diff --git a/shared/yeast-macros/src/parse.rs b/shared/yeast-macros/src/parse.rs
index 6ee23365e04..0889c9a3faf 100644
--- a/shared/yeast-macros/src/parse.rs
+++ b/shared/yeast-macros/src/parse.rs
@@ -46,7 +46,11 @@ fn parse_query_atom(tokens: &mut Tokens) -> Result<TokenStream> {
         Some(TokenTree::Group(g)) if g.delimiter() == Delimiter::Parenthesis => {
             let group = expect_group(tokens, Delimiter::Parenthesis)?;
             let mut inner = group.stream().into_iter().peekable();
-            parse_query_node_inner(&mut inner)
+            let result = parse_query_node_inner(&mut inner)?;
+            if let Some(tok) = inner.next() {
+                return Err(syn::Error::new_spanned(tok, "unexpected token in query node"));
+            }
+            Ok(result)
         }
         Some(tok) => Err(syn::Error::new_spanned(
             tok.clone(),
@@ -348,8 +352,10 @@ fn parse_direct_node_inner(tokens: &mut Tokens, ctx: &Ident) -> Result<TokenStre
                         __children.extend(#ctx.capture_all(#name_str));
                     });
                 } else {
-                    let node = parse_direct_node_inner(&mut inner, ctx)?;
-                    child_stmts.push(quote! { __children.push(#node); });
+                    return Err(syn::Error::new(
+                        Span::call_site(),
+                        "* after a non-capture group is not supported in tree templates; use (@name)* to splice a repeated capture",
+                    ));
                 }
                 has_children = true;
                 continue;
diff --git a/shared/yeast/src/lib.rs b/shared/yeast/src/lib.rs
index ef5848636ee..539757dfa67 100644
--- a/shared/yeast/src/lib.rs
+++ b/shared/yeast/src/lib.rs
@@ -610,7 +610,8 @@ impl Runner {
     pub fn run_from_tree(&self, tree: &tree_sitter::Tree) -> Result<Ast, String> {
         let fresh = tree_builder::FreshScope::new();
         let mut ast = Ast::from_tree(self.language.clone(), tree);
-        let res = apply_rules(&self.rules, &mut ast, 0, &fresh)?;
+        let root = ast.get_root();
+        let res = apply_rules(&self.rules, &mut ast, root, &fresh)?;
         if res.len() != 1 {
             return Err(format!("Expected exactly one result node, got {}", res.len()));
         }
@@ -626,7 +627,8 @@ impl Runner {
         let tree = parser.parse(input, None)
             .ok_or_else(|| "Failed to parse input".to_string())?;
         let mut ast = Ast::from_tree(self.language.clone(), &tree);
-        let res = apply_rules(&self.rules, &mut ast, 0, &fresh)?;
+        let root = ast.get_root();
+        let res = apply_rules(&self.rules, &mut ast, root, &fresh)?;
         if res.len() != 1 {
             return Err(format!("Expected exactly one result node, got {}", res.len()));
         }
diff --git a/shared/yeast/src/query.rs b/shared/yeast/src/query.rs
index a5eca37b20b..62aada55ce6 100644
--- a/shared/yeast/src/query.rs
+++ b/shared/yeast/src/query.rs
@@ -200,7 +200,7 @@ mod tests {
         let query9: QueryNode = yeast::query!(
             (assignment
                 left: (element_reference
-                    object*: ((_) @obj)*
+                    object*: ((_) @obj)
                     (_) @index
                 )
                 right: (_) @rhs