diff --git a/lib/less/node/element.js b/lib/less/node/element.js
index 7c294a6..cc26de9 100644
--- a/lib/less/node/element.js
+++ b/lib/less/node/element.js
@@ -1,7 +1,7 @@
 if (typeof(window) === 'undefined') { var tree = require(require('path').join(__dirname, '..', '..', 'less', 'tree')); }
 
 tree.Element = function Element(combinator, value) {
-    this.combinator = combinator;
+    this.combinator = combinator || new(tree.Combinator);
     this.value = value.trim();
 };
 tree.Element.prototype.toCSS = function () {