=== src/core.js
==================================================================
--- src/core.js	(revision 523)
+++ src/core.js	(local)
@@ -27,7 +27,7 @@
 
 // A simple way to check for HTML strings or ID strings
 // (both of which we optimize for)
-var quickExpr = /^[^<]*(<(.|\s)+>)[^>]*$|^#(\w+)$/;
+var quickExpr = /^([^<]*<(.|\s)+>[^>]*)$|^#(\w+)$/;
 
 // Is it a simple selector
 var isSimple = /^.[^:#\[\.]*$/;
=== test/unit/core.js
==================================================================
--- test/unit/core.js	(revision 523)
+++ test/unit/core.js	(local)
@@ -188,7 +188,7 @@
 var foo = false;
 
 test("$('html')", function() {
-	expect(6);
+	expect(12);
 
 	reset();
 	foo = false;
@@ -207,6 +207,15 @@
 	ok( j.length >= 2, "Check node,textnode,comment creation (some browsers delete comments)" );
 
 	ok( !$("test")[0].selected, "Make sure that options are auto-selected #2050" );
+
+	reset();
+	var $nodes = $("I Like Pie");
+	equals($nodes.length, 3, "Verify text nodes at start and end get created #2466");
+	equals($nodes[0].nodeType, 3, "First node is a text node #2466");
+	equals($nodes[0].nodeValue, "I ", "First node has correct value #2466");
+	equals($nodes[1].nodeType, 1, "Middle node is a html node #2466");
+	equals($nodes[2].nodeType, 3, "Last node is a text node #2466");
+	equals($nodes[2].nodeValue, " Pie", "Last node has correct value #2466");
 });
 
 test("$('html', context)", function() {