diff --git a/ext/dom/node.c b/ext/dom/node.c
index 971c727b58037..8e9388d7329d8 100644
--- a/ext/dom/node.c
+++ b/ext/dom/node.c
@@ -337,6 +337,7 @@ int dom_node_node_value_write(dom_object *obj, zval *newval)
 		case XML_ATTRIBUTE_NODE:
 			if (nodep->children) {
 				node_list_unlink(nodep->children);
+				nodep->children = NULL;
 			}
 		case XML_TEXT_NODE:
 		case XML_COMMENT_NODE: