diff --git a/CHANGELOG.md b/CHANGELOG.md
index 8ffbf25..7421f61 100644
--- a/CHANGELOG.md
+++ b/CHANGELOG.md
@@ -2,6 +2,11 @@
 
 ## Unreleased
 
+### Fixed
+
+- `vapor_split/1` no longer drops slots when a text node comes before an element. Vapor counts text nodes when it navigates the template, so in `<li>a<ul><li>{{ b }}</li></ul></li>` the split looked for the wrong element and silently left `{{ b }}` out. Elements are now located by their DOM node position.
+- `vapor_split/1` returns an error if it can't locate an element a slot or binding belongs to, instead of leaving the slot out.
+
 ## 0.16.0 - 2026-10-01
 
 ### Added
diff --git a/README.md b/README.md
index bf3be7c..5d11f9d 100644
--- a/README.md
+++ b/README.md
@@ -2,7 +2,7 @@
 
 [![Hex.pm](https://img.shields.io/hexpm/v/vize.svg)](https://hex.pm/packages/vize) [![Documentation](https://img.shields.io/badge/documentation-gray)](https://hexdocs.pm/vize)
 
-Elixir bindings for [Vize](https://vizejs.dev), a Vue.js toolchain written in Rust. Parse, analyze, lint, and compile Vue single-file components from Elixir, including Vapor mode and its intermediate representation, plus a LightningCSS-based CSS pipeline.
+Elixir bindings for [Vize](https://vizejs.dev), a [Vue.js](https://vuejs.org) toolchain written in Rust. Parse, analyze, lint, and compile Vue [single-file components](https://vuejs.org/guide/scaling-up/sfc.html) from Elixir, including [Vapor mode](https://github.com/vuejs/core/releases/tag/v3.6.0-beta.1#about-vapor-mode) and its intermediate representation, plus a [LightningCSS](https://lightningcss.dev)-based CSS pipeline.
 
 ```elixir
 {:ok, result} =
diff --git a/guides/features/sfc.md b/guides/features/sfc.md
index b275f14..13ddc8a 100644
--- a/guides/features/sfc.md
+++ b/guides/features/sfc.md
@@ -1,5 +1,7 @@
 # Single-File Components
 
+A [single-file component](https://vuejs.org/guide/scaling-up/sfc.html) is a `.vue` file with a template, scripts, and styles. Vue's [SFC syntax specification](https://vuejs.org/api/sfc-spec.html) describes the blocks.
+
 ## Parsing
 
 `Vize.parse_sfc/1` returns the descriptor: the template, `<script>`, `<script setup>`, styles, and custom blocks, each with its content, `lang`, attributes, and location.
diff --git a/guides/features/templates-and-ssr.md b/guides/features/templates-and-ssr.md
index 4183bab..6ded903 100644
--- a/guides/features/templates-and-ssr.md
+++ b/guides/features/templates-and-ssr.md
@@ -19,7 +19,7 @@ Options:
 
 ## Server-side rendering
 
-`Vize.compile_ssr/1` compiles a template to code that writes HTML with `_push()`. Run it in a JavaScript runtime such as [QuickBEAM](https://github.com/elixir-volt/quickbeam).
+`Vize.compile_ssr/1` compiles a template for Vue's [server-side rendering](https://vuejs.org/guide/scaling-up/ssr.html), to code that writes HTML with `_push()`. Run it in a JavaScript runtime such as [QuickBEAM](https://github.com/elixir-volt/quickbeam).
 
 ```elixir
 {:ok, result} = Vize.compile_ssr("<div>{{ msg }}</div>")
diff --git a/guides/features/vapor.md b/guides/features/vapor.md
index 6a9415d..ef260d2 100644
--- a/guides/features/vapor.md
+++ b/guides/features/vapor.md
@@ -1,6 +1,6 @@
 # Vapor Mode
 
-Vapor is Vue's compilation mode without a virtual DOM: a template compiles to code that creates and updates DOM nodes directly.
+[Vapor mode](https://github.com/vuejs/core/releases/tag/v3.6.0-beta.1#about-vapor-mode) is Vue's compilation mode without a virtual DOM: a template compiles to code that creates and updates DOM nodes directly. It is new in Vue 3.6.
 
