diff --git a/src/TemplateBinding.js b/src/TemplateBinding.js
index 5e6bd38..8db0e8a 100644
--- a/src/TemplateBinding.js
+++ b/src/TemplateBinding.js
@@ -496,7 +496,8 @@
           ref = treeScope.getElementById(refId);
         if (!ref) {
           var instanceRoot = getInstanceRoot(this);
-          ref = instanceRoot.querySelector('#' + refId);
+          if (instanceRoot)
+            ref = instanceRoot.querySelector('#' + refId);
         }
       }
 
diff --git a/tests/tests.js b/tests/tests.js
index c45a8a0..6354a76 100644
--- a/tests/tests.js
+++ b/tests/tests.js
@@ -3006,6 +3006,17 @@ suite('Binding Delegate API', function() {
       done();
     });
   });
+
+  test('issue-152', function() {
+    var div = createTestHtml(
+        '<template ref=notThere></template>');
+
+    var template = div.firstChild;
+
+    // if a ref cannot be located, a template will continue to use itself
+    // as the source of template instances.
+    assert.strictEqual(template, template.ref);
+  });
 });
 
 suite('Compat', function() {