diff --git a/irr/include/SkinnedMesh.h b/irr/include/SkinnedMesh.h
index 98cefc858..3ae6aa2a3 100644
--- a/irr/include/SkinnedMesh.h
+++ b/irr/include/SkinnedMesh.h
@@ -329,8 +329,6 @@ public:
 			return {trs};
 		}
 
-		//! List of child joints
-		std::vector<SJoint *> Children;
 
 		//! List of attached meshes
 		std::vector<u32> AttachedMeshes;
diff --git a/irr/src/CXMeshFileLoader.cpp b/irr/src/CXMeshFileLoader.cpp
index eeab4cfb9..69ab2d0ca 100644
--- a/irr/src/CXMeshFileLoader.cpp
+++ b/irr/src/CXMeshFileLoader.cpp
@@ -528,8 +528,6 @@ bool CXMeshFileLoader::parseDataObjectFrame(SkinnedMesh::SJoint *Parent)
 #ifdef _XREADER_DEBUG
 		os::Printer::log("using joint ", name.c_str(), ELL_DEBUG);
 #endif
-		if (Parent)
-			Parent->Children.push_back(joint);
 	}
 
 	// Now inside a frame.
diff --git a/src/unittest/test_irr_gltf_mesh_loader.cpp b/src/unittest/test_irr_gltf_mesh_loader.cpp
index bc49b8896..6884fe0fe 100644
--- a/src/unittest/test_irr_gltf_mesh_loader.cpp
+++ b/src/unittest/test_irr_gltf_mesh_loader.cpp
@@ -404,12 +404,12 @@ SECTION("simple skin")
 	};
 
 	// Check the node hierarchy
-	const auto parent = findJoint([](auto joint) {
-		return !joint->Children.empty();
+	const auto *parent = findJoint([](auto *joint) {
+		return !joint->ParentJointID;
+	});
+	const auto child = findJoint([&](auto *joint) {
+		return joint->ParentJointID && *joint->ParentJointID == parent->JointID;
 	});
-	REQUIRE(parent->Children.size() == 1);
-	const auto child = parent->Children[0];
-	REQUIRE(child != parent);
 
 	SECTION("transformations are correct")
 	{