diff --git a/pkg/yqlib/matchKeyString_test.go b/pkg/yqlib/matchKeyString_test.go
index 3cacb4a5..9fdd75a1 100644
--- a/pkg/yqlib/matchKeyString_test.go
+++ b/pkg/yqlib/matchKeyString_test.go
@@ -12,6 +12,7 @@ func TestDeepMatch(t *testing.T) {
 		ok      bool
 	}{
 		{"", "", true},
+		{"<<", "<<", true},
 		{"", "x", false},
 		{"x", "", false},
 		{"abc", "abc", true},
diff --git a/pkg/yqlib/operator_traverse_path.go b/pkg/yqlib/operator_traverse_path.go
index 6bf3adf1..93a3fdb7 100644
--- a/pkg/yqlib/operator_traverse_path.go
+++ b/pkg/yqlib/operator_traverse_path.go
@@ -269,7 +269,7 @@ func doTraverseMap(newMatches *orderedmap.OrderedMap, node *CandidateNode, wante
 		value := contents[index+1]
 
 		//skip the 'merge' tag, find a direct match first
-		if key.Tag == "!!merge" && !prefs.DontFollowAlias {
+		if key.Tag == "!!merge" && !prefs.DontFollowAlias && wantedKey != "<<" {
 			log.Debug("Merge anchor")
 			err := traverseMergeAnchor(newMatches, value, wantedKey, prefs, splat)
 			if err != nil {
diff --git a/pkg/yqlib/operator_traverse_path_test.go b/pkg/yqlib/operator_traverse_path_test.go
index 55887ee7..2bc78947 100644
--- a/pkg/yqlib/operator_traverse_path_test.go
+++ b/pkg/yqlib/operator_traverse_path_test.go
@@ -35,6 +35,15 @@ steps:
 `
 
 var traversePathOperatorScenarios = []expressionScenario{
+	{
+		skipDoc:     true,
+		description: "access merge anchors",
+		document:    "foo: &foo {x: y}\nbar:\n  <<: *foo\n",
+		expression:  `.bar["<<"] | alias`,
+		expected: []string{
+			"D0, P[bar <<], (!!str)::foo\n",
+		},
+	},
 	{
 		skipDoc:     true,
 		description: "dynamically set parent and key",