br /><sub><b>Salah</b></sub>](https://github.com/thesalah)<br />[💻](https://github.com/kentcdodds/react-testing-library/commits?author=thesalah "Code") [⚠️](https://github.com/kentcdodds/react-testing-library/commits?author=thesalah "Tests") | [<img src="https://avatars2.githubusercontent.com/u/370054?v=4" width="100px;"/><br /><sub><b>Adam Gordon</b></sub>](http://gordonizer.com)<br />[🐛](https://github.com/kentcdodds/react-testing-library/issues?q=author%3Aicfantv "Bug reports") [💻](https://github.com/kentcdodds/react-testing-library/commits?author=icfantv "Code") | [<img src="https://avatars2.githubusercontent.com/u/471278?v=4" width="100px;"/><br /><sub><b>Matija Marohnić</b></sub>](https://silvenon.com)<br />[📖](https://github.com/kentcdodds/react-testing-library/commits?author=silvenon "Documentation") | [<img src="https://avatars3.githubusercontent.com/u/8015514?v=4" width="100px;"/><br /><sub><b>Justice Mba</b></sub>](https://github.com/Dajust)<br />[📖](https://github.com/kentcdodds/react-testing-library/commits?author=Dajust "Documentation") |
-| [<img src="https://avatars2.githubusercontent.com/u/5286559?v=4" width="100px;"/><br /><sub><b>Mark Pollmann</b></sub>](https://markpollmann.com/)<br />[📖](https://github.com/kentcdodds/react-testing-library/commits?author=MarkPollmann "Documentation") |
+| [<img src="https://avatars2.githubusercontent.com/u/5286559?v=4" width="100px;"/><br /><sub><b>Mark Pollmann</b></sub>](https://markpollmann.com/)<br />[📖](https://github.com/kentcdodds/react-testing-library/commits?author=MarkPollmann "Documentation") | [<img src="https://avatars1.githubusercontent.com/u/1213123?v=4" width="100px;"/><br /><sub><b>Ehtesham Kafeel</b></sub>](https://github.com/ehteshamkafeel)<br />[💻](https://github.com/kentcdodds/react-testing-library/commits?author=ehteshamkafeel "Code") [📖](https://github.com/kentcdodds/react-testing-library/commits?author=ehteshamkafeel "Documentation") |
 
 <!-- ALL-CONTRIBUTORS-LIST:END -->
 
diff --git a/src/__tests__/render.js b/src/__tests__/render.js
index 066accd1..b5c09b90 100644
--- a/src/__tests__/render.js
+++ b/src/__tests__/render.js
@@ -1,21 +1,58 @@
+import 'jest-dom/extend-expect'
 import React from 'react'
+import ReactDOM from 'react-dom'
 import {render, cleanup} from '../'
 
 afterEach(cleanup)
 
-it('renders button into document', () => {
+test('renders div into document', () => {
   const ref = React.createRef()
   const {container} = render(<div ref={ref} />)
   expect(container.firstChild).toBe(ref.current)
 })
 
-it('access portal elements inside body', () => {
-  const {getByText} = render(<div />)
-  const portalComponent = document.createElement('div')
-  portalComponent.appendChild(document.createTextNode('Hello World'))
-  document.body.appendChild(portalComponent)
-  expect(getByText('Hello World')).not.toBeNull()
-  document.body.removeChild(portalComponent)
+test('works great with react portals', () => {
+  class MyPortal extends React.Component {
+    constructor(...args) {
+      super(...args)
+      this.portalNode = document.createElement('div')
+      this.portalNode.dataset.testid = 'my-portal'
+    }
+    componentDidMount() {
+      document.body.appendChild(this.portalNode)
+    }
+    componentWillUnmount() {
+      this.portalNode.parentNode.removeChild(this.portalNode)
+    }
+    render() {
+      return ReactDOM.createPortal(
+        <Greet greeting="Hello" subject="World" />,
+        this.portalNode,
+      )
+    }
+  }
+
+  function Greet({greeting, subject}) {
+    return (
+      <div>
+        <strong>
+          {greeting} {subject}
+        </strong>
+      </div>
+    )
+  }
+
+  const {unmount, getByTestId, getByText} = render(<MyPortal />)
+  expect(getByText('Hello World')).toBeInTheDOM()
+  const portalNode = getByTestId('my-portal')
+  expect(document.body.contains(portalNode)).toBe(true)
+  unmount()
+  expect(document.body.contains(portalNode)).toBe(false)
+})
+
+test('returns baseElement which defaults to document.documentElement', () => {
+  const {baseElement} = render(<div />)
+  expect(baseElement).toBe(document.documentElement)
 })
 
 it('cleansup document', () => {
diff --git a/src/index.js b/src/index.js
index 3ae2f5da..8993e012 100644
--- a/src/index.js
+++ b/src/index.js
@@ -18,6 +18,7 @@ function render(ui, {container, baseElement = container} = {}) {
   ReactDOM.render(ui, container)
   return {
     container,
+    baseElement,
     // eslint-disable-next-line no-console
     debug: (el = baseElement) => console.log(prettyDOM(el)),
     unmount: () => ReactDOM.unmountComponentAtNode(container),