diff --git a/packages/metal-incremental-dom/src/render/patch.js b/packages/metal-incremental-dom/src/render/patch.js
index 3b948d11..942e1557 100644
--- a/packages/metal-incremental-dom/src/render/patch.js
+++ b/packages/metal-incremental-dom/src/render/patch.js
@@ -2,6 +2,7 @@
 
 import { append, exitDocument } from 'metal-dom';
 import { getData } from '../data';
+import { isServerSide } from 'metal';
 import { render } from './render';
 
 const patchingComponents_ = [];
@@ -15,7 +16,10 @@ const patchingComponents_ = [];
  */
 function buildParentIfNecessary_(element) {
 	if (!element || !element.parentNode) {
-		const parent = document.createElement('div');
+		let parent = {};
+		if (!isServerSide()) {
+			parent = document.createElement('div');
+		}
 		if (element) {
 			append(parent, element);
 		}