diff --git a/pkg/yqlib/operator_traverse_path.go b/pkg/yqlib/operator_traverse_path.go
index 903ae323..0d1db100 100644
--- a/pkg/yqlib/operator_traverse_path.go
+++ b/pkg/yqlib/operator_traverse_path.go
@@ -295,17 +295,26 @@ func doTraverseMap(newMatches *orderedmap.OrderedMap, node *CandidateNode, wante
 func traverseMergeAnchor(newMatches *orderedmap.OrderedMap, value *CandidateNode, wantedKey string, prefs traversePreferences, splat bool) error {
 	switch value.Kind {
 	case AliasNode:
-		if value.Alias.Kind != MappingNode {
-			return fmt.Errorf("can only use merge anchors with maps (!!map), but got %v", value.Alias.Tag)
-		}
-		return doTraverseMap(newMatches, value.Alias, wantedKey, prefs, splat)
+		return traverseMergeAnchor(newMatches, value.Alias, wantedKey, prefs, splat)
+	case MappingNode:
+		return doTraverseMap(newMatches, value, wantedKey, prefs, splat)
 	case SequenceNode:
 		for _, childValue := range value.Content {
-			err := traverseMergeAnchor(newMatches, childValue, wantedKey, prefs, splat)
+			if childValue.Kind == AliasNode {
+				childValue = childValue.Alias
+			}
+			if childValue.Kind != MappingNode {
+				return fmt.Errorf(
+					"can only use merge anchors with maps (!!map) or sequences (!!seq) of maps, but got sequence containing %v",
+					childValue.Tag)
+			}
+			err := doTraverseMap(newMatches, childValue, wantedKey, prefs, splat)
 			if err != nil {
 				return err
 			}
 		}
+	default:
+		return fmt.Errorf("can only use merge anchors with maps (!!map) or sequences (!!seq) of maps, but got %v", value.Tag)
 	}
 	return nil
 }
diff --git a/pkg/yqlib/operator_traverse_path_test.go b/pkg/yqlib/operator_traverse_path_test.go
index a069e9f6..c81f797e 100644
--- a/pkg/yqlib/operator_traverse_path_test.go
+++ b/pkg/yqlib/operator_traverse_path_test.go
@@ -25,7 +25,7 @@ foobar:
   thing: foobar_thing
 `
 
-// cannot use merge anchors with arrays
+// cannot use merge anchors with arrays of non-maps
 var badAliasSample = `
 _common: &common-docker-file
   - FROM ubuntu:18.04
@@ -365,6 +365,22 @@ var traversePathOperatorScenarios = []expressionScenario{
 			"D0, P[0], (!!null)::null\n",
 		},
 	},
+	{
+		skipDoc:    true,
+		document:   `{<<: {a: 42}}`,
+		expression: `.a`,
+		expected: []string{
+			"D0, P[<< a], (!!int)::42\n",
+		},
+	},
+	{
+		skipDoc:    true,
+		document:   `{<<: [{a: 42}]}`,
+		expression: `.a`,
+		expected: []string{
+			"D0, P[<< 0 a], (!!int)::42\n",
+		},
+	},
 	{
 		skipDoc:    true,
 		document:   mergeDocSample,
@@ -553,9 +569,16 @@ var traversePathOperatorScenarios = []expressionScenario{
 		skipDoc:       true,
 		document:      badAliasSample,
 		expression:    ".steps[]",
-		expectedError: "can only use merge anchors with maps (!!map), but got !!seq",
+		expectedError: "can only use merge anchors with maps (!!map) or sequences (!!seq) of maps, but got sequence containing !!str",
 		skipForGoccy:  true, // throws an error on parsing, that's fine
 	},
+	{
+		skipDoc:       true,
+		document:      `{<<: 42}`,
+		expression:    ".[]",
+		expectedError: "can only use merge anchors with maps (!!map) or sequences (!!seq) of maps, but got !!int",
+		skipForGoccy:  true,
+	},
 }
 
 func TestTraversePathOperatorScenarios(t *testing.T) {