diff --git a/lib/binary_parser.ts b/lib/binary_parser.ts
index d347ee8a..22edb6a0 100644
--- a/lib/binary_parser.ts
+++ b/lib/binary_parser.ts
@@ -1038,6 +1038,30 @@ export class Parser {
     return ctx;
   }
 
+  private nextNotBit() {
+    // Used to test if next type is a bitN or not
+    if (this.next) {
+      if (this.next.type === "nest") {
+        // For now consider a nest as a bit
+        if (this.next.options && this.next.options.type instanceof Parser) {
+          // Something in the nest
+          if (this.next.options.type.next) {
+            return this.next.options.type.next.type !== "bit";
+          }
+          return false;
+        } else {
+          // Nest is empty. For now assume this means bit is not next. However what if something comes after the nest?
+          return true;
+        }
+      } else {
+        return this.next.type !== "bit";
+      }
+    } else {
+      // Nothing else so next can't be bits
+      return true;
+    }
+  }
+
   private generateBit(ctx: Context) {
     // TODO find better method to handle nested bit fields
     const parser = JSON.parse(JSON.stringify(this));
@@ -1047,10 +1071,7 @@ export class Parser {
     parser.varName = ctx.generateVariable(parser.varName);
     ctx.bitFields.push(parser);
 
-    if (
-      !this.next ||
-      (this.next && ["bit", "nest"].indexOf(this.next.type) < 0)
-    ) {
+    if (!this.next || this.nextNotBit()) {
       const val = ctx.generateTmpVariable();
 
       ctx.pushCode(`var ${val} = 0;`);
diff --git a/test/composite_parser.ts b/test/composite_parser.ts
index 333c7684..34058af9 100644
--- a/test/composite_parser.ts
+++ b/test/composite_parser.ts
@@ -982,6 +982,56 @@ function compositeParserTests(
           },
         });
       });
+
+      it("standalone bit fields should work", () => {
+        const parser = Parser.start().bit6("one").bit8("two");
+        const buffer = factory([0xa8, 0x78]);
+        const result = parser.parse(buffer);
+        deepStrictEqual(result.one, 0xa8 >> 2);
+        deepStrictEqual(result.two, 0x78 >> 2);
+      });
+
+      it("bit to nested bit should work", () => {
+        const parser = Parser.start()
+          .bit6("one")
+          .nest("nested", {
+            type: new Parser().bit8("two").uint8("three"),
+          });
+        const buffer = factory([0xa8, 0x78, 0x45]);
+        const result = parser.parse(buffer);
+        deepStrictEqual(result.one, 0xa8 >> 2);
+        deepStrictEqual(result.nested.two, 0x78 >> 2);
+        // switching to uint8 should start at next byte (skipping two bits here)
+        deepStrictEqual(result.nested.three, 0x45);
+      });
+
+      it("bit before nest should work", () => {
+        const parser = Parser.start()
+          .useContextVars()
+          .bit8("items")
+          .nest("data", {
+            type: Parser.start()
+              .uint8("length")
+              .string("message", { length: "length" })
+              .array("value", {
+                type: "uint8",
+                length: "$parent.items",
+              }),
+          });
+
+        const buffer = factory([
+          0x2, 0xc, 0x68, 0x65, 0x6c, 0x6c, 0x6f, 0x2c, 0x20, 0x77, 0x6f, 0x72,
+          0x6c, 0x64, 0x01, 0x02, 0x02, 0x02,
+        ]);
+        deepStrictEqual(parser.parse(buffer), {
+          items: 2,
+          data: {
+            length: 12,
+            message: "hello, world",
+            value: [0x01, 0x02],
+          },
+        });
+      });
     });
 
     describe("Constructors", () => {