diff --git a/AGENTS.md b/AGENTS.md
index 286196a5..832078fe 100644
--- a/AGENTS.md
+++ b/AGENTS.md
@@ -105,6 +105,9 @@ Rule: anchor is as strict as its strictest operand.
 
 ; WRONG: boundary anchors without parent node
 {. (a)}  ; use (parent {. (a)})
+
+; WRONG: anchors directly in alternations
+[(a) . (b)]  ; use [{(a) . (b)} (c)]
 ```
 
 ## Type System Rules
diff --git a/crates/plotnik-lib/src/diagnostics/message.rs b/crates/plotnik-lib/src/diagnostics/message.rs
index 0b8101a3..5f3a93fa 100644
--- a/crates/plotnik-lib/src/diagnostics/message.rs
+++ b/crates/plotnik-lib/src/diagnostics/message.rs
@@ -32,6 +32,7 @@ pub enum DiagnosticKind {
     EmptyTree,
     BareIdentifier,
     InvalidSeparator,
+    AnchorInAlternation,
     InvalidFieldEquals,
     InvalidSupertypeSyntax,
     InvalidTypeAnnotationSyntax,
@@ -151,6 +152,9 @@ impl DiagnosticKind {
             Self::AnchorWithoutContext => {
                 Some("wrap in a named node: `(parent . (child))`")
             }
+            Self::AnchorInAlternation => {
+                Some("use `[{(a) . (b)} (c)]` to anchor within a branch")
+            }
             _ => None,
         }
     }
@@ -174,6 +178,7 @@ impl DiagnosticKind {
             Self::EmptyTree => "empty `()` is not allowed",
             Self::BareIdentifier => "bare identifier is not valid",
             Self::InvalidSeparator => "unexpected separator",
+            Self::AnchorInAlternation => "anchors cannot appear directly in alternations",
             Self::InvalidFieldEquals => "use `:` instead of `=`",
             Self::InvalidSupertypeSyntax => "references cannot have supertypes",
             Self::InvalidTypeAnnotationSyntax => "use `::` for type annotations",
diff --git a/crates/plotnik-lib/src/parser/grammar/structures.rs b/crates/plotnik-lib/src/parser/grammar/structures.rs
index c0a243af..6252ef06 100644
--- a/crates/plotnik-lib/src/parser/grammar/structures.rs
+++ b/crates/plotnik-lib/src/parser/grammar/structures.rs
@@ -277,6 +277,12 @@ impl Parser<'_, '_> {
                 }
                 continue;
             }
+            // Anchors cannot appear directly in alternations - they create empty branches
+            if self.currently_is(SyntaxKind::Dot) {
+                self.error(DiagnosticKind::AnchorInAlternation);
+                self.skip_token();
+                continue;
+            }
             if self.currently_is_one_of(EXPR_FIRST_TOKENS) {
                 self.start_node(SyntaxKind::Branch);
                 self.parse_expr();
diff --git a/crates/plotnik-lib/src/query/anchors_tests.rs b/crates/plotnik-lib/src/query/anchors_tests.rs
index 9fb025b9..26261cfa 100644
--- a/crates/plotnik-lib/src/query/anchors_tests.rs
+++ b/crates/plotnik-lib/src/query/anchors_tests.rs
@@ -169,3 +169,71 @@ fn nested_named_node_provides_context() {
             NamedNode first
     ");
 }
+
+// Parser-level: anchors in alternations
+
+#[test]
+fn anchor_in_alternation_error() {
+    let input = "Q = [(a) . (b)]";
+
+    let res = Query::expect_invalid(input);
+
+    insta::assert_snapshot!(res, @r"
+    error: anchors cannot appear directly in alternations
+      |
+    1 | Q = [(a) . (b)]
+      |          ^
+      |
+    help: use `[{(a) . (b)} (c)]` to anchor within a branch
+    ");
+}
+
+#[test]
+fn multiple_anchors_in_alternation_error() {
+    let input = "Q = [. (a) . (b) .]";
+
+    let res = Query::expect_invalid(input);
+
+    insta::assert_snapshot!(res, @r"
+    error: anchors cannot appear directly in alternations
+      |
+    1 | Q = [. (a) . (b) .]
+      |      ^
+      |
+    help: use `[{(a) . (b)} (c)]` to anchor within a branch
+
+    error: anchors cannot appear directly in alternations
+      |
+    1 | Q = [. (a) . (b) .]
+      |            ^
+      |
+    help: use `[{(a) . (b)} (c)]` to anchor within a branch
+
+    error: anchors cannot appear directly in alternations
+      |
+    1 | Q = [. (a) . (b) .]
+      |                  ^
+      |
+    help: use `[{(a) . (b)} (c)]` to anchor within a branch
+    ");
+}
+
+#[test]
+fn anchor_in_seq_inside_alt_ok() {
+    let input = "Q = [{(a) . (b)} (c)]";
+
+    let res = Query::expect_valid_ast(input);
+
+    insta::assert_snapshot!(res, @r"
+    Root
+      Def Q
+        Alt
+          Branch
+            Seq
+              NamedNode a
+              .
+              NamedNode b
+          Branch
+            NamedNode c
+    ");
+}
diff --git a/docs/lang-reference.md b/docs/lang-reference.md
index 1cabd67a..8fab903f 100644
--- a/docs/lang-reference.md
+++ b/docs/lang-reference.md
@@ -783,9 +783,19 @@ Anchors require parent node context to be meaningful:
 Q = . (a)                  ; definition level (no parent node)
 Q = {. (a)}                ; sequence boundary without parent
 Q = {(a) .}                ; sequence boundary without parent
+Q = [(a) . (b)]            ; directly in alternation
 ```
 
-The rule: **boundary anchors need a parent named node** to provide first/last child or adjacent sibling semantics. Interior anchors (between items in a sequence) are always valid because both sides are explicitly defined.
+To anchor within alternation branches, wrap in a sequence:
+
+```
+Q = [{(a) . (b)} (c)]      ; valid: anchor inside sequence branch
+```
+
+The rules:
+- **Boundary anchors** (at start/end of sequence) need a parent named node to provide first/last child or adjacent sibling semantics
+- **Interior anchors** (between items in a sequence) are always valid because both sides are explicitly defined
+- **Alternations** cannot contain anchors directly—anchors must be inside a branch expression
 
 ---