diff --git a/src/catch2/internal/catch_run_context.cpp b/src/catch2/internal/catch_run_context.cpp
index 927a27f8..e3a4bd1e 100644
--- a/src/catch2/internal/catch_run_context.cpp
+++ b/src/catch2/internal/catch_run_context.cpp
@@ -50,7 +50,7 @@ namespace Catch {
                 // without it, the code above creates 5 nested generators.
                 if ( currentTracker.nameAndLocation() == nameAndLocation ) {
                     auto thisTracker =
-                        currentTracker.parent().findChild( nameAndLocation );
+                        currentTracker.parent()->findChild( nameAndLocation );
                     assert( thisTracker );
                     assert( thisTracker->isGeneratorTracker() );
                     tracker = static_cast<GeneratorTracker*>( thisTracker );
@@ -110,7 +110,7 @@ namespace Catch {
                     // This is safe: there is always at least one section
                     // tracker in a test case tracking tree
                     while ( !parent->isSectionTracker() ) {
-                        parent = &( parent->parent() );
+                        parent = parent->parent();
                     }
                     assert( parent &&
                             "Missing root (test case) level section" );
diff --git a/src/catch2/internal/catch_test_case_tracker.cpp b/src/catch2/internal/catch_test_case_tracker.cpp
index 6f7bf5d0..9354b362 100644
--- a/src/catch2/internal/catch_test_case_tracker.cpp
+++ b/src/catch2/internal/catch_test_case_tracker.cpp
@@ -99,9 +99,9 @@ namespace TestCaseTracking {
         return m_runState != NotStarted && !isComplete();
     }
 
-    ITracker& TrackerBase::parent() {
+    ITracker* TrackerBase::parent() {
         assert( m_parent ); // Should always be non-null except for root
-        return *m_parent;
+        return m_parent;
     }
 
     void TrackerBase::openChild() {
@@ -176,7 +176,7 @@ namespace TestCaseTracking {
     {
         if( parent ) {
             while( !parent->isSectionTracker() )
-                parent = &parent->parent();
+                parent = parent->parent();
 
             SectionTracker& parentSection = static_cast<SectionTracker&>( *parent );
             addNextFilters( parentSection.m_filters );
diff --git a/src/catch2/internal/catch_test_case_tracker.hpp b/src/catch2/internal/catch_test_case_tracker.hpp
index a1974104..9e36a19d 100644
--- a/src/catch2/internal/catch_test_case_tracker.hpp
+++ b/src/catch2/internal/catch_test_case_tracker.hpp
@@ -60,7 +60,7 @@ namespace TestCaseTracking {
         virtual bool isOpen() const = 0; // Started but not complete
         virtual bool hasStarted() const = 0;
 
-        virtual ITracker& parent() = 0;
+        virtual ITracker* parent() = 0;
 
         // actions
         virtual void close() = 0; // Successfully complete
@@ -138,7 +138,7 @@ namespace TestCaseTracking {
             return m_runState != NotStarted;
         }
 
-        ITracker& parent() override;
+        ITracker* parent() override;
 
         void openChild() override;