diff --git a/packages/mermaid/package.json b/packages/mermaid/package.json
index 4f56d9112..244ebe453 100644
--- a/packages/mermaid/package.json
+++ b/packages/mermaid/package.json
@@ -1,6 +1,6 @@
 {
   "name": "mermaid",
-  "version": "10.2.0",
+  "version": "10.2.0-rc.2",
   "description": "Markdown-ish syntax for generating flowcharts, sequence diagrams, class diagrams, gantt charts and git graphs.",
   "type": "module",
   "module": "./dist/mermaid.core.mjs",
diff --git a/packages/mermaid/src/diagrams/class/classDiagramGrammar.spec.js b/packages/mermaid/src/diagrams/class/classDiagramGrammar.spec.js
deleted file mode 100644
index 4e9e99c70..000000000
--- a/packages/mermaid/src/diagrams/class/classDiagramGrammar.spec.js
+++ /dev/null
@@ -1,13 +0,0 @@
-// eslint-disable-next-line @typescript-eslint/no-var-requires
-const fs = require('fs');
-
-import { LALRGenerator } from 'jison';
-
-describe('class diagram grammar', function () {
-  it('should introduce no new conflicts', function () {
-    const file = require.resolve('./parser/classDiagram.jison');
-    const grammarSource = fs.readFileSync(file, 'utf8');
-    const grammarParser = new LALRGenerator(grammarSource, {});
-    expect(grammarParser.conflicts < 16).toBe(true);
-  });
-});
diff --git a/packages/mermaid/src/diagrams/class/classDiagramGrammar.spec.ts b/packages/mermaid/src/diagrams/class/classDiagramGrammar.spec.ts
new file mode 100644
index 000000000..eb0c37969
--- /dev/null
+++ b/packages/mermaid/src/diagrams/class/classDiagramGrammar.spec.ts
@@ -0,0 +1,16 @@
+import { readFile } from 'node:fs/promises';
+// @ts-ignore - no types
+import { LALRGenerator } from 'jison';
+import path from 'path';
+
+const getAbsolutePath = (relativePath: string) => {
+  return new URL(path.join(path.dirname(import.meta.url), relativePath)).pathname;
+};
+
+describe('class diagram grammar', function () {
+  it('should have no conflicts', async function () {
+    const grammarSource = await readFile(getAbsolutePath('./parser/classDiagram.jison'), 'utf8');
+    const grammarParser = new LALRGenerator(grammarSource, {});
+    expect(grammarParser.conflicts).toBe(0);
+  });
+});
diff --git a/packages/mermaid/src/diagrams/class/classParser.spec.ts b/packages/mermaid/src/diagrams/class/classParser.spec.ts
new file mode 100644
index 000000000..c479b8272
--- /dev/null
+++ b/packages/mermaid/src/diagrams/class/classParser.spec.ts
@@ -0,0 +1,78 @@
+import { setConfig } from '../../config.js';
+import classDB from './classDb.js';
+// @ts-ignore - no types in jison
+import classDiagram from './parser/classDiagram.jison';
+
+setConfig({
+  securityLevel: 'strict',
+});
+
+describe('when parsing class diagram', function () {
+  beforeEach(function () {
+    classDiagram.parser.yy = classDB;
+    classDiagram.parser.yy.clear();
+  });
+
+  it('should parse diagram with direction', () => {
+    classDiagram.parser.parse(`classDiagram
+        direction TB
+        class Student {
+          -idCard : IdCard
+        }
+        class IdCard{
+          -id : int
+          -name : string
+        }
+        class Bike{
+          -id : int
+          -name : string
+        }
+        Student "1" --o "1" IdCard : carries
+        Student "1" --o "1" Bike : rides`);
+
+    expect(Object.keys(classDB.getClasses()).length).toBe(3);
+    expect(classDB.getClasses().Student).toMatchInlineSnapshot(`
+      {
+        "annotations": [],
+        "cssClasses": [],
+        "domId": "classId-Student-0",
+        "id": "Student",
+        "label": "Student",
+        "members": [
+          "-idCard : IdCard",
+        ],
+        "methods": [],
+        "type": "",
+      }
+    `);
+    expect(classDB.getRelations().length).toBe(2);
+    expect(classDB.getRelations()).toMatchInlineSnapshot(`
+      [
+        {
+          "id1": "Student",
+          "id2": "IdCard",
+          "relation": {
+            "lineType": 0,
+            "type1": "none",
+            "type2": 0,
+          },
+          "relationTitle1": "1",
+          "relationTitle2": "1",
+          "title": "carries",
+        },
+        {
+          "id1": "Student",
+          "id2": "Bike",
+          "relation": {
+            "lineType": 0,
+            "type1": "none",
+            "type2": 0,
+          },
+          "relationTitle1": "1",
+          "relationTitle2": "1",
+          "title": "rides",
+        },
+      ]
+    `);
+  });
+});
diff --git a/packages/mermaid/src/diagrams/class/parser/classDiagram.jison b/packages/mermaid/src/diagrams/class/parser/classDiagram.jison
index 6a7834eca..7afba66bc 100644
--- a/packages/mermaid/src/diagrams/class/parser/classDiagram.jison
+++ b/packages/mermaid/src/diagrams/class/parser/classDiagram.jison
@@ -200,9 +200,8 @@ Function arguments are optional: 'call <callback_name>()' simply executes 'callb
 
 start
     : mermaidDoc
-    | statements
-    | direction
     | directive start
+    | statements
     ;
 
 direction
@@ -272,7 +271,6 @@ statement
     | clickStatement
     | cssClassStatement
     | noteStatement
-    | directive
     | direction
     | acc_title acc_title_value  { $$=$2.trim();yy.setAccTitle($$); }
     | acc_descr acc_descr_value  { $$=$2.trim();yy.setAccDescription($$); }
diff --git a/scripts/jison/lint.mts b/scripts/jison/lint.mts
index 95edd4fb1..596ce308b 100644
--- a/scripts/jison/lint.mts
+++ b/scripts/jison/lint.mts
@@ -14,12 +14,17 @@ const lint = async (file: string): Promise<boolean> => {
   console.log(`Linting ${file}`);
   const jisonCode = await readFile(file, 'utf8');
   // @ts-ignore no typings
-  const jsCode = new jison.Generator(jisonCode, { moduleType: 'amd' }).generate();
+  const generator = new jison.Generator(jisonCode, { moduleType: 'amd' });
+  const jsCode = generator.generate();
   const [result] = await linter.lintText(jsCode);
   if (result.errorCount > 0) {
     console.error(`Linting failed for ${file}`);
     console.error(result.messages);
   }
+  if (generator.conflicts > 0) {
+    console.error(`Linting failed for ${file}. Conflicts found in grammar`);
+    return false;
+  }
   return result.errorCount === 0;
 };