diff --git a/example_test.go b/example_test.go
index cb6681f..1039978 100644
--- a/example_test.go
+++ b/example_test.go
@@ -35,7 +35,7 @@ func Example_selectorFromPath() {
 	//
 	// Selector spec from a path, hopefully within that rootCid
 	// The 001 is deliberate: making sure index navigation still works
-	selectorSpec, err := textselector.SelectorSpecFromPath("Links/1/Hash/Links/001/Hash", nil)
+	selectorSpec, err := textselector.SelectorSpecFromPath("Links/1/Hash/Links/001/Hash", false, nil)
 	if err != nil {
 		log.Fatal(err)
 	}
diff --git a/parser.go b/parser.go
index 94595b7..ae24e72 100644
--- a/parser.go
+++ b/parser.go
@@ -34,7 +34,7 @@ PathValidCharset. The parsing rules are:
 	- Any other valid segment is treated as a key within a map, or (if applicable)
 	  as an index within an array
 */
-func SelectorSpecFromPath(path Expression, optionalSubselectorAtTarget builder.SelectorSpec) (builder.SelectorSpec, error) {
+func SelectorSpecFromPath(path Expression, matchPath bool, optionalSubselectorAtTarget builder.SelectorSpec) (builder.SelectorSpec, error) {
 
 	if path == "/" {
 		return nil, fmt.Errorf("a standalone '/' is not a valid path")
@@ -69,6 +69,10 @@ func SelectorSpecFromPath(path Expression, optionalSubselectorAtTarget builder.S
 		ss = ssb.ExploreFields(func(efsb builder.ExploreFieldsSpecBuilder) {
 			efsb.Insert(segments[i], ss)
 		})
+
+		if matchPath {
+			ss = ssb.ExploreUnion(ssb.Matcher(), ss)
+		}
 	}
 
 	return ss, nil
diff --git a/parser_test.go b/parser_test.go
index 33c4a6a..59207f4 100644
--- a/parser_test.go
+++ b/parser_test.go
@@ -11,7 +11,7 @@ func TestBasic(t *testing.T) {
 	{
 		valid := textselector.Expression("/a/42/b/c/")
 
-		ss, err := textselector.SelectorSpecFromPath(valid, nil)
+		ss, err := textselector.SelectorSpecFromPath(valid, false, nil)
 		if err != nil {
 			t.Fatalf("Expected no error with valid path '%s'", valid)
 		}
@@ -27,7 +27,7 @@ func TestBasic(t *testing.T) {
 		"x//",
 		";",
 	} {
-		ss, err := textselector.SelectorSpecFromPath(invalid, nil)
+		ss, err := textselector.SelectorSpecFromPath(invalid, false, nil)
 
 		if ss != nil {
 			t.Fatalf("Expected nil selector with invalid path '%s'", invalid)