diff --git a/src/core/services/interimElement/interimElement.js b/src/core/services/interimElement/interimElement.js
index 2280be76775..5b7e3856f53 100644
--- a/src/core/services/interimElement/interimElement.js
+++ b/src/core/services/interimElement/interimElement.js
@@ -491,17 +491,17 @@ function InterimElementProvider() {
          * Search for parent at insertion time, if not specified
          */
         function findParent(element, options) {
+          var parent = options.parent;
 
           // Search for parent at insertion time, if not specified
-          if (angular.isFunction(options.parent)) {
-            parent = options.parent(options.scope, element, options);
-          } else if (angular.isString(options.parent)) {
-            parent = angular.element($document[0].querySelector(options.parent));
+          if (angular.isFunction(parent)) {
+            parent = parent(options.scope, element, options);
+          } else if (angular.isString(parent)) {
+            parent = angular.element($document[0].querySelector(parent));
           } else {
-            parent = angular.element(options.parent);
+            parent = angular.element(parent);
           }
 
-
           // If parent querySelector/getter function fails, or it's just null,
           // find a default.
           if (!(parent || {}).length) {