diff --git a/index.js b/index.js
index de6fc07..95fc8ee 100644
--- a/index.js
+++ b/index.js
@@ -1,5 +1,6 @@
 var attrToProp = require('hyperscript-attribute-to-property')
 
+
 var VAR = 0, TEXT = 1, OPEN = 2, CLOSE = 3, ATTR = 4
 var ATTR_KEY = 5, ATTR_KEY_W = 6
 var ATTR_VALUE_W = 7, ATTR_VALUE = 8
@@ -7,21 +8,26 @@ var ATTR_VALUE_SQ = 9, ATTR_VALUE_DQ = 10
 var ATTR_EQ = 11, ATTR_BREAK = 12
 var COMMENT = 13
 
+
 module.exports = function (h, opts) {
-  if (!opts) opts = {}
+  if (!opts) opts =  { }
+
   var concat = opts.concat || function (a, b) {
     return String(a) + String(b)
   }
-  if (opts.attrToProp !== false) {
+
+  if (opts.attrToProp !== false)
     h = attrToProp(h)
-  }
+
 
   return function (strings) {
-    var state = TEXT, reg = ''
+
+    var state = TEXT, reg = '', isSelfClosing = false
     var arglen = arguments.length
     var parts = []
 
     for (var i = 0; i < strings.length; i++) {
+
       if (i < arglen - 1) {
         var arg = arguments[i+1]
         var p = parse(strings[i])
@@ -43,138 +49,191 @@ module.exports = function (h, opts) {
           p.push([ VAR, xstate, arg ])
         }
         parts.push.apply(parts, p)
-      } else parts.push.apply(parts, parse(strings[i]))
+      } else {
+        parts.push.apply(parts, parse(strings[i]))
+      }
     }
 
