diff --git a/cli/src/tests/query_test.rs b/cli/src/tests/query_test.rs
index 30d8e9c9..6a0e7075 100644
--- a/cli/src/tests/query_test.rs
+++ b/cli/src/tests/query_test.rs
@@ -119,6 +119,19 @@ fn test_query_errors_on_invalid_syntax() {
             .join("\n")
         );
 
+        // Need at least one child node for a child anchor
+        assert_eq!(
+            Query::new(language, r#"(statement_block .)"#)
+                .unwrap_err()
+                .message,
+            [
+                //
+                r#"(statement_block .)"#,
+                r#"                  ^"#
+            ]
+            .join("\n")
+        );
+
         // tree-sitter/tree-sitter/issues/968
         assert_eq!(
             Query::new(get_language("c"), r#"(parameter_list [ ")" @foo)"#)
@@ -855,6 +868,32 @@ fn test_query_matches_with_immediate_siblings() {
     });
 }
 
+#[test]
+fn test_query_matches_with_last_named_child() {
+    allocations::record(|| {
+        let language = get_language("c");
+        let query = Query::new(
+            language,
+            "(compound_statement
+                (_)
+                (_)
+                (expression_statement
+                    (identifier) @last_id) .)",
+        )
+        .unwrap();
+        assert_query_matches(
+            language,
+            &query,
+            "
+            void one() { a; b; c; }
+            void two() { d; e; }
+            void three() { f; g; h; i; }
+            ",
+            &[(0, vec![("last_id", "c")]), (0, vec![("last_id", "i")])],
+        );
+    });
+}
+
 #[test]
 fn test_query_matches_with_repeated_leaf_nodes() {
     allocations::record(|| {
diff --git a/lib/src/query.c b/lib/src/query.c
index eebae855..bdf2d745 100644
--- a/lib/src/query.c
+++ b/lib/src/query.c
@@ -1690,7 +1690,7 @@ static TSQueryError ts_query__parse_pattern(
 
       // Parse the child patterns
       bool child_is_immediate = false;
-      uint16_t child_start_step_index = self->steps.size;
+      uint16_t last_child_step_index = 0;
       for (;;) {
         if (stream->next == '.') {
           child_is_immediate = true;
@@ -1698,6 +1698,7 @@ static TSQueryError ts_query__parse_pattern(
           stream_skip_whitespace(stream);
         }
 
+        uint16_t step_index = self->steps.size;
         TSQueryError e = ts_query__parse_pattern(
           self,
           stream,
@@ -1706,7 +1707,10 @@ static TSQueryError ts_query__parse_pattern(
         );
         if (e == PARENT_DONE && stream->next == ')') {
           if (child_is_immediate) {
-            self->steps.contents[child_start_step_index].is_last_child = true;
+            if (last_child_step_index == 0) {
+              return TSQueryErrorSyntax;
+            }
+            self->steps.contents[last_child_step_index].is_last_child = true;
           }
           stream_advance(stream);
           break;
@@ -1714,6 +1718,7 @@ static TSQueryError ts_query__parse_pattern(
           return e;
         }
 
+        last_child_step_index = step_index;
         child_is_immediate = false;
       }
     }