diff --git a/lib/oga/xpath/parser.y b/lib/oga/xpath/parser.y
index 5e9799d..316086e 100644
--- a/lib/oga/xpath/parser.y
+++ b/lib/oga/xpath/parser.y
@@ -34,7 +34,7 @@ rule
     ;
 
   expression
-    : node_test
+    : node_test_as_axis
     | operator
     | axis
     | string
@@ -45,7 +45,7 @@ rule
     ;
 
   path_member
-    : node_test
+    : node_test_as_axis
     | axis
     | call
     ;
@@ -66,6 +66,13 @@ rule
     | T_SLASH path_member  { s(:absolute_path, val[1]) }
     ;
 
+  # Whenever a bare test is used (e.g. just "A") this actually means "child::A".
+  # Handling this on lexer level requires a look-behind/look-ahead while solving
+  # this on evaluator level produces inconsistent/confusing code.
+  node_test_as_axis
+    : node_test { s(:axis, 'child', val[0]) }
+    ;
+
   node_test
     : node_name           { s(:test, *val[0]) }
     | node_name predicate { s(:test, *val[0], val[1]) }
diff --git a/spec/oga/xpath/parser/axes_spec.rb b/spec/oga/xpath/parser/axes_spec.rb
index ba71243..1951016 100644
--- a/spec/oga/xpath/parser/axes_spec.rb
+++ b/spec/oga/xpath/parser/axes_spec.rb
@@ -106,7 +106,7 @@ describe Oga::XPath::Parser do
       parse_xpath('//A').should == s(
         :absolute_path,
         s(:axis, 'descendant-or-self', s(:call, 'node')),
-        s(:test, nil, 'A')
+        s(:axis, 'child', s(:test, nil, 'A'))
       )
     end
 
diff --git a/spec/oga/xpath/parser/calls_spec.rb b/spec/oga/xpath/parser/calls_spec.rb
index 5631411..9739d37 100644
--- a/spec/oga/xpath/parser/calls_spec.rb
+++ b/spec/oga/xpath/parser/calls_spec.rb
@@ -10,7 +10,7 @@ describe Oga::XPath::Parser do
       parse_xpath('count(/foo)').should == s(
         :call,
         'count',
-        s(:absolute_path, s(:test, nil, 'foo'))
+        s(:absolute_path, s(:axis, 'child', s(:test, nil, 'foo')))
       )
     end
 
@@ -18,7 +18,7 @@ describe Oga::XPath::Parser do
       parse_xpath('count(/foo, "bar")').should == s(
         :call,
         'count',
-        s(:absolute_path, s(:test, nil, 'foo')),
+        s(:absolute_path, s(:axis, 'child', s(:test, nil, 'foo'))),
         s(:string, 'bar')
       )
     end
@@ -26,7 +26,7 @@ describe Oga::XPath::Parser do
     example 'parse a relative path with a function call' do
       parse_xpath('foo/bar()').should == s(
         :path,
-        s(:test, nil, 'foo'),
+        s(:axis, 'child', s(:test, nil, 'foo')),
         s(:call, 'bar')
       )
     end
@@ -34,7 +34,8 @@ describe Oga::XPath::Parser do
     example 'parse an absolute path with a function call' do
       parse_xpath('/foo/bar()').should == s(
         :absolute_path,
-        s(:test, nil, 'foo'), s(:call, 'bar')
+        s(:axis, 'child', s(:test, nil, 'foo')),
+        s(:call, 'bar')
       )
     end
 
