diff --git a/ironic/api/controllers/v1/node.py b/ironic/api/controllers/v1/node.py
index a477f5f157..dcd332fc51 100644
--- a/ironic/api/controllers/v1/node.py
+++ b/ironic/api/controllers/v1/node.py
@@ -2748,6 +2748,13 @@ class NodesController(rest.RestController):
         chassis = _replace_chassis_uuid_with_id(node)
         chassis_uuid = chassis and chassis.uuid or None
 
+        if ('parent_node' in node
+            and not uuidutils.is_uuid_like(node['parent_node'])):
+
+            parent_node = api_utils.check_node_policy_and_retrieve(
+                'baremetal:node:get', node['parent_node'])
+            node['parent_node'] = parent_node.uuid
+
         new_node = objects.Node(context, **node)
 
         try:
@@ -2774,6 +2781,7 @@ class NodesController(rest.RestController):
         return api_node
 
     def _validate_patch(self, patch, reset_interfaces):
+        corrected_values = {}
         if self.from_chassis:
             raise exception.OperationNotPermitted()
 
@@ -2804,17 +2812,21 @@ class NodesController(rest.RestController):
 
         for network_data in network_data_fields:
             validate_network_data(network_data)
-
         parent_node = api_utils.get_patch_values(patch, '/parent_node')
         if parent_node:
+            # At this point, if there *is* a parent_node, there is a value
+            # in the patch value list.
             try:
                 # Verify we can see the parent node
-                api_utils.check_node_policy_and_retrieve(
+                req_parent_node = api_utils.check_node_policy_and_retrieve(
                     'baremetal:node:get', parent_node[0])
+                # If we can't see the node, an exception gets raised.
             except Exception:
                 msg = _("Unable to apply the requested parent_node. "
                         "Requested value was invalid.")
                 raise exception.Invalid(msg)
+            corrected_values['parent_node'] = req_parent_node.uuid
+        return corrected_values
 
     def _authorize_patch_and_get_node(self, node_ident, patch):
         # deal with attribute-specific policy rules
@@ -2896,7 +2908,7 @@ class NodesController(rest.RestController):
                 api_utils.allow_reset_interfaces()):
             raise exception.NotAcceptable()
 
-        self._validate_patch(patch, reset_interfaces)
+        corrected_values = self._validate_patch(patch, reset_interfaces)
 
         context = api.request.context
         rpc_node = self._authorize_patch_and_get_node(node_ident, patch)
@@ -2952,7 +2964,6 @@ class NodesController(rest.RestController):
                             msg, status_code=http_client.CONFLICT)
                 except exception.AllocationNotFound:
                     pass
-
         names = api_utils.get_patch_values(patch, '/name')
         if len(names):
             error_msg = (_("Node %s: Cannot change name to invalid name ")
@@ -2968,6 +2979,12 @@ class NodesController(rest.RestController):
         node_dict['chassis_uuid'] = _get_chassis_uuid(rpc_node)
 
         node_dict = api_utils.apply_jsonpatch(node_dict, patch)
+        if corrected_values:
+            # If we determined in our schema validation that someone
+            # provided non-fatal, but incorrect input, that we correct
+            # it here from the output returned from validation.
+            for key in corrected_values.keys():
+                node_dict[key] = corrected_values[key]
 
         api_utils.patched_validate_with_schema(
             node_dict, node_patch_schema(), node_patch_validator)
@@ -2995,7 +3012,6 @@ class NodesController(rest.RestController):
             new_node = api.request.rpcapi.update_node(context,
                                                       rpc_node, topic,
                                                       reset_interfaces)
-
         api_node = node_convert_with_links(new_node)
         chassis_uuid = api_node.get('chassis_uuid')
         notify.emit_end_notification(context, new_node, 'update',
diff --git a/ironic/tests/unit/api/controllers/v1/test_node.py b/ironic/tests/unit/api/controllers/v1/test_node.py
index fe094a914a..c05d7c5dd8 100644
--- a/ironic/tests/unit/api/controllers/v1/test_node.py
+++ b/ironic/tests/unit/api/controllers/v1/test_node.py
@@ -8495,6 +8495,16 @@ class TestNodeParentNodePost(test_api_base.BaseApiTest):
             '/nodes', ndict, expect_errors=True, headers=headers)
         self.assertEqual(http_client.NOT_ACCEPTABLE, response.status_int)
 
+    def test_create_node_with_named_parent_node_succeeds(self):
+        ndict = test_api_utils.post_get_test_node(
+            uuid=uuidutils.generate_uuid())
+        ndict['parent_node'] = 'din'
+        headers = {api_base.Version.string: '1.83'}
+        response = self.post_json('/nodes', ndict, expect_errors=True,
+                                  headers=headers)
+        self.assertEqual(http_client.CREATED, response.status_int)
+        self.assertEqual(self.node.uuid, response.json['parent_node'])
+
 
 class TestNodeParentNodePatch(test_api_base.BaseApiTest):
     def setUp(self):
@@ -8548,6 +8558,20 @@ class TestNodeParentNodePatch(test_api_base.BaseApiTest):
         self.mock_update_node.assert_not_called()
         self.assertEqual(http_client.NOT_ACCEPTABLE, response.status_code)
 
+    def test_node_add_parent_node_not_uuid(self):
+        headers = {api_base.Version.string: '1.83'}
+        body = [{
+            'path': '/parent_node',
+            'value': 'djarin',
+            'op': 'add',
+        }]
+
+        self.patch_json('/nodes/%s' % self.child_node.uuid,
+                        body, expect_errors=True, headers=headers)
+        self.mock_update_node.assert_called_once()
+        test_node = self.mock_update_node.call_args.args[2]
+        self.assertEqual(self.node.uuid, test_node.parent_node)
+
     def test_node_remove_parent(self):
         self.mock_update_node.return_value = self.node
         (self
diff --git a/releasenotes/notes/constrain-parent-node-to-uuids-51642cacfea0714d.yaml b/releasenotes/notes/constrain-parent-node-to-uuids-51642cacfea0714d.yaml
new file mode 100644
index 0000000000..770c4f7a12
--- /dev/null
+++ b/releasenotes/notes/constrain-parent-node-to-uuids-51642cacfea0714d.yaml
@@ -0,0 +1,6 @@
+---
+fixes:
+  - |
+    The ``parent_node`` field, a newly added API field, has been constrained
+    to store UUIDs over the names of nodes. When names are used, the value is
+    changed to the UUID of the node.