diff --git a/include/ard/rbdl/model/joint.hh b/include/ard/rbdl/model/joint.hh
index 5886694..7d8cdb7 100644
--- a/include/ard/rbdl/model/joint.hh
+++ b/include/ard/rbdl/model/joint.hh
@@ -78,6 +78,9 @@ namespace ard
       /// still exist once the shared pointer has been deleted.
       virtual to_pointer<CjrlJoint>::type parentJoint () const;
 
+      /// \brief Get shared pointer to parent joint.
+      virtual void parentJoint (jointShPtr_t& joint) const;
+
       /// \brief Add a child joint.
       virtual bool addChildJoint (CjrlJoint& joint);
 
diff --git a/src/joint.cc b/src/joint.cc
index bf2aa55..d4573ac 100644
--- a/src/joint.cc
+++ b/src/joint.cc
@@ -167,6 +167,11 @@ namespace ard
       return getSharedPointer (parentJoint_);
     }
 
+    void Joint::parentJoint (jointShPtr_t& joint) const
+    {
+      joint = getSharedPointer (parentJoint_);
+    }
+  
     bool Joint::addChildJoint (CjrlJoint& joint)
     {
       // Link joints in abstract robot dynamics. The rbdl joints