diff --git a/drivers/base/swnode.c b/drivers/base/swnode.c
index 615a0c93e116..206bd4d7d7e2 100644
--- a/drivers/base/swnode.c
+++ b/drivers/base/swnode.c
@@ -786,6 +786,9 @@ int software_node_register(const struct software_node *node)
 	if (software_node_to_swnode(node))
 		return -EEXIST;
 
+	if (node->parent && !parent)
+		return -EINVAL;
+
 	return PTR_ERR_OR_ZERO(swnode_register(node, parent, 0));
 }
 EXPORT_SYMBOL_GPL(software_node_register);