diff --git a/sys/net/rpl/rpl_dodag.c b/sys/net/rpl/rpl_dodag.c
index 0ea3086658..14a3977bcf 100644
--- a/sys/net/rpl/rpl_dodag.c
+++ b/sys/net/rpl/rpl_dodag.c
@@ -150,6 +150,7 @@ rpl_parent_t *rpl_new_parent(rpl_dodag_t *dodag, ipv6_addr_t *address, uint16_t
             parent->addr = *address;
             parent->rank = rank;
             parent->dodag = dodag;
+            parent->lifetime = dodag->default_lifetime * dodag->lifetime_unit;
             /* dtsn is set at the end of recv_dio function */
             parent->dtsn = 0;
             return parent;
@@ -305,7 +306,7 @@ void rpl_join_dodag(rpl_dodag_t *dodag, ipv6_addr_t *parent, uint16_t parent_ran
         return;
     }
 
-    preferred_parent = rpl_new_parent(my_dodag, parent, parent_rank);
+    preferred_parent = rpl_new_parent(dodag, parent, parent_rank);
 
     if (preferred_parent == NULL) {
         rpl_del_dodag(my_dodag);