diff --git a/app/models/iiif_canvas_presenter.rb b/app/models/iiif_canvas_presenter.rb
index 968761cfa6..247a6c41c2 100644
--- a/app/models/iiif_canvas_presenter.rb
+++ b/app/models/iiif_canvas_presenter.rb
@@ -124,7 +124,17 @@ def simple_iiif_range(label = stream_info[:embed_title])
     end
 
     def structure_to_iiif_range
-      div_to_iiif_range(structure_ng_xml.root)
+      root_to_iiif_range(structure_ng_xml.root)
+    end
+
+    def root_to_iiif_range(root_node)
+      range = div_to_iiif_range(root_node)
+
+      if only_empty_descendants?(root_node)
+        range.items.prepend(IiifCanvasPresenter.new(master_file: master_file, stream_info: stream_info, media_fragment: "t=0,#{stream_info[:duration]}"))
+      end
+
+      return range
     end
 
     def div_to_iiif_range(div_node)
@@ -152,6 +162,10 @@ def span_to_iiif_range(span_node)
       )
     end
 
+    def only_empty_descendants?(node)
+      node.xpath('.//Span').empty?
+    end
+
     FLOAT_PATTERN = Regexp.new(/^\d+([.]\d*)?$/).freeze
 
     def parse_hour_min_sec(s)
diff --git a/spec/models/iiif_canvas_presenter_spec.rb b/spec/models/iiif_canvas_presenter_spec.rb
index 2c583bb043..ea9ac1e366 100644
--- a/spec/models/iiif_canvas_presenter_spec.rb
+++ b/spec/models/iiif_canvas_presenter_spec.rb
@@ -92,7 +92,45 @@
       	expect(subject.label.to_s).to eq "{\"none\"=>[\"#{master_file.embed_title}\"]}"
       	expect(subject.items.size).to eq 1
       	expect(subject.items.first).to be_a IiifCanvasPresenter
-        expect(subject.items.first.media_fragment).to eq "t=0,#{(master_file.duration.to_f)/1000}"
+        expect(subject.items.first.media_fragment).to eq "t=0,#{master_file.duration.to_f/1000}"
+      end
+    end
+
+    context 'with childless divs' do
+      context 'without spans' do
+        let(:structure_xml) { '<?xml version="1.0"?><Item label="Test"><Div label="Div 1"><Div label="Div 2"><Div label="Div 3"/></Div></Div></Item>' }
+
+        it 'generates a canvas reference in the root range' do
+          expect(subject.label.to_s).to eq '{"none"=>["Test"]}'
+          expect(subject.items.size).to eq 2
+          expect(subject.items.first).to be_a IiifCanvasPresenter
+          expect(subject.items.first.media_fragment).to eq "t=0,#{master_file.duration.to_f/1000}"
+          expect(subject.items.second.label.to_s).to eq '{"none"=>["Div 1"]}'
+          expect(subject.items.second.items.size).to eq 1
+          expect(subject.items.second.items.first.label.to_s).to eq '{"none"=>["Div 2"]}'
+          expect(subject.items.second.items.first.items.size).to eq 1
+          expect(subject.items.second.items.first.items.first.label.to_s).to eq '{"none"=>["Div 3"]}'
+          expect(subject.items.second.items.first.items.first.items.size).to eq 0
+        end
+      end
+
+      context 'with spans' do
+        let(:structure_xml) { '<?xml version="1.0"?><Item label="Test"><Div label="Div 1"><Div label="Div 2"><Div label="Div 3"/></Div><Span label="Span 1" begin="00:00:00.000" end="00:00:01.235"/></Div></Item>' }
+
+        it 'does not generate a canvas reference in the root range' do
+          expect(subject.label.to_s).to eq '{"none"=>["Test"]}'
+          expect(subject.items.size).to eq 1
+          expect(subject.items.first.label.to_s).to eq '{"none"=>["Div 1"]}'
+          expect(subject.items.first.items.size).to eq 2
+          expect(subject.items.first.items.first.label.to_s).to eq '{"none"=>["Div 2"]}'
+          expect(subject.items.first.items.first.items.size).to eq 1
+          expect(subject.items.first.items.first.items.first.label.to_s).to eq '{"none"=>["Div 3"]}'
+          expect(subject.items.first.items.first.items.first.items.size).to eq 0
+          expect(subject.items.first.items.second.label.to_s).to eq '{"none"=>["Span 1"]}'
+          expect(subject.items.first.items.second.items.size).to eq 1
+          expect(subject.items.first.items.second.items.first).to be_a IiifCanvasPresenter
+          expect(subject.items.first.items.second.items.first.media_fragment).to eq 't=0.0,1.235'
+        end
       end
     end
   end