diff --git a/drivers/base/swnode.c b/drivers/base/swnode.c
index a1f3f0994f9f9c9e3f3e7582ff37971f74a41984..d5b4905e2adbd7f324054937adf1fd7253017e8c 100644
--- a/drivers/base/swnode.c
+++ b/drivers/base/swnode.c
@@ -520,7 +520,10 @@ software_node_get_parent(const struct fwnode_handle *fwnode)
 {
 	struct swnode *swnode = to_swnode(fwnode);
 
-	return swnode ? (swnode->parent ? &swnode->parent->fwnode : NULL) : NULL;
+	if (!swnode || !swnode->parent)
+		return NULL;
+
+	return fwnode_handle_get(&swnode->parent->fwnode);
 }
 
 static struct fwnode_handle *