diff --git a/jackrabbit-core/src/main/java/org/apache/jackrabbit/core/retention/RetentionRegistryImpl.java b/jackrabbit-core/src/main/java/org/apache/jackrabbit/core/retention/RetentionRegistryImpl.java
index c0fba67..fefbcb3 100644
--- a/jackrabbit-core/src/main/java/org/apache/jackrabbit/core/retention/RetentionRegistryImpl.java
+++ b/jackrabbit-core/src/main/java/org/apache/jackrabbit/core/retention/RetentionRegistryImpl.java
@@ -287,7 +287,7 @@ public class RetentionRegistryImpl implements RetentionRegistry, SynchronousEven
         if (element != null) {
             rp = element.get();
         }
-        if (rp == null && checkParent) {
+        if (rp == null && checkParent && (!nodePath.denotesRoot())) {
             element = retentionMap.map(nodePath.getAncestor(1), true);
             if (element != null) {
                 rp = element.get();