diff --git a/ci/release/changelogs/next.md b/ci/release/changelogs/next.md
index 6acfa4bcc..041b8e68b 100644
--- a/ci/release/changelogs/next.md
+++ b/ci/release/changelogs/next.md
@@ -1,7 +1,6 @@
 #### Features 🚀
 
 - Container with constant key near attribute now can have descendant objects and connections [#1071](https://github.com/terrastruct/d2/pull/1071)
-
 - Multi-board SVG outputs with internal links go to their output paths [#1116](https://github.com/terrastruct/d2/pull/1116)
 
 #### Improvements 🧹
diff --git a/d2compiler/compile.go b/d2compiler/compile.go
index 0af1f26b6..e75d791f7 100644
--- a/d2compiler/compile.go
+++ b/d2compiler/compile.go
@@ -734,22 +734,10 @@ func (c *compiler) validateNear(g *d2graph.Graph) {
 					}
 				}
 			} else if isConst {
-				is := false
-				for _, e := range g.Edges {
-					if e.Src == obj || e.Dst == obj {
-						is = true
-						break
-					}
-				}
-				if is {
-					c.errorf(obj.Attributes.NearKey, "constant near keys cannot be set on connected shapes")
-					continue
-				}
 				if obj.Parent != g.Root {
 					c.errorf(obj.Attributes.NearKey, "constant near keys can only be set on root level shapes")
 					continue
 				}
-
 			} else {
 				c.errorf(obj.Attributes.NearKey, "near key %#v must be the absolute path to a shape or one of the following constants: %s", d2format.Format(obj.Attributes.NearKey), strings.Join(d2graph.NearConstantsArray, ", "))
 				continue
@@ -763,10 +751,10 @@ func (c *compiler) validateNear(g *d2graph.Graph) {
 
 		var isSrcNearConst, isDstNearConst bool
 
-		if srcNearContainer != nil && srcNearContainer != edge.Src {
+		if srcNearContainer != nil {
 			_, isSrcNearConst = d2graph.NearConstants[d2graph.Key(srcNearContainer.Attributes.NearKey)[0]]
 		}
-		if dstNearContainer != nil && dstNearContainer != edge.Dst {
+		if dstNearContainer != nil {
 			_, isDstNearConst = d2graph.NearConstants[d2graph.Key(dstNearContainer.Attributes.NearKey)[0]]
 		}
 
diff --git a/d2compiler/compile_test.go b/d2compiler/compile_test.go
index 586da1f7b..4a66b8e85 100644
--- a/d2compiler/compile_test.go
+++ b/d2compiler/compile_test.go
@@ -1567,7 +1567,7 @@ d2/testdata/d2compiler/TestCompile/near-invalid.d2:14:9: near keys cannot be set
 				}
 				x -> y
 			`,
-			expErr: `d2/testdata/d2compiler/TestCompile/near_bad_connected.d2:3:12: constant near keys cannot be set on connected shapes`,
+			expErr: `d2/testdata/d2compiler/TestCompile/near_bad_connected.d2:5:5: cannot connect objects from within a container, that has near constant set, to objects outside that container`,
 		},
 		{
 			name: "near_descendant_connect_to_outside",
diff --git a/d2layouts/d2near/layout.go b/d2layouts/d2near/layout.go
index 6f3a177be..88b8382d8 100644
--- a/d2layouts/d2near/layout.go
+++ b/d2layouts/d2near/layout.go
@@ -20,6 +20,13 @@ func Layout(ctx context.Context, g *d2graph.Graph, constantNearGraphs []*d2graph
 		return nil
 	}
 
+	for _, tempGraph := range constantNearGraphs {
+		tempGraph.Root.ChildrenArray[0].Parent = g.Root
+		for _, obj := range tempGraph.Objects {
+			obj.Graph = g
+		}
+	}
+
 	// Imagine the graph has two long texts, one at top center and one at top left.
 	// Top left should go left enough to not collide with center.
 	// So place the center ones first, then the later ones will consider them for bounding box
@@ -151,7 +158,7 @@ func WithoutConstantNears(ctx context.Context, g *d2graph.Graph) (constantNearGr
 
 			tempGraph := d2graph.NewGraph()
 			tempGraph.Root.ChildrenArray = []*d2graph.Object{obj}
-			tempGraph.Root.Children[obj.ID] = obj
+			tempGraph.Root.Children[strings.ToLower(obj.ID)] = obj
 
 			for _, descendantObj := range descendantObjects {
 				descendantObj.Graph = tempGraph
diff --git a/d2lib/d2.go b/d2lib/d2.go
index 160e73158..8f94d86c2 100644
--- a/d2lib/d2.go
+++ b/d2lib/d2.go
@@ -75,10 +75,6 @@ func compile(ctx context.Context, g *d2graph.Graph, opts *CompileOptions) (*d2ta
 			if err = coreLayout(ctx, tempGraph); err != nil {
 				return nil, err
 			}
-			tempGraph.Root.ChildrenArray[0].Parent = g.Root
-			for _, obj := range tempGraph.Objects {
-				obj.Graph = g
-			}
 		}
 
 		err = d2sequence.Layout(ctx, g, coreLayout)
diff --git a/testdata/d2compiler/TestCompile/near_bad_connected.exp.json b/testdata/d2compiler/TestCompile/near_bad_connected.exp.json
index 03c55a204..b5ac2eb4a 100644
--- a/testdata/d2compiler/TestCompile/near_bad_connected.exp.json
+++ b/testdata/d2compiler/TestCompile/near_bad_connected.exp.json
@@ -4,8 +4,8 @@
     "ioerr": null,
     "errs": [
       {
-        "range": "d2/testdata/d2compiler/TestCompile/near_bad_connected.d2,2:11:21-2:21:31",
-        "errmsg": "d2/testdata/d2compiler/TestCompile/near_bad_connected.d2:3:12: constant near keys cannot be set on connected shapes"
+        "range": "d2/testdata/d2compiler/TestCompile/near_bad_connected.d2,4:4:42-4:10:48",
+        "errmsg": "d2/testdata/d2compiler/TestCompile/near_bad_connected.d2:5:5: cannot connect objects from within a container, that has near constant set, to objects outside that container"
       }
     ]
   }