-    var tree = [null,{},[]]
-    var stack = [[tree,-1]]
+    var tree = [ null, {}, [] ]
+    var stack = [ [ tree, -1 ] ]
+
     for (var i = 0; i < parts.length; i++) {
       var cur = stack[stack.length-1][0]
-      var p = parts[i], s = p[0]
-      if (s === OPEN && /^\//.test(p[1])) {
+      var p = parts[i], state = p[0]
+
+      if (state === OPEN && /^\//.test(p[1])) {
         var ix = stack[stack.length-1][1]
         if (stack.length > 1) {
           stack.pop()
-          stack[stack.length-1][0][2][ix] = h(
-            cur[0], cur[1], cur[2].length ? cur[2] : undefined
-          )
+          stack[stack.length-1][0][2][ix] = h(cur[0], cur[1], cur[2].length ? cur[2] : undefined)
         }
-      } else if (s === OPEN) {
+
+      } else if (state === OPEN) {
         var c = [p[1],{},[]]
         cur[2].push(c)
         stack.push([c,cur[2].length-1])
-      } else if (s === ATTR_KEY || (s === VAR && p[1] === ATTR_KEY)) {
+
+      } else if (state === ATTR_KEY || (state === VAR && p[1] === ATTR_KEY)) {
         var key = ''
         var copyKey
         for (; i < parts.length; i++) {
           if (parts[i][0] === ATTR_KEY) {
             key = concat(key, parts[i][1])
+
           } else if (parts[i][0] === VAR && parts[i][1] === ATTR_KEY) {
             if (typeof parts[i][2] === 'object' && !key) {
-              for (copyKey in parts[i][2]) {
-                if (parts[i][2].hasOwnProperty(copyKey) && !cur[1][copyKey]) {
+              for (copyKey in parts[i][2])
+                if (parts[i][2].hasOwnProperty(copyKey) && !cur[1][copyKey])
                   cur[1][copyKey] = parts[i][2][copyKey]
-                }
-              }
+
             } else {
               key = concat(key, parts[i][2])
             }
-          } else break
+
+          } else {
+            break
+          }
         }
-        if (parts[i][0] === ATTR_EQ) i++
+
+        if (parts[i][0] === ATTR_EQ)
+          i++
+
         var j = i
+
         for (; i < parts.length; i++) {
           if (parts[i][0] === ATTR_VALUE || parts[i][0] === ATTR_KEY) {
-            if (!cur[1][key]) cur[1][key] = strfn(parts[i][1])
-            else parts[i][1]==="" || (cur[1][key] = concat(cur[1][key], parts[i][1]));
-          } else if (parts[i][0] === VAR
-          && (parts[i][1] === ATTR_VALUE || parts[i][1] === ATTR_KEY)) {
-            if (!cur[1][key]) cur[1][key] = strfn(parts[i][2])
-            else parts[i][2]==="" || (cur[1][key] = concat(cur[1][key], parts[i][2]));
+            if (!cur[1][key])
+                cur[1][key] = strfn(parts[i][1])
+            else
+                parts[i][1]==="" || (cur[1][key] = concat(cur[1][key], parts[i][1]));
+
+          } else if (parts[i][0] === VAR && (parts[i][1] === ATTR_VALUE || parts[i][1] === ATTR_KEY)) {
+            if (!cur[1][key])
+                cur[1][key] = strfn(parts[i][2])
+            else
+                parts[i][2]==="" || (cur[1][key] = concat(cur[1][key], parts[i][2]));
+
           } else {
-            if (key.length && !cur[1][key] && i === j
-            && (parts[i][0] === CLOSE || parts[i][0] === ATTR_BREAK)) {
+            if (key.length && !cur[1][key] && i === j && (parts[i][0] === CLOSE || parts[i][0] === ATTR_BREAK)) {
               // https://html.spec.whatwg.org/multipage/infrastructure.html#boolean-attributes
               // empty string is falsy, not well behaved value in browser
               cur[1][key] = key.toLowerCase()
             }
-            if (parts[i][0] === CLOSE) {
+
+            if (parts[i][0] === CLOSE)
               i--
-            }
+
             break
           }
         }
-      } else if (s === ATTR_KEY) {
+
+      } else if (state === ATTR_KEY) {
         cur[1][p[1]] = true
-      } else if (s === VAR && p[1] === ATTR_KEY) {
+
+      } else if (state === VAR && p[1] === ATTR_KEY) {
         cur[1][p[2]] = true
-      } else if (s === CLOSE) {
-        if (selfClosing(cur[0]) && stack.length) {
+
+      } else if (state === CLOSE) {
+        
+        const isSelfClosing = p[1] || selfClosingVoid(cur[0])
+        //if (selfClosing(cur[0]) && stack.length) {
+        if (isSelfClosing && stack.length) {
           var ix = stack[stack.length-1][1]
           stack.pop()
-          stack[stack.length-1][0][2][ix] = h(
-            cur[0], cur[1], cur[2].length ? cur[2] : undefined
-          )
+          stack[stack.length-1][0][2][ix] = h(cur[0], cur[1], cur[2].length ? cur[2] : undefined)
         }
-      } else if (s === VAR && p[1] === TEXT) {
-        if (p[2] === undefined || p[2] === null) p[2] = ''
-        else if (!p[2]) p[2] = concat('', p[2])
-        if (Array.isArray(p[2][0])) {
+
+      } else if (state === VAR && p[1] === TEXT) {
+        if (p[2] === undefined || p[2] === null)
+            p[2] = ''
+        else if (!p[2])
+            p[2] = concat('', p[2])
+
+        if (Array.isArray(p[2][0]))
           cur[2].push.apply(cur[2], p[2])
-        } else {
+        else
           cur[2].push(p[2])
-        }
-      } else if (s === TEXT) {
+
+      } else if (state === TEXT) {
         cur[2].push(p[1])
-      } else if (s === ATTR_EQ || s === ATTR_BREAK) {
+
+      } else if (state === ATTR_EQ || state === ATTR_BREAK) {
         // no-op
+
       } else {
-        throw new Error('unhandled: ' + s)
+        throw new Error('unhandled: ' + state)
+
       }
     }
 
-    if (tree[2].length > 1 && /^\s*$/.test(tree[2][0])) {
+    if (tree[2].length > 1 && /^\s*$/.test(tree[2][0]))
       tree[2].shift()
-    }
 
-    if (tree[2].length > 2
-    || (tree[2].length === 2 && /\S/.test(tree[2][1]))) {
-      if (opts.createFragment) return opts.createFragment(tree[2])
+    if (tree[2].length > 2 || (tree[2].length === 2 && /\S/.test(tree[2][1]))) {
+      if (opts.createFragment)
+        return opts.createFragment(tree[2])
+      
       throw new Error(
         'multiple root elements must be wrapped in an enclosing tag'
       )
     }
-    if (Array.isArray(tree[2][0]) && typeof tree[2][0][0] === 'string'
-    && Array.isArray(tree[2][0][2])) {
+
+    if (Array.isArray(tree[2][0]) && typeof tree[2][0][0] === 'string' && Array.isArray(tree[2][0][2]))
       tree[2][0] = h(tree[2][0][0], tree[2][0][1], tree[2][0][2])
-    }
+
     return tree[2][0]
 
