diff --git a/src/plist.c b/src/plist.c
index 4600198..eb0160c 100644
--- a/src/plist.c
+++ b/src/plist.c
@@ -321,7 +321,7 @@
     }
 }
 
-static plist_t plist_copy_node(node_t *node, void *parent_node_ptr)
+static plist_t plist_copy_node(node_t *node)
 {
     plist_type node_type = PLIST_NONE;
     plist_t newnode = NULL;
@@ -362,20 +362,13 @@
     }
     newnode = plist_new_node(newdata);
 
-    if (*(plist_t*)parent_node_ptr)
-    {
-        node_attach(*(plist_t*)parent_node_ptr, newnode);
-    }
-    else
-    {
-        *(plist_t*)parent_node_ptr = newnode;
-    }
-
     node_t *ch;
     unsigned int node_index = 0;
     for (ch = node_first_child(node); ch; ch = node_next_sibling(ch)) {
-	/* copy child node and attach to new parent node */
-        plist_t newch = plist_copy_node(ch, &newnode);
+        /* copy child node */
+        plist_t newch = plist_copy_node(ch);
+        /* attach to new parent node */
+        node_attach(newnode, newch);
         /* if needed, add child node to lookup table of parent node */
         switch (node_type) {
             case PLIST_ARRAY:
@@ -398,8 +391,7 @@
 
 PLIST_API plist_t plist_copy(plist_t node)
 {
-    plist_t copied = NULL;
-    return plist_copy_node(node, &copied);
+    return plist_copy_node(node);
 }
 
 PLIST_API uint32_t plist_array_get_size(plist_t node)