diff --git a/src/php/HAB/Pica/Record/Record.php b/src/php/HAB/Pica/Record/Record.php
index d2a5bb4d4406ac3ea7b0129a9184ed9210210d29..ab64f66d411519434384b02a6b8e1d245ec54e2c 100644
--- a/src/php/HAB/Pica/Record/Record.php
+++ b/src/php/HAB/Pica/Record/Record.php
@@ -87,6 +87,13 @@ abstract class Record {
    */
   protected $_fields = array();
 
+  /**
+   * The containing parent record, if any.
+   *
+   * @var \HAB\Pica\Record
+   */
+  protected $_parent;
+
   /**
    * Constructor.
    *