diff --git a/packages/metal-incremental-dom/src/render/patch.js b/packages/metal-incremental-dom/src/render/patch.js
index 1490ee56..942e1557 100644
--- a/packages/metal-incremental-dom/src/render/patch.js
+++ b/packages/metal-incremental-dom/src/render/patch.js
@@ -2,7 +2,7 @@
 
 import { append, exitDocument } from 'metal-dom';
 import { getData } from '../data';
-import { isFunction } from 'metal';
+import { isServerSide } from 'metal';
 import { render } from './render';
 
 const patchingComponents_ = [];
@@ -17,7 +17,7 @@ const patchingComponents_ = [];
 function buildParentIfNecessary_(element) {
 	if (!element || !element.parentNode) {
 		let parent = {};
-		if (typeof document !== 'undefined' && isFunction(document.createElement)) {
+		if (!isServerSide()) {
 			parent = document.createElement('div');
 		}
 		if (element) {