 ## Compiling
 
diff --git a/native/vize_ex_nif/src/html_inject.rs b/native/vize_ex_nif/src/html_inject.rs
index 255d9ba..007a80c 100644
--- a/native/vize_ex_nif/src/html_inject.rs
+++ b/native/vize_ex_nif/src/html_inject.rs
@@ -3,7 +3,9 @@ pub(crate) struct TagEntry {
     pub(crate) tag: String,
     pub(crate) pos: usize,
     pub(crate) parent: Option<usize>,
-    pub(crate) child_index: usize,
+    /// Position among the parent's child nodes, counting text runs and anchors
+    /// as the DOM does. Vapor's `child`/`next` offsets count the same way.
+    pub(crate) node_index: usize,
     pub(crate) open_start: usize,
     pub(crate) open_end: usize,
     pub(crate) close_start: Option<usize>,
@@ -61,11 +63,14 @@ fn skip_declaration(bytes: &[u8], i: &mut usize) {
     }
 }
 
-fn sibling_count(entries: &[TagEntry], parent: Option<usize>) -> usize {
-    entries
-        .iter()
-        .filter(|entry| entry.parent == parent)
-        .count()
+fn next_node_index(
+    node_counts: &mut std::collections::HashMap<Option<usize>, usize>,
+    parent: Option<usize>,
+) -> usize {
+    let count = node_counts.entry(parent).or_default();
+    let index = *count;
+    *count += 1;
+    index
 }
 
 pub(crate) fn parse_tag_tree(html: &str) -> Vec<TagEntry> {
@@ -73,24 +78,32 @@ pub(crate) fn parse_tag_tree(html: &str) -> Vec<TagEntry> {
     let len = bytes.len();
     let mut entries: Vec<TagEntry> = Vec::new();
     let mut stack: Vec<usize> = Vec::new();
+    let mut node_counts: std::collections::HashMap<Option<usize>, usize> =
+        std::collections::HashMap::new();
+    let mut in_text = false;
     let mut i = 0;
 
     while i < len {
         if bytes[i] != b'<' {
+            if !in_text {
+                *node_counts.entry(stack.last().copied()).or_default() += 1;
+                in_text = true;
+            }
             i += 1;
             continue;
         }
+        in_text = false;
 
         if html[i..].starts_with(VAPOR_ANCHOR) {
             // Anchors are DOM nodes at runtime, so child/next offsets count them.
             let parent = stack.last().copied();
-            let child_index = sibling_count(&entries, parent);
+            let node_index = next_node_index(&mut node_counts, parent);
             let pos = entries.len();
             entries.push(TagEntry {
                 tag: VAPOR_ANCHOR_TAG.to_string(),
                 pos,
                 parent,
-                child_index,
+                node_index,
                 open_start: i,
                 open_end: i + VAPOR_ANCHOR.len(),
                 close_start: None,
@@ -159,14 +172,14 @@ pub(crate) fn parse_tag_tree(html: &str) -> Vec<TagEntry> {
         let open_end = i;
 
         let parent = stack.last().copied();
-        let child_index = sibling_count(&entries, parent);
+        let node_index = next_node_index(&mut node_counts, parent);
 
         let pos = entries.len();
         entries.push(TagEntry {
             tag: tag_name.clone(),
             pos,
             parent,
-            child_index,
+            node_index,
             open_start,
             open_end,
             close_start: None,
@@ -200,11 +213,9 @@ pub(crate) fn build_elem_to_tag(
             match op {
                 vize_atelier_vapor::ir::OperationNode::ChildRef(node) => {
                     if let Some(&parent_tag_pos) = map.get(&node.parent_id) {
-                        let children: Vec<_> = tags
-                            .iter()
-                            .filter(|tag| tag.parent == Some(parent_tag_pos))
-                            .collect();
-                        if let Some(child) = children.get(node.offset) {
+                        if let Some(child) = tags.iter().find(|tag| {
+                            tag.parent == Some(parent_tag_pos) && tag.node_index == node.offset
+                        }) {
                             map.insert(node.child_id, child.pos);
                         }
                     }
@@ -212,12 +223,10 @@ pub(crate) fn build_elem_to_tag(
                 vize_atelier_vapor::ir::OperationNode::NextRef(node) => {
                     if let Some(&prev_tag_pos) = map.get(&node.prev_id) {
                         if let Some(prev_entry) = tags.get(prev_tag_pos) {
-                            let siblings: Vec<_> = tags
-                                .iter()
-                                .filter(|tag| tag.parent == prev_entry.parent)
-                                .collect();
-                            let target_idx = prev_entry.child_index + node.offset;
-                            if let Some(sibling) = siblings.get(target_idx) {
+                            let target = prev_entry.node_index + node.offset;
+                            if let Some(sibling) = tags.iter().find(|tag| {
+                                tag.parent == prev_entry.parent && tag.node_index == target
+                            }) {
                                 map.insert(node.child_id, sibling.pos);
                             }
                         }
@@ -379,9 +388,18 @@ mod tests {
         assert_eq!(tags[1].close_start, None);
         assert_eq!(tags[2].close_start, None);
         assert_eq!(tags[3].close_start, Some(html.find("</span>").unwrap()));
-        assert_eq!(tags[1].child_index, 0);
-        assert_eq!(tags[2].child_index, 1);
-        assert_eq!(tags[3].child_index, 2);
+        assert_eq!(tags[1].node_index, 0);
+        assert_eq!(tags[2].node_index, 1);
+        assert_eq!(tags[3].node_index, 2);
+    }
+
+    #[test]
+    fn parse_tag_tree_counts_text_runs_in_node_indices() {
+        let tags = parse_tag_tree("<p>a<b></b>c<!----><i></i></p>");
+
+        assert_eq!(tags[1].node_index, 1);
+        assert_eq!(tags[2].node_index, 3);
+        assert_eq!(tags[3].node_index, 4);
     }
 
