diff --git a/backend/src/main/java/edu/internet2/tier/shibboleth/admin/ui/domain/AbstractXMLObject.java b/backend/src/main/java/edu/internet2/tier/shibboleth/admin/ui/domain/AbstractXMLObject.java
index 63c1ffa36..1e8f4c2a0 100644
--- a/backend/src/main/java/edu/internet2/tier/shibboleth/admin/ui/domain/AbstractXMLObject.java
+++ b/backend/src/main/java/edu/internet2/tier/shibboleth/admin/ui/domain/AbstractXMLObject.java
@@ -116,6 +116,8 @@ public List<XMLObject> getOrderedChildren() {
         return null;
     }
 
+    //TODO: refactor mappings so we're also able persist and use non-null parent which happens to be used in some code paths
+    //where we use open saml API (re-filtering, for example)
     @Transient
     private transient XMLObject parent;
     @Nullable