diff --git a/cmd/patch.go b/cmd/patch.go
index 0ad931b6..f4f034a3 100644
--- a/cmd/patch.go
+++ b/cmd/patch.go
@@ -303,8 +303,20 @@ func addValue(parentMap map[string]interface{}, keys []string, value interface{}
 	if lengthKeys == 0 {
 		return fmt.Errorf("invalid map key (nil)")
 	}
-	nextNodeKey := keys[0]
-	nextNode := parentMap[nextNodeKey]
+
+	// if lengthKeys
+	var nextNodeKey string   // := keys[0]
+	var nextNode interface{} // := parentMap[nextNodeKey]
+
+	switch lengthKeys {
+	case 0:
+		return fmt.Errorf("invalid map key (nil)")
+	case 1: // special case of adding new key/value to document root
+		nextNode = parentMap
+	default: // adding keys/values along document path
+		nextNodeKey := keys[0]
+		nextNode = parentMap[nextNodeKey]
+	}
 
 	switch typedNode := nextNode.(type) {
 	case map[string]interface{}:
diff --git a/cmd/patch_test.go b/cmd/patch_test.go
index e92bc2e9..3e84ace4 100644
--- a/cmd/patch_test.go
+++ b/cmd/patch_test.go
@@ -254,6 +254,22 @@ func TestPatchCdx15SliceAdd(t *testing.T) {
 	getLogger().Tracef("%s\n", buffer.String())
 }
 
+func TestPatchRFC6902AppendixA1Patch1(t *testing.T) {
+	ti := NewPatchTestInfo(
+		TEST_PATCH_RFC_6902_APPX_A_1_BASE,
+		TEST_PATCH_RFC_6902_APPX_A_1_PATCH_1, nil)
+	ti.IsInputJSON = true
+	buffer, _, err := innerTestPatch(t, ti)
+	if err != nil {
+		t.Error(err)
+	}
+	getLogger().Tracef("%s\n", buffer.String())
+	// lineNum, _ := bufferLineContainsValues(buffer, -1, "qux")
+	// if lineNum != 3 {
+	// 	t.Errorf("invalid output. Expected added value: \"qux\" at line: 3")
+	// }
+}
+
 func TestPatchRFC6902AppendixA2Patch1(t *testing.T) {
 	ti := NewPatchTestInfo(
 		TEST_PATCH_RFC_6902_APPX_A_2_BASE,