@@ -42,13 +43,17 @@ describe Oga::XPath::Parser do
       parse_xpath('div[@class="foo"]/bar()').should == s(
         :path,
         s(
-          :test,
-          nil,
-          'div',
+          :axis,
+          'child',
           s(
-            :eq,
-            s(:axis, 'attribute', s(:test, nil, 'class')),
-            s(:string, 'foo')
+            :test,
+            nil,
+            'div',
+            s(
+              :eq,
+              s(:axis, 'attribute', s(:test, nil, 'class')),
+              s(:string, 'foo')
+            )
           )
         ),
         s(:call, 'bar')
@@ -58,8 +63,16 @@ describe Oga::XPath::Parser do
     example 'parse two predicates followed by a function call' do
       parse_xpath('A[@x]/B[@x]/bar()').should == s(
         :path,
-        s(:test, nil, 'A', s(:axis, 'attribute', s(:test, nil, 'x'))),
-        s(:test, nil, 'B', s(:axis, 'attribute', s(:test, nil, 'x'))),
+        s(
+          :axis,
+          'child',
+          s(:test, nil, 'A', s(:axis, 'attribute', s(:test, nil, 'x')))
+        ),
+        s(
+          :axis,
+          'child',
+          s(:test, nil, 'B', s(:axis, 'attribute', s(:test, nil, 'x')))
+        ),
         s(:call, 'bar')
       )
     end
diff --git a/spec/oga/xpath/parser/operator_precedence_spec.rb b/spec/oga/xpath/parser/operator_precedence_spec.rb
index 1cfa69d..7de77be 100644
--- a/spec/oga/xpath/parser/operator_precedence_spec.rb
+++ b/spec/oga/xpath/parser/operator_precedence_spec.rb
@@ -5,104 +5,156 @@ describe Oga::XPath::Parser do
     example 'parse "A or B or C"' do
       parse_xpath('A or B or C').should == s(
         :or,
-        s(:or, s(:test, nil, 'A'), s(:test, nil, 'B')),
-        s(:test, nil, 'C')
+        s(
+          :or,
+          s(:axis, 'child', s(:test, nil, 'A')),
+          s(:axis, 'child', s(:test, nil, 'B'))
+        ),
+        s(:axis, 'child', s(:test, nil, 'C'))
       )
     end
 
     example 'parse "A and B and C"' do
       parse_xpath('A and B and C').should == s(
         :and,
-        s(:and, s(:test, nil, 'A'), s(:test, nil, 'B')),
-        s(:test, nil, 'C')
+        s(
+          :and,
+          s(:axis, 'child', s(:test, nil, 'A')),
+          s(:axis, 'child', s(:test, nil, 'B'))
+        ),
+        s(:axis, 'child', s(:test, nil, 'C'))
       )
     end
 
     example 'parse "A = B = C"' do
       parse_xpath('A = B = C').should == s(
         :eq,
-        s(:eq, s(:test, nil, 'A'), s(:test, nil, 'B')),
-        s(:test, nil, 'C')
+        s(
+          :eq,
+          s(:axis, 'child', s(:test, nil, 'A')),
+          s(:axis, 'child', s(:test, nil, 'B'))
+        ),
+        s(:axis, 'child', s(:test, nil, 'C'))
       )
     end
 
     example 'parse "A != B != C"' do
       parse_xpath('A != B != C').should == s(
         :neq,
-        s(:neq, s(:test, nil, 'A'), s(:test, nil, 'B')),
-        s(:test, nil, 'C')
+        s(
+          :neq,
+          s(:axis, 'child', s(:test, nil, 'A')),
+          s(:axis, 'child', s(:test, nil, 'B'))
+        ),
+        s(:axis, 'child', s(:test, nil, 'C'))
       )
     end
 
     example 'parse "A <= B <= C"' do
       parse_xpath('A <= B <= C').should == s(
         :lte,
-        s(:lte, s(:test, nil, 'A'), s(:test, nil, 'B')),
-        s(:test, nil, 'C')
+        s(
+          :lte,
+          s(:axis, 'child', s(:test, nil, 'A')),
+          s(:axis, 'child', s(:test, nil, 'B'))
+        ),
+        s(:axis, 'child', s(:test, nil, 'C'))
       )
     end
 
     example 'parse "A < B < C"' do
       parse_xpath('A < B < C').should == s(
         :lt,
-        s(:lt, s(:test, nil, 'A'), s(:test, nil, 'B')),
-        s(:test, nil, 'C')
+        s(
+          :lt,
+          s(:axis, 'child', s(:test, nil, 'A')),
+          s(:axis, 'child', s(:test, nil, 'B'))
+        ),
+        s(:axis, 'child', s(:test, nil, 'C'))
       )
     end
 
     example 'parse "A >= B >= C"' do
       parse_xpath('A >= B >= C').should == s(
         :gte,
-        s(:gte, s(:test, nil, 'A'), s(:test, nil, 'B')),
-        s(:test, nil, 'C')
+        s(
+          :gte,
+          s(:axis, 'child', s(:test, nil, 'A')),
+          s(:axis, 'child', s(:test, nil, 'B'))
+        ),
+        s(:axis, 'child', s(:test, nil, 'C'))
       )
     end
 
