diff --git a/src/librbd/image/RefreshParentRequest.cc b/src/librbd/image/RefreshParentRequest.cc
index f9ce4f18a89..a44124f3913 100644
--- a/src/librbd/image/RefreshParentRequest.cc
+++ b/src/librbd/image/RefreshParentRequest.cc
@@ -117,8 +117,9 @@ void RefreshParentRequest<I>::send_open_parent() {
   }
 
   using klass = RefreshParentRequest<I>;
-  Context *ctx = create_context_callback<
-    klass, &klass::handle_open_parent, false>(this);
+  Context *ctx = create_async_context_callback(
+    m_child_image_ctx, create_context_callback<
+      klass, &klass::handle_open_parent, false>(this));
   OpenRequest<I> *req = OpenRequest<I>::create(m_parent_image_ctx, ctx);
   req->send();
 }
@@ -132,8 +133,12 @@ Context *RefreshParentRequest<I>::handle_open_parent(int *result) {
   if (*result < 0) {
     lderr(cct) << "failed to open parent image: " << cpp_strerror(*result)
                << dendl;
-    send_close_parent();
-    return nullptr;
+
+    // image already closed by open state machine
+    delete m_parent_image_ctx;
+    m_parent_image_ctx = nullptr;
+
+    return m_on_finish;
   }
 
   send_set_parent_snap();
diff --git a/src/librbd/image/RefreshParentRequest.h b/src/librbd/image/RefreshParentRequest.h
index e51d24f48b6..3fe653952c9 100644
--- a/src/librbd/image/RefreshParentRequest.h
+++ b/src/librbd/image/RefreshParentRequest.h
@@ -38,19 +38,19 @@ private:
    * <start>
    *    |
    *    | (open required)
-   *    |----------------> OPEN_PARENT * * * * * * * *
-   *    |                     |                      *
-   *    |                     v                      * (on error)
-   *    |                  SET_PARENT_SNAP * * * * * *
-   *    |                     |                      *
-   *    |                     v                      *
-   *    \----------------> <apply>                   *
-   *                          |                      *
-   *                          | (close required)     v
-   *                          |-----------------> CLOSE_PARENT
-   *                          |                      |
-   *                          |                      v
-   *                          \-----------------> <finish>
+   *    |----------------> OPEN_PARENT * * * * * * * * * * * * * * *
+   *    |                     |                                    *
+   *    |                     v                                    *
+   *    |                  SET_PARENT_SNAP * * * * * *             *
+   *    |                     |                      *             *
+   *    |                     v                      * (on error)  *
+   *    \----------------> <apply>                   *             *
+   *                          |                      *             *
+   *                          | (close required)     v             *
+   *                          |-----------------> CLOSE_PARENT     *
+   *                          |                      |             *
+   *                          |                      v             *
+   *                          \-----------------> <finish> < * * * *
    *
    * @endverbatim
    */