     #[test]
@@ -403,8 +421,8 @@ mod tests {
         assert_eq!(tags.len(), 2);
         assert_eq!(tags[0].parent, None);
         assert_eq!(tags[1].parent, None);
-        assert_eq!(tags[0].child_index, 0);
-        assert_eq!(tags[1].child_index, 1);
+        assert_eq!(tags[0].node_index, 0);
+        assert_eq!(tags[1].node_index, 1);
     }
 
     #[test]
diff --git a/native/vize_ex_nif/src/lib.rs b/native/vize_ex_nif/src/lib.rs
index fef74a8..a6190f0 100644
--- a/native/vize_ex_nif/src/lib.rs
+++ b/native/vize_ex_nif/src/lib.rs
@@ -1013,7 +1013,10 @@ fn vapor_split_nif_impl<'a>(env: Env<'a>, source: &str) -> NifResult<Term<'a>> {
 
     let ir = transform_to_ir(&allocator, &root, source);
 
-    let (statics, slots, bindings) = process_block(env, &ir.block, &ir, source);
+    let (statics, slots, bindings) = match process_block(env, &ir.block, &ir, source) {
+        Ok(split) => split,
+        Err(message) => return Ok(error_term(env, vec![message])),
+    };
 
     let split = EncodedVaporSplit {
         statics,
diff --git a/native/vize_ex_nif/src/vapor_split.rs b/native/vize_ex_nif/src/vapor_split.rs
index fc58708..2ad9ad7 100644
--- a/native/vize_ex_nif/src/vapor_split.rs
+++ b/native/vize_ex_nif/src/vapor_split.rs
@@ -34,13 +34,13 @@ fn split_block<'a, 'b>(
     block: &'b BlockIRNode<'b>,
     ir: &'b RootIRNode<'b>,
     source: &str,
-) -> EncodedSplitBlock<'a> {
-    let (statics, slots, bindings) = process_block(env, block, ir, source);
-    EncodedSplitBlock {
+) -> Result<EncodedSplitBlock<'a>, String> {
+    let (statics, slots, bindings) = process_block(env, block, ir, source)?;
+    Ok(EncodedSplitBlock {
         statics,
         slots,
         bindings,
-    }
+    })
 }
 
 fn encode_slot_if_split<'a, 'b>(
@@ -48,20 +48,22 @@ fn encode_slot_if_split<'a, 'b>(
     if_node: &'b IfIRNode<'b>,
     ir: &'b RootIRNode<'b>,
     source: &str,
-) -> Term<'a> {
+) -> Result<Term<'a>, String> {
     let negative = match &if_node.negative {
-        Some(NegativeBranch::Block(block)) => Some(split_block(env, block, ir, source).encode(env)),
-        Some(NegativeBranch::If(nested)) => Some(encode_slot_if_split(env, nested, ir, source)),
+        Some(NegativeBranch::Block(block)) => {
+            Some(split_block(env, block, ir, source)?.encode(env))
+        }
+        Some(NegativeBranch::If(nested)) => Some(encode_slot_if_split(env, nested, ir, source)?),
         None => None,
     };
 
-    EncodedIfSlot {
+    Ok(EncodedIfSlot {
         kind: atoms::if_node(),
         condition: encode_simple_expr(env, &if_node.condition),
-        positive: split_block(env, &if_node.positive, ir, source),
+        positive: split_block(env, &if_node.positive, ir, source)?,
         negative,
     }
-    .encode(env)
+    .encode(env))
 }
 
 fn encode_slot_for_split<'a, 'b>(
@@ -69,8 +71,8 @@ fn encode_slot_for_split<'a, 'b>(
     for_node: &'b ForIRNode<'b>,
     ir: &'b RootIRNode<'b>,
     source: &str,
-) -> Term<'a> {
-    EncodedForSlot {
+) -> Result<Term<'a>, String> {
+    Ok(EncodedForSlot {
         kind: atoms::for_node(),
         source: encode_simple_expr(env, &for_node.source),
         value: for_node
@@ -81,9 +83,9 @@ fn encode_slot_for_split<'a, 'b>(
             .key_prop
             .as_ref()
             .map(|key_prop| encode_simple_expr(env, key_prop)),
-        render: split_block(env, &for_node.render, ir, source),
+        render: split_block(env, &for_node.render, ir, source)?,
     }
-    .encode(env)
+    .encode(env))
 }
 
 fn encode_slot_component<'a>(env: Env<'a>, node: &CreateComponentIRNode) -> Term<'a> {
@@ -376,12 +378,14 @@ fn split_on_markers<'a>(
     (statics, ordered_slots, bindings)
 }
 