     example 'parse "A > B > C"' do
       parse_xpath('A > B > C').should == s(
         :gt,
-        s(:gt, s(:test, nil, 'A'), s(:test, nil, 'B')),
-        s(:test, nil, 'C')
+        s(
+          :gt,
+          s(:axis, 'child', s(:test, nil, 'A')),
+          s(:axis, 'child', s(:test, nil, 'B'))
+        ),
+        s(:axis, 'child', s(:test, nil, 'C'))
       )
     end
 
     example 'parse "A or B and C"' do
       parse_xpath('A or B and C').should == s(
         :or,
-        s(:test, nil, 'A'),
-        s(:and, s(:test, nil, 'B'), s(:test, nil, 'C'))
+        s(:axis, 'child', s(:test, nil, 'A')),
+        s(
+          :and,
+          s(:axis, 'child', s(:test, nil, 'B')),
+          s(:axis, 'child', s(:test, nil, 'C'))
+        )
       )
     end
 
     example 'parse "A and B = C"' do
       parse_xpath('A and B = C').should == s(
         :and,
-        s(:test, nil, 'A'),
-        s(:eq, s(:test, nil, 'B'), s(:test, nil, 'C'))
+        s(:axis, 'child', s(:test, nil, 'A')),
+        s(
+          :eq,
+          s(:axis, 'child', s(:test, nil, 'B')),
+          s(:axis, 'child', s(:test, nil, 'C'))
+        )
       )
     end
 
     example 'parse "A = B < C"' do
       parse_xpath('A = B < C').should == s(
         :eq,
-        s(:test, nil, 'A'),
-        s(:lt, s(:test, nil, 'B'), s(:test, nil, 'C'))
+        s(:axis, 'child', s(:test, nil, 'A')),
+        s(
+          :lt,
+          s(:axis, 'child', s(:test, nil, 'B')),
+          s(:axis, 'child', s(:test, nil, 'C'))
+        )
       )
     end
 
     example 'parse "A < B | C"' do
       parse_xpath('A < B | C').should == s(
         :lt,
-        s(:test, nil, 'A'),
-        s(:pipe, s(:test, nil, 'B'), s(:test, nil, 'C'))
+        s(:axis, 'child', s(:test, nil, 'A')),
+        s(
+          :pipe,
+          s(:axis, 'child', s(:test, nil, 'B')),
+          s(:axis, 'child', s(:test, nil, 'C'))
+        )
       )
     end
 
     example 'parse "A > B or C"' do
       parse_xpath('A > B or C').should == s(
         :or,
-        s(:gt, s(:test, nil, 'A'), s(:test, nil, 'B')),
-        s(:test, nil, 'C')
+        s(
+          :gt,
+          s(:axis, 'child', s(:test, nil, 'A')),
+          s(:axis, 'child', s(:test, nil, 'B'))
+        ),
+        s(:axis, 'child', s(:test, nil, 'C'))
       )
     end
   end
diff --git a/spec/oga/xpath/parser/operators_spec.rb b/spec/oga/xpath/parser/operators_spec.rb
index 0548dbc..dbdf4d9 100644
--- a/spec/oga/xpath/parser/operators_spec.rb
+++ b/spec/oga/xpath/parser/operators_spec.rb
@@ -5,120 +5,128 @@ describe Oga::XPath::Parser do
     example 'parse the pipe operator' do
       parse_xpath('A | B').should == s(
         :pipe,
-        s(:test, nil, 'A'),
-        s(:test, nil, 'B')
+        s(:axis, 'child', s(:test, nil, 'A')),
+        s(:axis, 'child', s(:test, nil, 'B'))
       )
     end
 
     example 'parse the pipe operator using two paths' do
       parse_xpath('A/B | C/D').should == s(
         :pipe,
-        s(:path, s(:test, nil, 'A'), s(:test, nil, 'B')),
-        s(:path, s(:test, nil, 'C'), s(:test, nil, 'D'))
+        s(
+          :path,
+          s(:axis, 'child', s(:test, nil, 'A')),
+          s(:axis, 'child', s(:test, nil, 'B'))
+        ),
+        s(
+          :path,
+          s(:axis, 'child', s(:test, nil, 'C')),
+          s(:axis, 'child', s(:test, nil, 'D'))
+        )
       )
     end
 
