diff --git a/json_patch.c b/json_patch.c
index 904f609..3f9567b 100644
--- a/json_patch.c
+++ b/json_patch.c
@@ -292,7 +292,7 @@ static int json_patch_apply_move_copy(struct json_object **res,
 	 * sibling keys that happen to share a name prefix.
 	 */
 	if (strncmp(from_s, path, from_s_len) == 0 &&
-	    (path[from_s_len] == '\0' || path[from_s_len] == '/')) {
+	    (from_s_len == 0 || path[from_s_len] == '\0' || path[from_s_len] == '/')) {
 		/**
 		 * If lengths match, it's a noop, if they don't,
 		 * then we're trying to move a parent under a child
diff --git a/tests/json_patch_tests.json b/tests/json_patch_tests.json
index e2d62d6..ef7575b 100644
--- a/tests/json_patch_tests.json
+++ b/tests/json_patch_tests.json
@@ -480,6 +480,16 @@
       "patch": [{"op": "copy", "from": "/aa", "path": "/aab"}],
       "expected": {"aa": 1, "aab": 1} },
 
+    { "comment": "Moving the root to a path without a leading '/' must fail, not free the document",
+      "doc": {"a": null},
+      "patch": [{"op": "move", "from": "", "path": "a"}],
+      "error": "the root is a parent of every other location" },
+
+    { "comment": "Copying the root to a path without a leading '/' must fail",
+      "doc": {"a": null},
+      "patch": [{"op": "copy", "from": "", "path": "a"}],
+      "error": "the root is a parent of every other location" },
+
     { "comment": "Remove members whose names need escaping",
       "doc": {"a/b": 1, "m~n": 2, "c": 3},
       "patch": [{"op": "remove", "path": "/a~1b"},
diff --git a/tests/test_json_patch.expected b/tests/test_json_patch.expected
index c2b5db7..28bd7c6 100644
--- a/tests/test_json_patch.expected
+++ b/tests/test_json_patch.expected
@@ -131,6 +131,10 @@ Testing '(null)', doc '{ "foo": [ "bar", "baz" ], "": 0, "a\/b": 1, "c%d": 2, "e
 Testing 'Move to same location has no effect', doc '{ "foo": 1 }' patch '[ { "op": "move", "from": "\/foo", "path": "\/foo" } ]' : OK
 Testing 'Move between sibling keys sharing a name prefix is not a parent/child move', doc '{ "aa": 1, "aab": 2 }' patch '[ { "op": "move", "from": "\/aa", "path": "\/aab" } ]' : OK
 Testing 'Copy between sibling keys sharing a name prefix is not a parent/child move', doc '{ "aa": 1, "aab": 2 }' patch '[ { "op": "copy", "from": "\/aa", "path": "\/aab" } ]' : OK
+Testing 'Moving the root to a path without a leading '/' must fail, not free the document', doc '{ "a": null }' patch '[ { "op": "move", "from": "", "path": "a" } ]' : OK
+ => json_patch_apply failed as expected: ERRNO=EINVAL at patch idx 0: Invalid attempt to move parent under a child
+Testing 'Copying the root to a path without a leading '/' must fail', doc '{ "a": null }' patch '[ { "op": "copy", "from": "", "path": "a" } ]' : OK
+ => json_patch_apply failed as expected: ERRNO=EINVAL at patch idx 0: Invalid attempt to move parent under a child
 Testing 'Remove members whose names need escaping', doc '{ "a\/b": 1, "m~n": 2, "c": 3 }' patch '[ { "op": "remove", "path": "\/a~1b" }, { "op": "remove", "path": "\/m~0n" } ]' : OK
 Testing 'Move from a member whose name needs escaping', doc '{ "a\/b": 1 }' patch '[ { "op": "move", "from": "\/a~1b", "path": "\/c" } ]' : OK
 Testing '(null)', doc '{ "foo": 1, "baz": [ { "qux": "hello" } ] }' patch '[ { "op": "move", "from": "\/foo", "path": "\/bar" } ]' : OK