diff --git a/.changeset/many-papayas-clap.md b/.changeset/many-papayas-clap.md
new file mode 100644
index 0000000000..1553f982a3
--- /dev/null
+++ b/.changeset/many-papayas-clap.md
@@ -0,0 +1,5 @@
+---
+"@zag-js/avatar": patch
+---
+
+Fix issues where avatar could throw when the fallback inner text changes.
diff --git a/packages/machines/avatar/src/avatar.machine.ts b/packages/machines/avatar/src/avatar.machine.ts
index d5c0988a41..6b5e68990c 100644
--- a/packages/machines/avatar/src/avatar.machine.ts
+++ b/packages/machines/avatar/src/avatar.machine.ts
@@ -74,7 +74,9 @@ export function machine(userContext: UserDefinedContext) {
           return observeChildren(rootEl, {
             callback(records) {
               const removedNodes = Array.from(records[0].removedNodes) as HTMLElement[]
-              const removed = removedNodes.find((node) => node.matches("[data-scope=avatar][data-part=image]"))
+              const removed = removedNodes.find(
+                (node) => node.nodeType === Node.ELEMENT_NODE && node.matches("[data-scope=avatar][data-part=image]"),
+              )
               if (removed) {
                 send({ type: "IMG.UNMOUNT" })
               }