diff --git a/plugins/c9.ide.ui/forms.js b/plugins/c9.ide.ui/forms.js
index 5b57dde9..ba36edb7 100644
--- a/plugins/c9.ide.ui/forms.js
+++ b/plugins/c9.ide.ui/forms.js
@@ -477,8 +477,12 @@ define(function(require, exports, module) {
                     container.parentNode = htmlNode;
                     htmlNode = htmlNode.$int;
                 }
-                
-                htmlNode.insertBefore(container.$ext, beforeNode || null);
+                // if we have apf node, make sure apf child-parent links do not get broken
+                if (htmlNode.host && container.host) {
+                    htmlNode.host.insertBefore(container.host, beforeNode && beforeNode.host);
+                } else {
+                    htmlNode.insertBefore(container.$ext, beforeNode || null);
+                }
                 show();
             }