diff --git a/docs/master/api-reference/directives.md b/docs/master/api-reference/directives.md
index 09d532c5b2..ee1fd019fb 100644
--- a/docs/master/api-reference/directives.md
+++ b/docs/master/api-reference/directives.md
@@ -621,7 +621,7 @@ directive @can(
   Check the policy against the model instances returned by the field resolver.
   Only use this if the field does not mutate data, it is run before checking.
 
-  Mutually exclusive with `query` and `find`.
+  Mutually exclusive with `query`, `find`, and `root`.
   """
   resolved: Boolean! = false
 
@@ -648,7 +648,7 @@ directive @can(
   Query for specific model instances to check the policy against, using arguments
   with directives that add constraints to the query builder, such as `@eq`.
 
-  Mutually exclusive with `resolved` and `find`.
+  Mutually exclusive with `resolved`, `find`, and `root`.
   """
   query: Boolean! = false
 
@@ -663,7 +663,7 @@ directive @can(
 
   You may pass the string in dot notation to use nested inputs.
 
-  Mutually exclusive with `resolved` and `query`.
+  Mutually exclusive with `resolved`, `query`, and `root`.
   """
   find: String
 
@@ -671,6 +671,13 @@ directive @can(
   Should the query fail when the models of `find` were not found?
   """
   findOrFail: Boolean! = true
+
+  """
+  If your policy should check against the root value.
+
+  Mutually exclusive with `resolved`, `query`, and `find`.
+  """
+  root: Boolean! = false
 ) repeatable on FIELD_DEFINITION
 
 """
diff --git a/src/Auth/CanDirective.php b/src/Auth/CanDirective.php
index 4e23aec373..a80a3dfce0 100644
--- a/src/Auth/CanDirective.php
+++ b/src/Auth/CanDirective.php
@@ -53,7 +53,7 @@ public static function definition(): string
   Check the policy against the model instances returned by the field resolver.
   Only use this if the field does not mutate data, it is run before checking.
 
-  Mutually exclusive with `query` and `find`.
+  Mutually exclusive with `query`, `find`, and `root`.
   """
   resolved: Boolean! = false
 
@@ -80,7 +80,7 @@ public static function definition(): string
   Query for specific model instances to check the policy against, using arguments
   with directives that add constraints to the query builder, such as `@eq`.
 
-  Mutually exclusive with `resolved` and `find`.
+  Mutually exclusive with `resolved`, `find`, and `root`.
   """
   query: Boolean! = false
 
@@ -95,7 +95,7 @@ public static function definition(): string
 
   You may pass the string in dot notation to use nested inputs.
 
-  Mutually exclusive with `resolved` and `query`.
+  Mutually exclusive with `resolved`, `query`, and `root`.
   """
   find: String
 
@@ -103,6 +103,13 @@ public static function definition(): string
   Should the query fail when the models of `find` were not found?
   """
   findOrFail: Boolean! = true
+
+  """
+  If your policy should check against the root value.
+
+  Mutually exclusive with `resolved`, `query`, and `find`.
+  """
+  root: Boolean! = false
 ) repeatable on FIELD_DEFINITION
 
 """
@@ -167,6 +174,10 @@ protected function modelsToCheck(mixed $root, array $args, GraphQLContext $conte
                 ->get();
         }
 
+        if ($this->directiveArgValue('root')) {
+            return [$root];
+        }
+
         if ($find = $this->directiveArgValue('find')) {
             $findValue = Arr::get($args, $find)
                 ?? throw self::missingKeyToFindModel($find);
@@ -276,7 +287,7 @@ protected function buildCheckArguments(array $args): array
 
     public function manipulateFieldDefinition(DocumentAST &$documentAST, FieldDefinitionNode &$fieldDefinition, ObjectTypeDefinitionNode|InterfaceTypeDefinitionNode &$parentType): void
     {
-        $this->validateMutuallyExclusiveArguments(['resolved', 'query', 'find']);
+        $this->validateMutuallyExclusiveArguments(['resolved', 'query', 'find', 'root']);
 
         if ($this->directiveHasArgument('resolved') && $parentType->name->value === RootType::MUTATION) {
             throw self::resolvedIsUnsafeInMutations($fieldDefinition->name->value);
diff --git a/tests/Unit/Auth/CanDirectiveTest.php b/tests/Unit/Auth/CanDirectiveTest.php
index f78baa5cad..46b9c4b9bf 100644
--- a/tests/Unit/Auth/CanDirectiveTest.php
+++ b/tests/Unit/Auth/CanDirectiveTest.php
@@ -281,6 +281,42 @@ public function testInjectArgsPassesClientArgumentToPolicy(): void
         ]);
     }
 
+    public function testChecksAgainstRootModel(): void
+    {
+        $this->be(new User());
+
+        $this->mockResolver(fn (): User => $this->resolveUser());
+
+        $this->schema = /** @lang GraphQL */ '
+        type Query {
+            user(foo: String): User! @mock
+        }
+
+        type User {
+            name: String @can(ability: "view", root: true)
+            email: String @can(ability: "superAdminOnly", root: true)
+        }
+        ';
+
+        $this->graphQL(/** @lang GraphQL */ '
+        {
+            user(foo: "bar") {
+                name
+                email
+            }
+        }
+        ')->assertJson([
+            'data' => [
+                'user' => [
+                    'name' => 'foo',
+                    'email' => null,
+                ],
+            ],
+        ])->assertJsonFragment([
+            'message' => 'Only super admins allowed',
+        ]);
+    }
+
     public function testInjectedArgsAndStaticArgs(): void
     {
         $this->be(new User());
@@ -322,6 +358,7 @@ public static function resolveUser(): User
     {
         $user = new User();
         $user->name = 'foo';
+        $user->email = 'test@example.com';
 
         return $user;
     }