diff --git a/Sofa/framework/Simulation/Core/src/sofa/simulation/MappingGraph.cpp b/Sofa/framework/Simulation/Core/src/sofa/simulation/MappingGraph.cpp
index e990dc40a33..5dfae92cecd 100644
--- a/Sofa/framework/Simulation/Core/src/sofa/simulation/MappingGraph.cpp
+++ b/Sofa/framework/Simulation/Core/src/sofa/simulation/MappingGraph.cpp
@@ -91,11 +91,14 @@ MappingGraph::MappingInputs MappingGraph::getTopMostMechanicalStates(
                 current->accept(visitor);
             }
 
-            for (auto& parent : current->m_parents)
+            for (auto& weakParent : current->m_parents)
             {
-                if (parent->m_pendingCount == 0)
+                if (const auto parent = weakParent.lock())
                 {
-                    nodes.push(parent.get());
+                    if (parent->m_pendingCount == 0)
+                    {
+                        nodes.push(parent.get());
+                    }
                 }
             }
         }
@@ -230,11 +233,14 @@ sofa::type::vector<core::BaseMapping*> MappingGraph::getBottomUpMappingsFrom(
 
             current->accept(visitor);
 
-            for (auto& parent : current->m_parents)
+            for (auto& weakParent : current->m_parents)
             {
-                if (parent->m_pendingCount == 0)
+                if (const auto parent = weakParent.lock())
                 {
-                    nodes.push(parent.get());
+                    if (parent->m_pendingCount == 0)
+                    {
+                        nodes.push(parent.get());
+                    }
                 }
             }
         }
@@ -402,7 +408,7 @@ BaseMappingGraphNode* MappingGraph::findStateNode(core::behavior::BaseMechanical
 void MappingGraph::addEdge(BaseMappingGraphNode* from, BaseMappingGraphNode* to)
 {
     from->m_children.push_back(to->shared_from_this());
-    to->m_parents.push_back(from->shared_from_this());
+    to->m_parents.push_back(from->weak_from_this());
 }
 
 }  // namespace sofa::simulation
diff --git a/Sofa/framework/Simulation/Core/src/sofa/simulation/mappinggraph/BaseMappingGraphNode.cpp b/Sofa/framework/Simulation/Core/src/sofa/simulation/mappinggraph/BaseMappingGraphNode.cpp
index 49f5fce593e..ac6cf743837 100644
--- a/Sofa/framework/Simulation/Core/src/sofa/simulation/mappinggraph/BaseMappingGraphNode.cpp
+++ b/Sofa/framework/Simulation/Core/src/sofa/simulation/mappinggraph/BaseMappingGraphNode.cpp
@@ -31,9 +31,10 @@ bool BaseMappingGraphNode::isMapped() const
         return m_isMapped.value();
     }
 
-    const auto isMapped = std::any_of(m_parents.begin(), m_parents.end(), [](const SPtr& node)
+    const auto isMapped = std::any_of(m_parents.begin(), m_parents.end(), [](const std::weak_ptr<BaseMappingGraphNode>& weakNode)
     {
-        return node->getType() == NodeType::Mapping || node->isMapped();
+        const auto node = weakNode.lock();
+        return node && (node->getType() == NodeType::Mapping || node->isMapped());
     });
 
     m_isMapped = isMapped;
diff --git a/Sofa/framework/Simulation/Core/src/sofa/simulation/mappinggraph/BaseMappingGraphNode.h b/Sofa/framework/Simulation/Core/src/sofa/simulation/mappinggraph/BaseMappingGraphNode.h
index a76a8b6897f..2a17d61ac4b 100644
--- a/Sofa/framework/Simulation/Core/src/sofa/simulation/mappinggraph/BaseMappingGraphNode.h
+++ b/Sofa/framework/Simulation/Core/src/sofa/simulation/mappinggraph/BaseMappingGraphNode.h
@@ -70,11 +70,15 @@ class SOFA_SIMULATION_CORE_API BaseMappingGraphNode : public std::enable_shared_
      */
     bool isMapped() const;
 
-    const sofa::type::vector<SPtr>& getParents() const { return m_parents; }
+    const sofa::type::vector<std::weak_ptr<BaseMappingGraphNode>>& getParents() const { return m_parents; }
     const sofa::type::vector<SPtr>& getChildren() const { return m_children; }
 
 private:
-    sofa::type::vector<SPtr> m_parents;   ///< prerequisite nodes (nodes pointing to this one)
+    /// Prerequisite nodes (nodes pointing to this one). Held as weak_ptr: ownership of every
+    /// node belongs to MappingGraph::m_allNodes and to the owning parent's m_children; a strong
+    /// back-reference here would form a parent<->child reference cycle that keeps the whole
+    /// graph alive forever across rebuilds (MappingGraph::clear() only releases m_allNodes).
+    sofa::type::vector<std::weak_ptr<BaseMappingGraphNode>> m_parents;
     sofa::type::vector<SPtr> m_children;  ///< dependent nodes (nodes pointed from this one)
 
     // Mutable counter used during traversal (reset before each traversal).