diff --git a/bundles/org.eclipse.ui.navigator/src/org/eclipse/ui/internal/navigator/NavigatorContentServiceContentProvider.java b/bundles/org.eclipse.ui.navigator/src/org/eclipse/ui/internal/navigator/NavigatorContentServiceContentProvider.java
index 538d1777e0d..3647642429e 100644
--- a/bundles/org.eclipse.ui.navigator/src/org/eclipse/ui/internal/navigator/NavigatorContentServiceContentProvider.java
+++ b/bundles/org.eclipse.ui.navigator/src/org/eclipse/ui/internal/navigator/NavigatorContentServiceContentProvider.java
@@ -304,7 +304,7 @@ public void run() throws Exception {
 						overridingExtensions = foundExtension
 								.getOverridingExtensionsForPossibleChild(anElement);
 						if (overridingExtensions.length > 0) {
-							parent[0] = pipelineParent(anElement, overridingExtensions, parent);
+							parent[0] = pipelineParent(anElement, overridingExtensions, parent[0]);
 						}
 					}
 				}
@@ -354,7 +354,7 @@ private Object pipelineParent(Object anInputElement, NavigatorContentExtension[]
 			Object theCurrentParent) {
 		IPipelinedTreeContentProvider pipelinedContentProvider;
 		NavigatorContentExtension[] overridingExtensions;
-		Object aSuggestedParent = null;
+		Object aSuggestedParent = theCurrentParent;
 		for (NavigatorContentExtension theOverridingExtension : theOverridingExtensions) {
 
 			if (theOverridingExtension.internalGetContentProvider().isPipelined()) {
diff --git a/bundles/org.eclipse.ui.navigator/src/org/eclipse/ui/navigator/CommonViewer.java b/bundles/org.eclipse.ui.navigator/src/org/eclipse/ui/navigator/CommonViewer.java
index abf482b97d9..aa1e3bc63f3 100644
--- a/bundles/org.eclipse.ui.navigator/src/org/eclipse/ui/navigator/CommonViewer.java
+++ b/bundles/org.eclipse.ui.navigator/src/org/eclipse/ui/navigator/CommonViewer.java
@@ -24,6 +24,7 @@
 import org.eclipse.jface.viewers.IStructuredSelection;
 import org.eclipse.jface.viewers.LabelProviderChangedEvent;
 import org.eclipse.jface.viewers.StructuredSelection;
+import org.eclipse.jface.viewers.TreePath;
 import org.eclipse.jface.viewers.TreeViewer;
 import org.eclipse.jface.viewers.ViewerComparator;
 import org.eclipse.jface.viewers.ViewerSorter;
@@ -39,6 +40,7 @@
 import org.eclipse.ui.internal.navigator.CommonNavigatorFrameSource;
 import org.eclipse.ui.internal.navigator.ContributorTrackingSet;
 import org.eclipse.ui.internal.navigator.NavigatorContentService;
+import org.eclipse.ui.internal.navigator.NavigatorContentServiceContentProvider;
 import org.eclipse.ui.internal.navigator.NavigatorDecoratingLabelProvider;
 import org.eclipse.ui.internal.navigator.NavigatorPipelineService;
 import org.eclipse.ui.internal.navigator.dnd.NavigatorDnDService;
@@ -242,6 +244,19 @@ protected void handleLabelProviderChanged(LabelProviderChangedEvent event) {
 		super.handleLabelProviderChanged(event);
 	}
 
+	@Override
+	protected Object getParentElement(Object elementOrTreePath) {
+		if (!(elementOrTreePath instanceof TreePath)
+				&& getContentProvider() instanceof NavigatorContentServiceContentProvider provider) {
+			// getParents() compiles the whole ancestor chain although only the immediate parent is used
+			Object parent = provider.getParent(elementOrTreePath);
+			if (parent != null) {
+				return parent;
+			}
+		}
+		return super.getParentElement(elementOrTreePath);
+	}
+
 	@Override
 	protected void handleDispose(DisposeEvent event) {
 		dispose();