diff --git a/pkg/yqlib/operator_anchors_aliases_test.go b/pkg/yqlib/operator_anchors_aliases_test.go
index 988af027..d66522c2 100644
--- a/pkg/yqlib/operator_anchors_aliases_test.go
+++ b/pkg/yqlib/operator_anchors_aliases_test.go
@@ -438,6 +438,15 @@ var anchorOperatorScenarios = []expressionScenario{
 			"D0, P[], (!!map)::{a: 1, a: 2}\n",
 		},
 	},
+	{
+		skipDoc:     true,
+		description: "!!str << should not be treated as merge anchor",
+		document:    `{!!str <<: {a: 37}}`,
+		expression:  `explode(.).a`,
+		expected: []string{
+			"D0, P[a], (!!null)::null\n",
+		},
+	},
 }
 
 func TestAnchorAliasOperatorScenarios(t *testing.T) {
diff --git a/pkg/yqlib/operator_traverse_path_test.go b/pkg/yqlib/operator_traverse_path_test.go
index 65ec97f9..0b29376c 100644
--- a/pkg/yqlib/operator_traverse_path_test.go
+++ b/pkg/yqlib/operator_traverse_path_test.go
@@ -631,6 +631,15 @@ var traversePathOperatorScenarios = []expressionScenario{
 			"D0, P[<<], (!!int)::37\n",
 		},
 	},
+	{
+		skipDoc:     true,
+		description: "!!str << should not be treated as merge anchor",
+		document:    `{!!str <<: {a: 37}}`,
+		expression:  `.a`,
+		expected: []string{
+			"D0, P[a], (!!null)::null\n",
+		},
+	},
 }
 
 func TestTraversePathOperatorScenarios(t *testing.T) {