     example 'parse the and operator' do
       parse_xpath('A and B').should == s(
         :and,
-        s(:test, nil, 'A'),
-        s(:test, nil, 'B')
+        s(:axis, 'child', s(:test, nil, 'A')),
+        s(:axis, 'child', s(:test, nil, 'B'))
       )
     end
 
     example 'parse the or operator' do
       parse_xpath('A or B').should == s(
         :or,
-        s(:test, nil, 'A'),
-        s(:test, nil, 'B')
+        s(:axis, 'child', s(:test, nil, 'A')),
+        s(:axis, 'child', s(:test, nil, 'B'))
       )
     end
 
     example 'parse the plus operator' do
       parse_xpath('A + B').should == s(
         :add,
-        s(:test, nil, 'A'),
-        s(:test, nil, 'B')
+        s(:axis, 'child', s(:test, nil, 'A')),
+        s(:axis, 'child', s(:test, nil, 'B'))
       )
     end
 
     example 'parse the div operator' do
       parse_xpath('A div B').should == s(
         :div,
-        s(:test, nil, 'A'),
-        s(:test, nil, 'B')
+        s(:axis, 'child', s(:test, nil, 'A')),
+        s(:axis, 'child', s(:test, nil, 'B'))
       )
     end
 
     example 'parse the mod operator' do
       parse_xpath('A mod B').should == s(
         :mod,
-        s(:test, nil, 'A'),
-        s(:test, nil, 'B')
+        s(:axis, 'child', s(:test, nil, 'A')),
+        s(:axis, 'child', s(:test, nil, 'B'))
       )
     end
 
     example 'parse the equals operator' do
       parse_xpath('A = B').should == s(
         :eq,
-        s(:test, nil, 'A'),
-        s(:test, nil, 'B')
+        s(:axis, 'child', s(:test, nil, 'A')),
+        s(:axis, 'child', s(:test, nil, 'B'))
       )
     end
 
     example 'parse the not-equals operator' do
       parse_xpath('A != B').should == s(
         :neq,
-        s(:test, nil, 'A'),
-        s(:test, nil, 'B')
+        s(:axis, 'child', s(:test, nil, 'A')),
+        s(:axis, 'child', s(:test, nil, 'B'))
       )
     end
 
     example 'parse the lower-than operator' do
       parse_xpath('A < B').should == s(
         :lt,
-        s(:test, nil, 'A'),
-        s(:test, nil, 'B')
+        s(:axis, 'child', s(:test, nil, 'A')),
+        s(:axis, 'child', s(:test, nil, 'B'))
       )
     end
 
     example 'parse the greater-than operator' do
       parse_xpath('A > B').should == s(
         :gt,
-        s(:test, nil, 'A'),
-        s(:test, nil, 'B')
+        s(:axis, 'child', s(:test, nil, 'A')),
+        s(:axis, 'child', s(:test, nil, 'B'))
       )
     end
 
     example 'parse the lower-or-equal operator' do
       parse_xpath('A <= B').should == s(
         :lte,
-        s(:test, nil, 'A'),
-        s(:test, nil, 'B')
+        s(:axis, 'child', s(:test, nil, 'A')),
+        s(:axis, 'child', s(:test, nil, 'B'))
       )
     end
 
     example 'parse the greater-or-equal operator' do
       parse_xpath('A >= B').should == s(
         :gte,
-        s(:test, nil, 'A'),
-        s(:test, nil, 'B')
+        s(:axis, 'child', s(:test, nil, 'A')),
+        s(:axis, 'child', s(:test, nil, 'B'))
       )
     end
 
     example 'parse the mul operator' do
       parse_xpath('A * B').should == s(
         :mul,
-        s(:test, nil, 'A'),
-        s(:test, nil, 'B')
+        s(:axis, 'child', s(:test, nil, 'A')),
+        s(:axis, 'child', s(:test, nil, 'B'))
       )
     end
 
