diff --git a/vue/primitives/jsr.json b/vue/primitives/jsr.json
index 9a289c1..7ea071c 100644
--- a/vue/primitives/jsr.json
+++ b/vue/primitives/jsr.json
@@ -2,6 +2,6 @@
   "$schema": "https://jsr.io/schema/config-file.v1.json",
   "name": "@robonen/primitives",
   "license": "Apache-2.0",
-  "version": "0.0.3",
+  "version": "0.0.4",
   "exports": "./src/index.ts"
 }
diff --git a/vue/primitives/package.json b/vue/primitives/package.json
index 6d85264..08b1fdc 100644
--- a/vue/primitives/package.json
+++ b/vue/primitives/package.json
@@ -1,6 +1,6 @@
 {
   "name": "@robonen/primitives",
-  "version": "0.0.3",
+  "version": "0.0.4",
   "license": "Apache-2.0",
   "description": "Collection of UI primitives",
   "keywords": [
diff --git a/vue/primitives/src/selection/select/SelectContentImpl.vue b/vue/primitives/src/selection/select/SelectContentImpl.vue
index b0f62b8..cab1463 100644
--- a/vue/primitives/src/selection/select/SelectContentImpl.vue
+++ b/vue/primitives/src/selection/select/SelectContentImpl.vue
@@ -63,8 +63,11 @@ const selectedItemTextRef = rootCtx.selectedItemTextRef;
 
 const firstValidItemFoundRef = ref(false);
 
-// Recompute the selected/first-valid item afresh for this open cycle.
+// Recompute the selected/first-valid item afresh for this open cycle. The text
+// node is reset alongside it: the item-aligned positioner reads the two as a
+// pair, so a stale text node would pair with a fresh item and skew placement.
 selectedItemRef.value = undefined;
+selectedItemTextRef.value = undefined;
 
 // Resolve the actual listbox content element. The item-aligned strategy renders
 // a positioning wrapper whose first child is the listbox; the popper strategy
diff --git a/vue/primitives/src/selection/select/SelectItemAlignedPosition.vue b/vue/primitives/src/selection/select/SelectItemAlignedPosition.vue
index cf573bb..9a42698 100644
--- a/vue/primitives/src/selection/select/SelectItemAlignedPosition.vue
+++ b/vue/primitives/src/selection/select/SelectItemAlignedPosition.vue
@@ -47,6 +47,16 @@ const shouldExpandOnScrollRef = ref(false);
 const shouldRepositionRef = ref(true);
 const contentZIndex = ref('');
 
+// When nothing is selected the content adopts the first valid item as the
+// alignment anchor, but only that item is registered — its text node registers
+// solely for the *selected* value. Recover it from the item's own label
+// association instead of demanding a second registration, which would mean
+// writing to the anchor refs from inside the item's own tracking effect.
+function itemTextOf(item: HTMLElement | undefined): HTMLElement | undefined {
+  const id = item?.getAttribute('aria-labelledby');
+  return id ? item?.ownerDocument.getElementById(id) ?? undefined : undefined;
+}
+
 function position() {
   const trigger = rootCtx.triggerElement.value;
   const valueNode = rootCtx.valueElement.value;
@@ -54,9 +64,25 @@ function position() {
   const content = contentElement.value;
   const viewport = contentCtx.viewportRef.value;
   const selectedItem = contentCtx.selectedItemRef.value;
-  const selectedItemText = contentCtx.selectedItemTextRef.value;
+  const selectedItemText = contentCtx.selectedItemTextRef.value ?? itemTextOf(selectedItem);
 
-  if (!trigger || !valueNode || !wrapper || !content || !viewport || !selectedItem || !selectedItemText) {
+  if (!trigger || !wrapper || !content || !viewport) {
+    emit('placed');
+    return;
+  }
+
+  // Item-aligned placement centres the panel on the selected item, so without
+  // one there is nothing to align to — an empty option list, or items that have
+  // not registered yet. Drop the panel under the trigger instead of returning:
+  // the wrapper is `position: fixed`, so leaving it unplaced pins it to the
+  // viewport origin, where it reads as "the dropdown does not open".
+  if (!valueNode || !selectedItem || !selectedItemText) {
+    const rect = trigger.getBoundingClientRect();
+    const rightEdge = window.innerWidth - CONTENT_MARGIN;
+    wrapper.style.minWidth = `${rect.width}px`;
+    wrapper.style.left = `${clamp(rect.left, CONTENT_MARGIN, Math.max(CONTENT_MARGIN, rightEdge - rect.width))}px`;
+    wrapper.style.top = `${rect.bottom}px`;
+    wrapper.style.maxHeight = `${Math.max(0, window.innerHeight - rect.bottom - CONTENT_MARGIN)}px`;
     emit('placed');
     return;
   }
diff --git a/vue/primitives/src/selection/select/__test__/Select.test.ts b/vue/primitives/src/selection/select/__test__/Select.test.ts
index 2726d66..f443f14 100644
--- a/vue/primitives/src/selection/select/__test__/Select.test.ts
+++ b/vue/primitives/src/selection/select/__test__/Select.test.ts
@@ -456,3 +456,62 @@ describe('Select — attribute forwarding on the panel', () => {
     w.unmount();
   });
 });
+
+describe('Select — panel placement without a selection', () => {
+  function mountUnmatched(options: Opt[]) {
+    return track(mount(
+      defineComponent({
+        setup() {
+          // A model value that matches no option — a stale id, a deleted user,
+          // a directory that has not loaded yet.
+          return () => h(
+            SelectRoot,
+            { defaultOpen: true, modelValue: 'gone' as never },
+            {
+              default: () => [
+                h(SelectTrigger, null, { default: () => h(SelectValue, { placeholder: 'Pick one' }) }),
+                h(SelectPortal, null, {
+                  default: () => h(SelectContent, null, {
+                    default: () => h(SelectViewport, null, {
+                      default: () => options.map(opt =>
+                        h(SelectItem, { key: String(opt.value), value: opt.value as never }, {
+                          default: () => h(SelectItemText, null, { default: () => opt.label }),
+                        }),
+                      ),
+                    }),
+                  }),
+                }),
+              ],
+            },
+          );
+        },
+      }),
+      { attachTo: document.body },
+    ));
+  }
+
+  it('aligns on the first valid item when the model matches nothing', async () => {
+    const w = mountUnmatched([{ value: 'a', label: 'A' }, { value: 'b', label: 'B' }]);
+    await flush();
+    const wrapper = document.querySelector('[data-primitives-select-content-wrapper]') as HTMLElement | null;
+    expect(wrapper).toBeTruthy();
+    // Item-aligned placement sets all three; bailing out leaves them empty and
+    // the fixed wrapper pinned to the viewport origin.
+    expect(wrapper!.style.minWidth).not.toBe('');
+    expect(wrapper!.style.height).not.toBe('');
+    expect(wrapper!.style.left || wrapper!.style.right).not.toBe('');
+    w.unmount();
+  });
+
+  it('places the panel instead of leaving it pinned to the viewport origin', async () => {
+    const w = mountUnmatched([]);
+    await flush();
+    const wrapper = document.querySelector('[data-primitives-select-content-wrapper]') as HTMLElement | null;
+    expect(wrapper).toBeTruthy();
+    // With no items at all there is nothing to align to; the fallback still has
+    // to give the wrapper explicit coordinates.
+    expect(wrapper!.style.top).not.toBe('');
+    expect(wrapper!.style.left).not.toBe('');
+    w.unmount();
+  });
+});