diff --git a/lib/elements/dom-if.html b/lib/elements/dom-if.html
index dc41e243a4..0560c450cd 100644
--- a/lib/elements/dom-if.html
+++ b/lib/elements/dom-if.html
@@ -255,8 +255,10 @@
         if (c$ && c$.length) {
           // use first child parent, for case when dom-if may have been detached
           let parent = c$[0].parentNode;
-          for (let i=0, n; (i<c$.length) && (n=c$[i]); i++) {
-            parent.removeChild(n);
+          if (parent) {
+            for (let i=0, n; (i<c$.length) && (n=c$[i]); i++) {
+              parent.removeChild(n);
+            }
           }
         }
         this.__instance = null;