diff --git a/lib/objagg.c b/lib/objagg.c
index 5e1676ccdaddd029f8dc523aec9ec1b1631e60f2..73d7116025736a19bd54ff573e881450d505376b 100644
--- a/lib/objagg.c
+++ b/lib/objagg.c
@@ -167,6 +167,9 @@ static int objagg_obj_parent_assign(struct objagg *objagg,
 {
 	void *delta_priv;
 
+	if (WARN_ON(!objagg_obj_is_root(parent)))
+		return -EINVAL;
+
 	delta_priv = objagg->ops->delta_create(objagg->priv, parent->obj,
 					       objagg_obj->obj);
 	if (IS_ERR(delta_priv))