diff --git a/src/core.js b/src/core.js
index 78f0cae2d7..6c439a5a6c 100644
--- a/src/core.js
+++ b/src/core.js
@@ -961,7 +961,7 @@ jQuery.extend({
 
 			// Safari mis-reports the default selected property of a hidden option
 			// Accessing the parent's selectedIndex property fixes it
-			if ( name == "selected" )
+			if ( name == "selected" && elem.parentNode )
 				elem.parentNode.selectedIndex;
 
 			// If applicable, access the attribute via the DOM 0 way
diff --git a/test/unit/core.js b/test/unit/core.js
index 4d04af759a..8483361a17 100644
--- a/test/unit/core.js
+++ b/test/unit/core.js
@@ -383,7 +383,7 @@ test("index(Object)", function() {
 });
 
 test("attr(String)", function() {
-	expect(26);
+	expect(27);
 	equals( jQuery('#text1').attr('value'), "Test", 'Check for value attribute' );
 	equals( jQuery('#text1').attr('value', "Test2").attr('defaultValue'), "Test", 'Check for defaultValue attribute' );
 	equals( jQuery('#text1').attr('type'), "text", 'Check for type attribute' );
@@ -407,6 +407,8 @@ test("attr(String)", function() {
 	jQuery('<a id="tAnchor5"></a>').attr('href', '#5').appendTo('#main'); // using innerHTML in IE causes href attribute to be serialized to the full path
 	equals( jQuery('#tAnchor5').attr('href'), "#5", 'Check for non-absolute href (an anchor)' );
 
+	equals( jQuery("<option/>").attr("selected"), false, "Check selected attribute on disconnected element." );
+
 
 	// Related to [5574] and [5683]
 	var body = document.body, $body = jQuery(body);