diff --git a/io_scene_3ds/import_3ds.py b/io_scene_3ds/import_3ds.py
index 862fe2a7378e6bbfe3facf0c3065a7f6891411d2..b9de42d52444c8d730455169c82a2236278b744c 100644
--- a/io_scene_3ds/import_3ds.py
+++ b/io_scene_3ds/import_3ds.py
@@ -828,7 +828,10 @@ def process_next_chunk(file, previous_chunk, importedObjects, IMAGE_SEARCH):
                 ob.parent = None
         else:
             if ob.parent != object_list[parent]:
-                ob.parent = object_list[parent]
+                if ob == object_list[parent]:
+                    print('   warning: Cannot assign self to parent ', ob)
+                else:
+                    ob.parent = object_list[parent]
 
             # pivot_list[ind] += pivot_list[parent]  # XXX, not sure this is correct, should parent space matrix be applied before combining?
     # fix pivots