diff --git a/src/region.js b/src/region.js
index f517ace32f..3e6c6a6adc 100644
--- a/src/region.js
+++ b/src/region.js
@@ -133,6 +133,8 @@ const Region = MarionetteObject.extend({
     if (!_.isObject(this.el)) {
       this.$el = this.getEl(this.el);
       this.el = this.$el[0];
+      // Make sure the $el contains only the el
+      this.$el = this.getEl(this.el);
     }
 
     if (!this.$el || this.$el.length === 0) {
@@ -242,7 +244,7 @@ const Region = MarionetteObject.extend({
   // Override this method to change how the new view is appended to the `$el` that the
   // region is managing
   attachHtml(view) {
-    this.Dom.appendContents(this.el, view.el, {_$contents: view.$el});
+    this.Dom.appendContents(this.el, view.el, {_$el: this.$el, _$contents: view.$el});
   },
 
   // Destroy the current view, if there is one. If there is no current view, it does