diff --git a/lib/saxes.js b/lib/saxes.js
index eb7df19f..f6516011 100644
--- a/lib/saxes.js
+++ b/lib/saxes.js
@@ -1023,6 +1023,9 @@ ${XML_NAMESPACE}.`);
     tag.isSelfClosing = !!selfClosing;
 
     // process the tag
+    if (this.closedRoot) {
+      this.fail("Documents may contain only one root.");
+    }
     this.sawRoot = true;
     this.tags.push(tag);
     this.emitNode("onopentag", tag);