diff --git a/src/parser_json.c b/src/parser_json.c
index cd1e5d1..3655d4c 100644
--- a/src/parser_json.c
+++ b/src/parser_json.c
@@ -2089,7 +2089,7 @@
         } else {
             /* can be the only opaque node and an operation had to be parsed */
             assert(!strcmp(LYD_NAME(node), "eventTime") && (*first_p)->next);
-            lyd_unlink_tree(node);
+            lyd_unlink(node);
             assert(*envp);
             lyd_insert_child(*envp, node);
         }