diff --git a/django/template/__init__.py b/django/template/__init__.py
index c53d400f3c..29daa76eac 100644
--- a/django/template/__init__.py
+++ b/django/template/__init__.py
@@ -289,9 +289,14 @@ class Parser(object):
         return NodeList()
 
     def extend_nodelist(self, nodelist, node, token):
-        if (node.must_be_first and nodelist and
-                (not isinstance(nodelist[0], TextNode) or len(nodelist) > 2)):
-            raise TemplateSyntaxError("%r must be the first tag in the template." % node)
+        if node.must_be_first and nodelist:
+            try:
+                if nodelist.contains_nontext:
+                    raise AttributeError
+            except AttributeError:
+                raise TemplateSyntaxError("%r must be the first tag in the template." % node)
+        if isinstance(nodelist, NodeList) and not isinstance(node, TextNode):
+            nodelist.contains_nontext = True
         nodelist.append(node)
 
     def enter_command(self, command, token):
@@ -732,6 +737,10 @@ class Node(object):
         return nodes
 
 class NodeList(list):
+    # Set to True the first time a non-TextNode is inserted by
+    # extend_nodelist().
+    contains_nontext = False
+
     def render(self, context):
         bits = []
         for node in self:
diff --git a/django/template/loader_tags.py b/django/template/loader_tags.py
index 716e475807..00ae99bbf9 100644
--- a/django/template/loader_tags.py
+++ b/django/template/loader_tags.py
@@ -69,14 +69,10 @@ class ExtendsNode(Node):
 
     def render(self, context):
         compiled_parent = self.get_parent(context)
-        if len(compiled_parent.nodelist) > 1:
-            n0, n1 = compiled_parent.nodelist[:2]
-        else:
-            n0, n1 = compiled_parent.nodelist[0], None
-        parent_is_child = (isinstance(n0, ExtendsNode) or
-                (isinstance(n0, TextNode) and isinstance(n1, ExtendsNode)))
-        if parent_is_child:
-            extend_node = int(not isinstance(n0, ExtendsNode))
+        pos = 0
+        while isinstance(compiled_parent.nodelist[pos], TextNode):
+            pos += 1
+        parent_is_child = isinstance(compiled_parent.nodelist[pos], ExtendsNode)
         parent_blocks = dict([(n.name, n) for n in compiled_parent.nodelist.get_nodes_by_type(BlockNode)])
         for block_node in self.nodelist.get_nodes_by_type(BlockNode):
             # Check for a BlockNode with this node's name, and replace it if found.
@@ -88,7 +84,7 @@ class ExtendsNode(Node):
                 # add this BlockNode to the parent's ExtendsNode nodelist, so
                 # it'll be checked when the parent node's render() is called.
                 if parent_is_child:
-                    compiled_parent.nodelist[extend_node].nodelist.append(block_node)
+                    compiled_parent.nodelist[pos].nodelist.append(block_node)
             else:
                 # Keep any existing parents and add a new one. Used by BlockNode.
                 parent_block.parent = block_node.parent