diff --git a/components/drivers/ofw/base.c b/components/drivers/ofw/base.c
index c2d2f8f2e4..08e37f98ce 100644
--- a/components/drivers/ofw/base.c
+++ b/components/drivers/ofw/base.c
@@ -1412,7 +1412,7 @@ struct rt_ofw_node *rt_ofw_append_child(struct rt_ofw_node *parent, const char *
         }
     }
 
-    return np;
+    return rt_ofw_node_get(np);
 }
 
 rt_err_t rt_ofw_append_prop(struct rt_ofw_node *np, const char *name, int length, void *value)