     function parse (str) {
-      var res = []
-      if (state === ATTR_VALUE_W) state = ATTR
+      var res = [ ]
+
+      var isInStyleTag = false
+
+      if (state === ATTR_VALUE_W)
+        state = ATTR
+
       for (var i = 0; i < str.length; i++) {
         var c = str.charAt(i)
         if (state === TEXT && c === '<') {
-          if (reg.length) res.push([TEXT, reg])
+          if (reg.length)
+            res.push([TEXT, reg])
           reg = ''
           state = OPEN
+          isInStyleTag = false
+
         } else if (c === '>' && !quot(state) && state !== COMMENT) {
+
           if (state === OPEN && reg.length) {
             res.push([OPEN,reg])
+
+            if (reg === 'style')
+              isInStyleTag = true
+            else if (reg === '/style')
+              isInStyleTag = false
+
           } else if (state === ATTR_KEY) {
             res.push([ATTR_KEY,reg])
           } else if (state === ATTR_VALUE && reg.length) {
             res.push([ATTR_VALUE,reg])
           }
-          res.push([CLOSE])
-          reg = ''
+
+          if (state === TEXT && isInStyleTag) {
+            // the css descendant selector within <style> tags shouldn't close
+            // e.g., <style> ul > .test { color: blue }</style>
+            reg += c
+          } else {
+            res.push([CLOSE, isSelfClosing])
+            isSelfClosing = false
+            reg = ''
+          }
+          
           state = TEXT
+
         } else if (state === COMMENT && /-$/.test(reg) && c === '-') {
           if (opts.comments) {
             res.push([ATTR_VALUE,reg.substr(0, reg.length - 1)])
           }
           reg = ''
+          isSelfClosing = true
           state = TEXT
         } else if (state === OPEN && /^!--$/.test(reg)) {
           if (opts.comments) {
@@ -185,11 +244,18 @@ module.exports = function (h, opts) {
         } else if (state === TEXT || state === COMMENT) {
           reg += c
         } else if (state === OPEN && c === '/' && reg.length) {
-          // no-op, self closing tag without a space <br/>
+          // self closing tag without a space <br/>
+          isSelfClosing = true
+
         } else if (state === OPEN && /\s/.test(c)) {
-          if (reg.length) {
+          if (reg.length)
             res.push([OPEN, reg])
-          }
+
+          if (reg === 'style')
+            isInStyleTag = true
+          else if (reg === '/style')
+            isInStyleTag = false
+
           reg = ''
           state = ATTR
         } else if (state === OPEN) {
@@ -198,7 +264,8 @@ module.exports = function (h, opts) {
           state = ATTR_KEY
           reg = c
         } else if (state === ATTR && /\s/.test(c)) {
-          if (reg.length) res.push([ATTR_KEY,reg])
+          if (reg.length)
+            res.push([ATTR_KEY,reg])
           res.push([ATTR_BREAK])
         } else if (state === ATTR_KEY && /\s/.test(c)) {
           res.push([ATTR_KEY,reg])
@@ -208,6 +275,10 @@ module.exports = function (h, opts) {
           res.push([ATTR_KEY,reg],[ATTR_EQ])
           reg = ''
           state = ATTR_VALUE_W
+        } else if (state === ATTR_KEY && c === '/') {
+          isSelfClosing = true
+          reg=''
+          state = ATTR
         } else if (state === ATTR_KEY) {
           reg += c
         } else if ((state === ATTR_KEY_W || state === ATTR) && c === '=') {
@@ -218,7 +289,11 @@ module.exports = function (h, opts) {
           if (/[\w-]/.test(c)) {
             reg += c
             state = ATTR_KEY
-          } else state = ATTR
+          } else if (c === '/') {
+            isSelfClosing = true
+          } else {
+            state = ATTR
+          }
         } else if (state === ATTR_VALUE_W && c === '"') {
           state = ATTR_VALUE_DQ
         } else if (state === ATTR_VALUE_W && c === "'") {
@@ -276,6 +351,16 @@ function quot (state) {
   return state === ATTR_VALUE_SQ || state === ATTR_VALUE_DQ
 }
 
