diff --git a/packages/ember-views/lib/system/render_buffer.js b/packages/ember-views/lib/system/render_buffer.js
index <HASH>..<HASH> 100644
--- a/packages/ember-views/lib/system/render_buffer.js
+++ b/packages/ember-views/lib/system/render_buffer.js
@@ -528,7 +528,10 @@ _RenderBuffer.prototype = {
         this._element.appendChild(nodes[0]);
       }
     }
-    this.hydrateMorphs(contextualElement);
+    // This should only happen with legacy string buffers
+    if (this.childViews.length > 0) {
+      this.hydrateMorphs(contextualElement);
+    }
 
     return this._element;
   },
[BUGFIX beta] Only start hydrating morphs if there are legacy childViews