diff --git a/packages/react-reconciler/src/ReactFiberCommitWork.new.js b/packages/react-reconciler/src/ReactFiberCommitWork.new.js
index 6f0b923c14445..55c7c986effc7 100644
--- a/packages/react-reconciler/src/ReactFiberCommitWork.new.js
+++ b/packages/react-reconciler/src/ReactFiberCommitWork.new.js
@@ -463,7 +463,6 @@ function iterativelyCommitBeforeMutationEffects_begin() {
       (fiber.subtreeFlags & BeforeMutationMask) !== NoFlags &&
       child !== null
     ) {
-      child.return = fiber;
       nextEffect = child;
     } else {
       iterativelyCommitBeforeMutationEffects_complete();
@@ -497,7 +496,6 @@ function iterativelyCommitBeforeMutationEffects_complete() {
 
     const sibling = fiber.sibling;
     if (sibling !== null) {
-      sibling.return = fiber.return;
       nextEffect = sibling;
       return;
     }
@@ -715,7 +713,6 @@ function iterativelyCommitMutationEffects_begin(
 
     const child = fiber.child;
     if ((fiber.subtreeFlags & MutationMask) !== NoFlags && child !== null) {
-      child.return = fiber;
       nextEffect = child;
     } else {
       iterativelyCommitMutationEffects_complete(root, renderPriorityLevel);
@@ -754,7 +751,6 @@ function iterativelyCommitMutationEffects_complete(
 
     const sibling = fiber.sibling;
     if (sibling !== null) {
-      sibling.return = fiber.return;
       nextEffect = sibling;
       return;
     }
@@ -1176,14 +1172,12 @@ function iterativelyCommitLayoutEffects_begin(
         }
         const sibling = finishedWork.sibling;
         if (sibling !== null) {
-          sibling.return = finishedWork.return;
           nextEffect = sibling;
         } else {
           nextEffect = finishedWork.return;
           iterativelyCommitLayoutEffects_complete(subtreeRoot, finishedRoot);
         }
       } else {
-        firstChild.return = finishedWork;
         nextEffect = firstChild;
       }
     } else {
@@ -1230,7 +1224,6 @@ function iterativelyCommitLayoutEffects_complete(
 
     const sibling = fiber.sibling;
     if (sibling !== null) {
-      sibling.return = fiber.return;
       nextEffect = sibling;
       return;
     }
@@ -1764,14 +1757,12 @@ function iterativelyCommitPassiveMountEffects_begin(
         }
         const sibling = fiber.sibling;
         if (sibling !== null) {
-          sibling.return = fiber.return;
           nextEffect = sibling;
         } else {
           nextEffect = fiber.return;
           iterativelyCommitPassiveMountEffects_complete(subtreeRoot, root);
         }
       } else {
-        firstChild.return = fiber;
         nextEffect = firstChild;
       }
     } else {
@@ -1817,7 +1808,6 @@ function iterativelyCommitPassiveMountEffects_complete(
 
     const sibling = fiber.sibling;
     if (sibling !== null) {
-      sibling.return = fiber.return;
       nextEffect = sibling;
       return;
     }
@@ -1896,7 +1886,6 @@ function iterativelyCommitPassiveUnmountEffects_begin() {
     }
 
     if ((fiber.subtreeFlags & PassiveMask) !== NoFlags && child !== null) {
-      child.return = fiber;
       nextEffect = child;
     } else {
       iterativelyCommitPassiveUnmountEffects_complete();
@@ -1915,7 +1904,6 @@ function iterativelyCommitPassiveUnmountEffects_complete() {
 
     const sibling = fiber.sibling;
     if (sibling !== null) {
-      sibling.return = fiber.return;
       nextEffect = sibling;
       return;
     }
@@ -1953,7 +1941,6 @@ function iterativelyCommitPassiveUnmountEffectsInsideOfDeletedTree_begin(
     const fiber = nextEffect;
     const child = fiber.child;
     if ((fiber.subtreeFlags & PassiveStatic) !== NoFlags && child !== null) {
-      child.return = fiber;
       nextEffect = child;
     } else {
       iterativelyCommitPassiveUnmountEffectsInsideOfDeletedTree_complete(
@@ -1981,7 +1968,6 @@ function iterativelyCommitPassiveUnmountEffectsInsideOfDeletedTree_complete(
 
     const sibling = fiber.sibling;
     if (sibling !== null) {
-      sibling.return = fiber.return;
       nextEffect = sibling;
       return;
     }
diff --git a/packages/react-reconciler/src/ReactFiberCompleteWork.new.js b/packages/react-reconciler/src/ReactFiberCompleteWork.new.js
index 0a187f9c84b07..1b353a097268d 100644
--- a/packages/react-reconciler/src/ReactFiberCompleteWork.new.js
+++ b/packages/react-reconciler/src/ReactFiberCompleteWork.new.js
@@ -738,6 +738,11 @@ function bubbleProperties(completedWork: Fiber) {
         subtreeFlags |= child.subtreeFlags;
         subtreeFlags |= child.flags;
 
+        // Update the return pointer so the tree is consistent. This is a code
+        // smell because it assumes the commit phase is never concurrent with
+        // the render phase. Will address during refactor to alternate model.
+        child.return = completedWork;
+
         child = child.sibling;
       }
     }
@@ -784,6 +789,11 @@ function bubbleProperties(completedWork: Fiber) {
         subtreeFlags |= child.subtreeFlags & StaticMask;
         subtreeFlags |= child.flags & StaticMask;
 
+        // Update the return pointer so the tree is consistent. This is a code
+        // smell because it assumes the commit phase is never concurrent with
+        // the render phase. Will address during refactor to alternate model.
+        child.return = completedWork;
+
         child = child.sibling;
       }
     }