+//area, base, br, col, command, embed, hr, img, input, keygen, link, meta, param, source, track, wbr
+var voidCloseRE = RegExp('^(' + [
+  'area', 'base', 'br', 'col', 'command', 'embed',
+  'hr', 'img', 'input', 'keygen', 'link', 'meta', 'param',
+  'source', 'track', 'wbr'
+].join('|') + ')(?:[\.#][a-zA-Z0-9\u007F-\uFFFF_:-]+)*$')
+
+function selfClosingVoid (tag) { return voidCloseRE.test(tag) }
+
+/*
 var closeRE = RegExp('^(' + [
   'area', 'base', 'basefont', 'bgsound', 'br', 'col', 'command', 'embed',
   'frame', 'hr', 'img', 'input', 'isindex', 'keygen', 'link', 'meta', 'param',
@@ -292,4 +377,6 @@ var closeRE = RegExp('^(' + [
   'path', 'polygon', 'polyline', 'rect', 'set', 'stop', 'tref', 'use', 'view',
   'vkern'
 ].join('|') + ')(?:[\.#][a-zA-Z0-9\u007F-\uFFFF_:-]+)*$')
+
 function selfClosing (tag) { return closeRE.test(tag) }
+*/
diff --git a/package.json b/package.json
index de50b87..509caeb 100644
--- a/package.json
+++ b/package.json
@@ -1,6 +1,6 @@
 {
-  "name": "hyperx",
-  "version": "2.5.4",
+  "name": "hyperx-tmp",
+  "version": "2.5.6",
   "description": "tagged template string virtual dom builder",
   "main": "index.js",
   "scripts": {
@@ -21,8 +21,8 @@
   "license": "BSD",
   "devDependencies": {
     "covert": "^1.1.0",
-    "hyperscript": "^1.4.7",
-    "tape": "^4.4.0",
+    "hyperscript": "^2.0.2",
+    "tape": "^5.4.0",
     "virtual-dom": "^2.1.1"
   },
   "dependencies": {
@@ -34,10 +34,10 @@
   },
   "repository": {
     "type": "git",
-    "url": "git+https://github.com/substack/hyperx.git"
+    "url": "git+https://github.com/mreinstein/hyperx.git"
   },
   "bugs": {
-    "url": "https://github.com/substack/hyperx/issues"
+    "url": "https://github.com/mreinstein/hyperx/issues"
   },
-  "homepage": "https://github.com/substack/hyperx#readme"
+  "homepage": "https://github.com/mreinstein/hyperx#readme"
 }
diff --git a/test/style.js b/test/style.js
index 7eef5b5..14cd390 100644
--- a/test/style.js
+++ b/test/style.js
@@ -15,3 +15,42 @@ test('style', function (t) {
   )
   t.end()
 })
+
+
+test('embedded style', function (t) {
+  var key = 'type'
+  var value = 'text'
+  var tree = hx`<style>
+       .test > ul {
+          background-color: red;
+       }
+   </style>`
+  t.equal(
+    vdom.create(tree).toString(),
+    `<style>
+       .test &gt; ul {
+          background-color: red;
+       }
+   </style>`
+  )
+  t.end()
+})
+
+test('embedded style with attributes', function (t) {
+  var key = 'type'
+  var value = 'text'
+  var tree = hx`<style id="test1">
+       .test > ul {
+          background-color: red;
+       }
+   </style>`
+  t.equal(
+    vdom.create(tree).toString(),
+    `<style id="test1">
+       .test &gt; ul {
+          background-color: red;
+       }
+   </style>`
+  )
+  t.end()
+})
diff --git a/test/svg.js b/test/svg.js
index 1ee0fa1..e7f515b 100644
--- a/test/svg.js
+++ b/test/svg.js
@@ -19,3 +19,28 @@ test('svg mixed with html', function (t) {
   t.equal(vdom.create(tree).toString(), expected)
   t.end()
 })
+
+test('svg mixed with html and close / self-closing tags', function (t) {
+  var expected = `<div>
+    <h3>test</h3>
+    <svg width="150" height="100" viewBox="0 0 3 2">
+      <use id="test"></use>
+      <rect width="1" height="2" x="0" fill="#008d46"></rect>
+      <use id="test"></use>
+      <rect width="1" height="2" x="0" fill="#008d46"></rect>
+      <use id="test"></use>
+    </svg>
+  </div>`
+  var tree = hx`<div>
+    <h3>test</h3>
+    <svg width="150" height="100" viewBox="0 0 3 2">
+      <use id="test"></use>
+      <rect width="1" height="2" x="0" fill="#008d46"></rect>
+      <use id="test"/>
+      <rect width="1" height="2" x="0" fill="#008d46"/>
+      <use id="test"></use>
+    </svg>
+  </div>`
+  t.equal(vdom.create(tree).toString(), expected)
+  t.end()
+})