diff --git a/include/yaml-cpp/emitterdef.h b/include/yaml-cpp/emitterdef.h
index d8d5559..c5ca00b 100644
--- a/include/yaml-cpp/emitterdef.h
+++ b/include/yaml-cpp/emitterdef.h
@@ -7,7 +7,7 @@
 
 namespace YAML
 {
-    struct EmitterNodeType { enum value { None, Scalar, FlowSeq, BlockSeq, FlowMap, BlockMap }; };
+    struct EmitterNodeType { enum value { None, Property, Scalar, FlowSeq, BlockSeq, FlowMap, BlockMap }; };
 }
 
 #endif // EMITTERDEF_H_62B23520_7C8E_11DE_8A39_0800200C9A66
diff --git a/src/emitter.cpp b/src/emitter.cpp
index 5aa8c88..a7cc60f 100644
--- a/src/emitter.cpp
+++ b/src/emitter.cpp
@@ -280,6 +280,7 @@ namespace YAML
             case EmitterNodeType::BlockMap:
                 BlockMapPrepareNode(child);
                 break;
+            case EmitterNodeType::Property:
             case EmitterNodeType::Scalar:
                 assert(false);
                 break;
@@ -288,12 +289,14 @@ namespace YAML
     
     void Emitter::PrepareTopNode(EmitterNodeType::value child)
     {
-        if(!m_pState->HasBegunNode() && m_stream.pos() > 0) {
-            EmitBeginDoc();
+        if(m_pState->CurGroupChildCount() > 0 && m_stream.pos() > 0) {
+            if(child != EmitterNodeType::None)
+                EmitBeginDoc();
         }
         
         switch(child) {
             case EmitterNodeType::None:
+            case EmitterNodeType::Property:
             case EmitterNodeType::Scalar:
             case EmitterNodeType::FlowSeq:
             case EmitterNodeType::FlowMap:
@@ -329,6 +332,7 @@ namespace YAML
         
         switch(child) {
             case EmitterNodeType::None:
+            case EmitterNodeType::Property:
             case EmitterNodeType::Scalar:
             case EmitterNodeType::FlowSeq:
             case EmitterNodeType::FlowMap:
@@ -378,6 +382,7 @@ namespace YAML
             // key
             switch(child) {
                 case EmitterNodeType::None:
+                case EmitterNodeType::Property:
                 case EmitterNodeType::Scalar:
                 case EmitterNodeType::FlowSeq:
                 case EmitterNodeType::FlowMap:
@@ -394,6 +399,7 @@ namespace YAML
             // value
             switch(child) {
                 case EmitterNodeType::None:
+                case EmitterNodeType::Property:
                 case EmitterNodeType::Scalar:
                 case EmitterNodeType::FlowSeq:
                 case EmitterNodeType::FlowMap:
@@ -537,7 +543,7 @@ namespace YAML
             return *this;
         }
 
-        PrepareNode(EmitterNodeType::None);
+        PrepareNode(EmitterNodeType::Property);
 
 		if(!Utils::WriteAnchor(m_stream, anchor.content)) {
 			m_pState->SetError(ErrorMsg::INVALID_ANCHOR);
@@ -559,7 +565,7 @@ namespace YAML
             return *this;
         }
         
-        PrepareNode(EmitterNodeType::None);
+        PrepareNode(EmitterNodeType::Property);
         
 		bool success = false;
 		if(tag.type == _Tag::Type::Verbatim)
diff --git a/src/emitterstate.cpp b/src/emitterstate.cpp
index 20f6581..09ad567 100644
--- a/src/emitterstate.cpp
+++ b/src/emitterstate.cpp
@@ -4,7 +4,7 @@
 
 namespace YAML
 {
-	EmitterState::EmitterState(): m_isGood(true), m_curIndent(0), m_hasAnchor(false), m_hasTag(false), m_hasNonContent(false)
+	EmitterState::EmitterState(): m_isGood(true), m_curIndent(0), m_hasAnchor(false), m_hasTag(false), m_hasNonContent(false), m_docCount(0)
 	{
 		// set default global manipulators
 		m_charset.set(EmitNonAscii);
@@ -60,7 +60,9 @@ namespace YAML
 
     void EmitterState::StartedNode()
     {
-        if(!m_groups.empty())
+        if(m_groups.empty())
+            m_docCount++;
+        else
             m_groups.top().childCount++;
         
         m_hasAnchor = false;
@@ -161,7 +163,7 @@ namespace YAML
 
     std::size_t EmitterState::CurGroupChildCount() const
     {
-        return m_groups.empty() ? 0 : m_groups.top().childCount;
+        return m_groups.empty() ? m_docCount : m_groups.top().childCount;
     }
 
 	void EmitterState::ClearModifiedSettings()
diff --git a/src/emitterstate.h b/src/emitterstate.h
index 6c630f2..1dfa699 100644
--- a/src/emitterstate.h
+++ b/src/emitterstate.h
@@ -160,6 +160,7 @@ namespace YAML
         bool m_hasAnchor;
         bool m_hasTag;
         bool m_hasNonContent;
+        std::size_t m_docCount;
 	};
 
 	template <typename T>