+type SplitResult<'a> = Result<(Vec<String>, Vec<Term<'a>>, Vec<EncodedSplitBinding<'a>>), String>;
+
 pub(crate) fn process_block<'a, 'b>(
     env: Env<'a>,
     block: &'b BlockIRNode<'b>,
     ir: &'b RootIRNode<'b>,
     source: &str,
-) -> (Vec<String>, Vec<Term<'a>>, Vec<EncodedSplitBinding<'a>>) {
+) -> SplitResult<'a> {
     let template_html: String = block
         .returns
         .iter()
@@ -457,6 +461,31 @@ pub(crate) fn process_block<'a, 'b>(
         }
     }
 
+    // A slot whose element can't be located would silently disappear from the
+    // output, so fail instead.
+    let bound_elements = block
+        .operation
+        .iter()
+        .filter_map(|operation| match operation {
+            OperationNode::SetEvent(event) => Some(event.element),
+            OperationNode::Directive(dir) if matches!(dir.name, "model" | "show") => {
+                Some(dir.element)
+            }
+            _ => None,
+        });
+    if let Some(element) = text_effects
+        .iter()
+        .map(|text| text.element)
+        .chain(html_effects.iter().map(|html| html.element))
+        .chain(prop_effects.iter().map(|prop| prop.element))
+        .chain(bound_elements)
+        .find(|element| !elem_to_tag.contains_key(element))
+    {
+        return Err(format!(
+            "vapor_split could not locate element {element} in the template"
+        ));
+    }
+
     for prop in &prop_effects {
         if let Some(&tag_pos) = elem_to_tag.get(&prop.element) {
             let values: Vec<Term<'a>> = prop
@@ -551,7 +580,7 @@ pub(crate) fn process_block<'a, 'b>(
         match operation {
             OperationNode::If(if_node) => {
                 let source_offset = if_node.condition.loc.span.start;
-                let slot = encode_slot_if_split(env, if_node, ir, source);
+                let slot = encode_slot_if_split(env, if_node, ir, source)?;
                 let marker = push_slot_marker(&mut slots, slot, source_offset);
                 inject_structural_marker(
                     &mut html,
@@ -565,7 +594,7 @@ pub(crate) fn process_block<'a, 'b>(
             }
             OperationNode::For(for_node) => {
                 let source_offset = for_node.source.loc.span.start;
-                let slot = encode_slot_for_split(env, for_node, ir, source);
+                let slot = encode_slot_for_split(env, for_node, ir, source)?;
                 let marker = push_slot_marker(&mut slots, slot, source_offset);
                 inject_structural_marker(
                     &mut html,
@@ -601,5 +630,5 @@ pub(crate) fn process_block<'a, 'b>(
         }
     }
 
-    split_on_markers(&html, slots, binding_nodes)
+    Ok(split_on_markers(&html, slots, binding_nodes))
 }
diff --git a/test/vize/vapor_split_test.exs b/test/vize/vapor_split_test.exs
index 46420cb..6190468 100644
--- a/test/vize/vapor_split_test.exs
+++ b/test/vize/vapor_split_test.exs
@@ -212,4 +212,28 @@ defmodule Vize.VaporSplitTest do
       assert [%{kind: :set_event, node: %{value: "off"}}] = if_slot.positive.bindings
     end
   end
+
+  describe "text nodes before elements" do
+    test "an element after a text node in a nested list keeps its slot" do
+      {:ok, split} =
+        Vize.vapor_split(~S|<ul><li>a<ul><li>{{ b }}</li></ul></li><li>c</li></ul>|)
+
+      assert split.statics == ["<ul><li>a<ul><li>", "</li></ul></li><li>c</li></ul>"]
+      assert [%{kind: :set_text, values: ["b"]}] = split.slots
+    end
+
+    test "slots after mixed text and elements" do
+      {:ok, split} = Vize.vapor_split(~S|<p>a<b>{{ x }}</b>c<i :title="t">{{ y }}</i></p>|)
+
+      assert split.statics == ["<p>a<b>", "</b>c<i title=\"", "\">", "</i></p>"]
+      assert Enum.map(split.slots, & &1.kind) == [:set_text, :set_prop, :set_text]
+    end
+
+    test "an event after a text node is bound to its element" do
+      {:ok, split} = Vize.vapor_split(~S|<div>hi<button @click="go">x</button></div>|)
+
+      assert [%{at: {0, offset}}] = split.bindings
+      assert binary_part(hd(split.statics), 0, offset) == "<div>hi<button"
+    end
+  end
 end