diff --git a/providers-sdk/v1/plugin/connection.go b/providers-sdk/v1/plugin/connection.go
index 74c9363669..1d329590c2 100644
--- a/providers-sdk/v1/plugin/connection.go
+++ b/providers-sdk/v1/plugin/connection.go
@@ -8,14 +8,14 @@ import inventory "go.mondoo.com/cnquery/v10/providers-sdk/v1/inventory"
 type Connection interface {
 	ID() uint32
 
-	// ParentID returns the ID of the parent connection. If this returns a value,
+	// ParentID returns the ID of the parent connection. If this returns >0,
 	// the connection with that ID will be used to store and get data.
-	ParentID() *uint32
+	ParentID() uint32
 }
 
 type connection struct {
 	id       uint32
-	parentId *uint32
+	parentId uint32
 }
 
 func NewConnection(id uint32, asset *inventory.Asset) Connection {
@@ -23,7 +23,7 @@ func NewConnection(id uint32, asset *inventory.Asset) Connection {
 		id: id,
 	}
 	if len(asset.Connections) > 0 && asset.Connections[0].ParentConnectionId > 0 {
-		conn.parentId = &asset.Connections[0].ParentConnectionId
+		conn.parentId = asset.Connections[0].ParentConnectionId
 	}
 	return conn
 }
@@ -32,6 +32,6 @@ func (c *connection) ID() uint32 {
 	return c.id
 }
 
-func (c *connection) ParentID() *uint32 {
+func (c *connection) ParentID() uint32 {
 	return c.parentId
 }
diff --git a/providers-sdk/v1/plugin/connection_test.go b/providers-sdk/v1/plugin/connection_test.go
index a18447c2d2..42198f8d52 100644
--- a/providers-sdk/v1/plugin/connection_test.go
+++ b/providers-sdk/v1/plugin/connection_test.go
@@ -20,7 +20,7 @@ func TestConnection_ID(t *testing.T) {
 func TestConnection_ParentID_Nil(t *testing.T) {
 	c := NewConnection(1, &inventory.Asset{})
 	require.NotNil(t, c)
-	assert.Nil(t, c.ParentID())
+	assert.Equal(t, 0, c.ParentID())
 }
 
 func TestConnection_ParentID(t *testing.T) {
@@ -32,7 +32,7 @@ func TestConnection_ParentID(t *testing.T) {
 		},
 	})
 	require.NotNil(t, c)
-	assert.Equal(t, uint32(2), *c.ParentID())
+	assert.Equal(t, uint32(2), c.ParentID())
 }
 
 func TestConnection_ParentID_0(t *testing.T) {
diff --git a/providers-sdk/v1/plugin/service.go b/providers-sdk/v1/plugin/service.go
index 2952c0aab7..e983b3f135 100644
--- a/providers-sdk/v1/plugin/service.go
+++ b/providers-sdk/v1/plugin/service.go
@@ -44,10 +44,10 @@ func (s *Service) AddRuntime(createRuntime func(connId uint32) (*Runtime, error)
 	}
 
 	if runtime.Connection != nil {
-		if parentId := runtime.Connection.ParentID(); parentId != nil {
-			parentRuntime, err := s.doGetRuntime(*parentId)
+		if parentId := runtime.Connection.ParentID(); parentId > 0 {
+			parentRuntime, err := s.doGetRuntime(parentId)
 			if err != nil {
-				return nil, errors.New("parent connection " + strconv.FormatUint(uint64(*parentId), 10) + " not found")
+				return nil, errors.New("parent connection " + strconv.FormatUint(uint64(parentId), 10) + " not found")
 			}
 			runtime.Resources = parentRuntime.Resources
 
diff --git a/providers-sdk/v1/plugin/service_test.go b/providers-sdk/v1/plugin/service_test.go
index 88a5795653..12a06a4cae 100644
--- a/providers-sdk/v1/plugin/service_test.go
+++ b/providers-sdk/v1/plugin/service_test.go
@@ -14,7 +14,7 @@ import (
 
 type TestConnection struct {
 	id       uint32
-	parentId *uint32
+	parentId uint32
 }
 
 func newTestConnection(id uint32) *TestConnection {
@@ -25,7 +25,7 @@ func (c *TestConnection) ID() uint32 {
 	return c.id
 }
 
-func (c *TestConnection) ParentID() *uint32 {
+func (c *TestConnection) ParentID() uint32 {
 	return c.parentId
 }
 
@@ -84,7 +84,7 @@ func TestAddRuntime_ParentNotExist(t *testing.T) {
 	parentId := uint32(10)
 	_, err := s.AddRuntime(func(connId uint32) (*Runtime, error) {
 		c := newTestConnection(connId)
-		c.parentId = &parentId
+		c.parentId = parentId
 		return &Runtime{
 			Connection: c,
 		}, nil
@@ -110,7 +110,7 @@ func TestAddRuntime_Parent(t *testing.T) {
 	parentId := parent.Connection.ID()
 	child, err := s.AddRuntime(func(connId uint32) (*Runtime, error) {
 		c := newTestConnection(connId)
-		c.parentId = &parentId
+		c.parentId = parentId
 		return &Runtime{
 			Connection: c,
 		}, nil