diff --git a/lib/handlebars/compiler/compiler.js b/lib/handlebars/compiler/compiler.js
index ca59725f..108d0551 100644
--- a/lib/handlebars/compiler/compiler.js
+++ b/lib/handlebars/compiler/compiler.js
@@ -240,7 +240,13 @@ Handlebars.JavaScriptCompiler = function() {};
     ID: function(id) {
       this.addDepth(id.depth);
       this.opcode('getContext', id.depth);
-      this.opcode('lookupOnContext', id.parts[0]);
+
+      var name = id.parts[0];
+      if (!name) {
+        this.opcode('pushContext');
+      } else {
+        this.opcode('lookupOnContext', id.parts[0]);
+      }
 
       for(var i=1, l=id.parts.length; i<l; i++) {
         this.opcode('lookup', id.parts[i]);