diff --git a/bindings/python/mapnik_text_placement.cpp b/bindings/python/mapnik_text_placement.cpp
index 05201326a..c2b08eb50 100644
--- a/bindings/python/mapnik_text_placement.cpp
+++ b/bindings/python/mapnik_text_placement.cpp
@@ -194,13 +194,16 @@ struct ListNodeWrap: formatting::list_node, wrapper<formatting::list_node>
     ListNodeWrap(object l) : formatting::list_node(), wrapper<formatting::list_node>()
     {
         stl_input_iterator<formatting::node_ptr> begin(l), end;
-        children_.insert(children_.end(), begin, end);
+        while (begin != end)
+        {
+           children_.push_back(*begin);
+           ++begin;
+        }
     }
 
     /* TODO: Add constructor taking variable number of arguments.
        http://wiki.python.org/moin/boost.python/HowTo#A.22Raw.22_function */
 
-
     virtual void apply(char_properties const& p, feature_impl const& feature, processed_text &output) const
     {
         if(override o = this->get_override("apply"))
diff --git a/tests/visual_tests/test_python.py b/tests/visual_tests/test_python.py
index a452f3a87..301017bc1 100755
--- a/tests/visual_tests/test_python.py
+++ b/tests/visual_tests/test_python.py
@@ -104,6 +104,6 @@ for format_tree in format_trees:
     expected = os.path.join(dirname,"images", 'python-%s-reference.png' % format_tree[0])
     mapnik.render_to_file(m, actual, 'png8:m=h')
     diff = compare(actual,expected)
-    if diff > 1:
+    if diff > 0:
        print 'comparision failed between:\n  %s (actual)\n  %s (expected)' % (actual,expected)