diff --git a/tree.go b/tree.go
index ff39242..f6acce4 100644
--- a/tree.go
+++ b/tree.go
@@ -18,6 +18,7 @@ const (
 	collapsedItem   = "⊕ "
 )
 
+
 type FileTree struct {
 	root *Node
 	size int
@@ -51,7 +52,9 @@ func NewNode(parent *Node, name string, data *FileChangeInfo) (node *Node) {
 	node.data = data
 	node.children = make(map[string]*Node)
 	node.parent = parent
-	node.tree = parent.tree
+	if parent != nil {
+		node.tree = parent.tree
+	}
 	return node
 }
 
diff --git a/tree_test.go b/tree_test.go
index 2d11e95..095d1cd 100644
--- a/tree_test.go
+++ b/tree_test.go
@@ -105,7 +105,6 @@ func TestPrintTree(t *testing.T) {
 
 }
 
-
 func TestAddPath(t *testing.T) {
 	tree := NewTree()
 	tree.AddPath("/etc/nginx/nginx.conf", nil)
@@ -189,7 +188,6 @@ func TestIsWhiteout(t *testing.T) {
 	}
 }
 
-
 func TestStack(t *testing.T) {
 	payloadKey := "/var/run/systemd"
 	payloadValue := FileChangeInfo{
@@ -244,4 +242,35 @@ func TestStack(t *testing.T) {
 		t.Errorf("Expected tree string:\n--->%s<---\nGot:\n--->%s<---", expected, actual)
 	}
 
-}
\ No newline at end of file
+}
+
+func TestCopy(t *testing.T) {
+	tree := NewTree()
+	tree.AddPath("/etc/nginx/nginx.conf", nil)
+	tree.AddPath("/etc/nginx/public", nil)
+	tree.AddPath("/var/run/systemd", nil)
+	tree.AddPath("/var/run/bashful", nil)
+	tree.AddPath("/tmp", nil)
+	tree.AddPath("/tmp/nonsense", nil)
+
+	tree.RemovePath("/var/run/bashful")
+	tree.RemovePath("/tmp")
+
+	expected := `.
+├── etc
+│   └── nginx
+│       ├── nginx.conf
+│       └── public
+└── var
+    └── run
+        └── systemd
+`
+
+	newTree := tree.Copy()
+	actual := newTree.String()
+
+	if expected != actual {
+		t.Errorf("Expected tree string:\n--->%s<---\nGot:\n--->%s<---", expected, actual)
+	}
+
+}