     example 'parse the subtraction operator' do
       parse_xpath('A - B').should == s(
         :sub,
-        s(:test, nil, 'A'),
-        s(:test, nil, 'B')
+        s(:axis, 'child', s(:test, nil, 'A')),
+        s(:axis, 'child', s(:test, nil, 'B'))
       )
     end
   end
diff --git a/spec/oga/xpath/parser/paths_spec.rb b/spec/oga/xpath/parser/paths_spec.rb
index f10ff26..482eae6 100644
--- a/spec/oga/xpath/parser/paths_spec.rb
+++ b/spec/oga/xpath/parser/paths_spec.rb
@@ -3,18 +3,21 @@ require 'spec_helper'
 describe Oga::XPath::Parser do
   context 'paths' do
     example 'parse an absolute path' do
-      parse_xpath('/A').should == s(:absolute_path, s(:test, nil, 'A'))
+      parse_xpath('/A').should == s(
+        :absolute_path,
+        s(:axis, 'child', s(:test, nil, 'A'))
+      )
     end
 
     example 'parse a relative path' do
-      parse_xpath('A').should == s(:test, nil, 'A')
+      parse_xpath('A').should == s(:axis, 'child', s(:test, nil, 'A'))
     end
 
     example 'parse an expression using two paths' do
       parse_xpath('/A/B').should == s(
         :absolute_path,
-        s(:test, nil, 'A'),
-        s(:test, nil, 'B')
+        s(:axis, 'child', s(:test, nil, 'A')),
+        s(:axis, 'child', s(:test, nil, 'B'))
       )
     end
   end
diff --git a/spec/oga/xpath/parser/predicates_spec.rb b/spec/oga/xpath/parser/predicates_spec.rb
index 41acfce..f6caa0a 100644
--- a/spec/oga/xpath/parser/predicates_spec.rb
+++ b/spec/oga/xpath/parser/predicates_spec.rb
@@ -4,22 +4,30 @@ describe Oga::XPath::Parser do
   context 'predicates' do
     example 'parse a single predicate' do
       parse_xpath('foo[@class="bar"]').should == s(
-        :test,
-        nil,
-        'foo',
-        s(:eq, s(:axis, 'attribute', s(:test, nil, 'class')), s(:string, 'bar'))
+        :axis,
+        'child',
+        s(
+          :test,
+          nil,
+          'foo',
+          s(:eq, s(:axis, 'attribute', s(:test, nil, 'class')), s(:string, 'bar'))
+        )
       )
     end
 
     example 'parse a predicate using the or operator' do
       parse_xpath('foo[@x="bar" or @x="baz"]').should == s(
-        :test,
-        nil,
-        'foo',
+        :axis,
+        'child',
         s(
-          :or,
-          s(:eq, s(:axis, 'attribute', s(:test, nil, 'x')), s(:string, 'bar')),
-          s(:eq, s(:axis, 'attribute', s(:test, nil, 'x')), s(:string, 'baz')),
+          :test,
+          nil,
+          'foo',
+          s(
+            :or,
+            s(:eq, s(:axis, 'attribute', s(:test, nil, 'x')), s(:string, 'bar')),
+            s(:eq, s(:axis, 'attribute', s(:test, nil, 'x')), s(:string, 'baz')),
+          )
         )
       )
     end
diff --git a/spec/oga/xpath/parser/wildcard_spec.rb b/spec/oga/xpath/parser/wildcard_spec.rb
index a007e1d..5eeae32 100644
--- a/spec/oga/xpath/parser/wildcard_spec.rb
+++ b/spec/oga/xpath/parser/wildcard_spec.rb
@@ -3,15 +3,15 @@ require 'spec_helper'
 describe Oga::XPath::Parser do
   context 'wildcards' do
     example 'parse a wildcard name test' do
-      parse_xpath('*').should == s(:test, nil, '*')
+      parse_xpath('*').should == s(:axis, 'child', s(:test, nil, '*'))
     end
 
     example 'parse a wildcard namespace test' do
-      parse_xpath('*:A').should == s(:test, '*', 'A')
+      parse_xpath('*:A').should == s(:axis, 'child', s(:test, '*', 'A'))
     end
 
     example 'parse a wildcard namespace and name test' do
-      parse_xpath('*:*').should == s(:test, '*', '*')
+      parse_xpath('*:*').should == s(:axis, 'child', s(:test, '*', '*'))
     end
   end
 end