diff --git a/d2compiler/compile.go b/d2compiler/compile.go
index 34cb7567f..0af1f26b6 100644
--- a/d2compiler/compile.go
+++ b/d2compiler/compile.go
@@ -763,10 +763,10 @@ func (c *compiler) validateNear(g *d2graph.Graph) {
 
 		var isSrcNearConst, isDstNearConst bool
 
-		if srcNearContainer != nil {
+		if srcNearContainer != nil && srcNearContainer != edge.Src {
 			_, isSrcNearConst = d2graph.NearConstants[d2graph.Key(srcNearContainer.Attributes.NearKey)[0]]
 		}
-		if dstNearContainer != nil {
+		if dstNearContainer != nil && dstNearContainer != edge.Dst {
 			_, isDstNearConst = d2graph.NearConstants[d2graph.Key(dstNearContainer.Attributes.NearKey)[0]]
 		}
 
diff --git a/d2graph/d2graph.go b/d2graph/d2graph.go
index 0f3df5683..5f966ddfc 100644
--- a/d2graph/d2graph.go
+++ b/d2graph/d2graph.go
@@ -969,13 +969,11 @@ func (obj *Object) GetDefaultSize(mtexts []*d2target.MText, ruler *textmeasure.R
 }
 
 func (obj *Object) OuterNearContainer() *Object {
-	temp := obj
-	for temp != nil {
-		// find outer near container that isn't itself
-		if temp.Attributes.NearKey != nil && temp != obj {
-			return temp
+	for obj != nil {
+		if obj.Attributes.NearKey != nil {
+			return obj
 		}
-		temp = temp.Parent
+		obj = obj.Parent
 	}
 	return nil
 }