diff --git a/src/core/vdom/patch.js b/src/core/vdom/patch.js
index dcdaf239eef..4939811562f 100644
--- a/src/core/vdom/patch.js
+++ b/src/core/vdom/patch.js
@@ -670,6 +670,16 @@ export function createPatchFunction (backend) {
               for (let i = 0; i < cbs.create.length; ++i) {
                 cbs.create[i](emptyNode, ancestor)
               }
+              // #6513
+              // invoke insert hooks that may have been merged by create hooks.
+              // e.g. for directives that uses the "inserted" hook.
+              const insert = ancestor.data.hook.insert
+              if (insert.merged) {
+                // start at index 1 to avoid re-invoking component mounted hook
+                for (let i = 1; i < insert.fns.length; i++) {
+                  insert.fns[i]()
+                }
+              }
             }
             ancestor = ancestor.parent
           }
diff --git a/test/unit/features/options/directives.spec.js b/test/unit/features/options/directives.spec.js
index 44362250fe2..f15dd77f8e6 100644
--- a/test/unit/features/options/directives.spec.js
+++ b/test/unit/features/options/directives.spec.js
@@ -227,4 +227,42 @@ describe('Options directives', () => {
     }).$mount()
     expect('Failed to resolve directive: test').toHaveBeenWarned()
   })
+
+  // #6513
+  it('should invoke unbind & inserted on inner component root element change', done => {
+    const dir = {
+      bind: jasmine.createSpy('bind'),
+      inserted: jasmine.createSpy('inserted'),
+      unbind: jasmine.createSpy('unbind')
+    }
+
+    const Child = {
+      template: `<div v-if="ok"/><span v-else/>`,
+      data: () => ({ ok: true })
+    }
+
+    const vm = new Vue({
+      template: `<child ref="child" v-test />`,
+      directives: { test: dir },
+      components: { Child }
+    }).$mount()
+
+    const oldEl = vm.$el
+    expect(dir.bind.calls.count()).toBe(1)
+    expect(dir.bind.calls.argsFor(0)[0]).toBe(oldEl)
+    expect(dir.inserted.calls.count()).toBe(1)
+    expect(dir.inserted.calls.argsFor(0)[0]).toBe(oldEl)
+    expect(dir.unbind).not.toHaveBeenCalled()
+
+    vm.$refs.child.ok = false
+    waitForUpdate(() => {
+      expect(vm.$el.tagName).toBe('SPAN')
+      expect(dir.bind.calls.count()).toBe(2)
+      expect(dir.bind.calls.argsFor(1)[0]).toBe(vm.$el)
+      expect(dir.inserted.calls.count()).toBe(2)
+      expect(dir.inserted.calls.argsFor(1)[0]).toBe(vm.$el)
+      expect(dir.unbind.calls.count()).toBe(1)
+      expect(dir.unbind.calls.argsFor(0)[0]).toBe(oldEl)
+    }).then(done)
+  })
 })