diff --git a/src/ng/animate.js b/src/ng/animate.js
index 785d1dfa1d1f..34f20f004025 100644
--- a/src/ng/animate.js
+++ b/src/ng/animate.js
@@ -111,8 +111,9 @@ var $AnimateProvider = ['$provide', function($provide) {
        * @ngdoc method
        * @name $animate#enter
        * @function
-       * @description Inserts the element into the DOM either after the `after` element or within
-       *   the `parent` element. Once complete, the done() callback will be fired (if provided).
+       * @description Inserts the element into the DOM either after the `after` element or
+       * as the first child within the `parent` element. Once complete, the done() callback
+       * will be fired (if provided).
        * @param {DOMElement} element the element which will be inserted into the DOM
        * @param {DOMElement} parent the parent element which will append the element as
        *   a child (if the after element is not present)
@@ -122,14 +123,9 @@ var $AnimateProvider = ['$provide', function($provide) {
        *   inserted into the DOM
        */
       enter : function(element, parent, after, done) {
-        if (after) {
-          after.after(element);
-        } else {
-          if (!parent || !parent[0]) {
-            parent = after.parent();
-          }
-          parent.append(element);
-        }
+        after
+            ? after.after(element)
+            : parent.prepend(element);
         async(done);
       },
 
diff --git a/test/ng/animateSpec.js b/test/ng/animateSpec.js
index e982862aed60..b9dd1493330e 100644
--- a/test/ng/animateSpec.js
+++ b/test/ng/animateSpec.js
@@ -15,6 +15,19 @@ describe("$animate", function() {
       expect(element.contents().length).toBe(1);
     }));
 
+    it("should enter the element to the start of the parent container",
+      inject(function($animate, $compile, $rootScope) {
+
+      for(var i = 0; i < 5; i++) {
+        element.append(jqLite('<div> ' + i + '</div>'));
+      }
+
+      var child = jqLite('<div>first</div>');
+      $animate.enter(child, element);
+
+      expect(element.text()).toEqual('first 0 1 2 3 4');
+    }));
+
     it("should remove the element at the end of leave animation", inject(function($animate, $compile, $rootScope) {
       var child = $compile('<div></div>')($rootScope);
       element.append(child);