diff --git a/frontend/src/App.tsx b/frontend/src/App.tsx
index f80851f..073b7b9 100644
--- a/frontend/src/App.tsx
+++ b/frontend/src/App.tsx
@@ -550,6 +550,7 @@ export default function App() {
           onClose={() => setAddNodeOpen(false)}
           onSubmit={handleAddNode}
           title="Add Node"
+          parentCandidates={nodes.map((n) => ({ id: n.id, label: n.data.label ?? n.id, type: n.data.type }))}
         />
 
         {/* key forces re-mount when editing a different node, resetting form state */}
@@ -560,6 +561,25 @@ export default function App() {
           onSubmit={handleUpdateNode}
           initial={editNode?.data}
           title="Edit Node"
+          parentCandidates={(() => {
+            const descendants = new Set<string>()
+            if (editNodeId) {
+              const queue = [editNodeId]
+              while (queue.length) {
+                const id = queue.shift()!
+                for (const n of nodes) {
+                  if (n.data.parent_id === id && !descendants.has(n.id)) {
+                    descendants.add(n.id)
+                    queue.push(n.id)
+                  }
+                }
+              }
+            }
+            return nodes
+              .filter((n) => !descendants.has(n.id))
+              .map((n) => ({ id: n.id, label: n.data.label ?? n.id, type: n.data.type }))
+          })()}
+          currentNodeId={editNodeId ?? undefined}
         />
 
         <EdgeModal
diff --git a/frontend/src/components/modals/NodeModal.tsx b/frontend/src/components/modals/NodeModal.tsx
index 193310f..d5b851f 100644
--- a/frontend/src/components/modals/NodeModal.tsx
+++ b/frontend/src/components/modals/NodeModal.tsx
@@ -11,6 +11,7 @@ import { resolveNodeColors } from '@/utils/nodeColors'
 import { ICON_REGISTRY, ICON_CATEGORIES, NODE_TYPE_DEFAULT_ICONS, isBrandIconKey, brandIconSlug, brandIconUrl } from '@/utils/nodeIcons'
 import { BrandIconPicker } from './BrandIconPicker'
 import { MIN_BOTTOM_HANDLES, MAX_BOTTOM_HANDLES, clampBottomHandles } from '@/utils/handleUtils'
+import { getValidParentTypes } from '@/utils/virtualEdgeParent'
 
 const NODE_TYPE_GROUPS: { label: string; types: NodeType[] }[] = [
   { label: 'Hardware',       types: ['isp', 'router', 'firewall', 'switch', 'server', 'nas', 'ap', 'printer'] },
@@ -48,17 +49,25 @@ const DEFAULT_DATA: Partial<NodeData> = {
   custom_icon: undefined,
 }
 
+interface ParentCandidate {
+  id: string
+  label: string
+  type: NodeType
+}
+
 interface NodeModalProps {
   open: boolean
   onClose: () => void
   onSubmit: (data: Partial<NodeData>) => void
   initial?: Partial<NodeData>
   title?: string
+  parentCandidates?: ParentCandidate[]
+  currentNodeId?: string
 }
 
 // NodeModal is always mounted with a key that changes on open/edit, so useState
 // initial value is enough - no need for a reset effect.
-export function NodeModal({ open, onClose, onSubmit, initial, title = 'Add Node' }: NodeModalProps) {
+export function NodeModal({ open, onClose, onSubmit, initial, title = 'Add Node', parentCandidates = [], currentNodeId }: NodeModalProps) {
   const merged = { ...DEFAULT_DATA, ...initial }
   if (ZIGBEE_TYPES.includes((merged.type ?? '') as NodeType)) merged.check_method = 'none'
   const [form, setForm] = useState<Partial<NodeData>>(merged)
@@ -86,8 +95,17 @@ export function NodeModal({ open, onClose, onSubmit, initial, title = 'Add Node'
     setLabelError(false)
     const selectedType = (form.type ?? 'generic') as NodeType
     const canUseContainerMode = CONTAINER_MODE_TYPES.includes(selectedType)
+    const validParentTypes = getValidParentTypes(selectedType)
+    let safeParentId = form.parent_id
+    if (validParentTypes.length === 0) {
+      safeParentId = undefined
+    } else if (safeParentId) {
+      const parent = parentCandidates.find((n) => n.id === safeParentId)
+      if (!parent || !validParentTypes.includes(parent.type)) safeParentId = undefined
+    }
     onSubmit({
       ...form,
+      parent_id: safeParentId,
       container_mode: canUseContainerMode ? !!form.container_mode : false,
     })
     onClose()
@@ -107,7 +125,12 @@ export function NodeModal({ open, onClose, onSubmit, initial, title = 'Add Node'
               <Label className="text-xs text-muted-foreground">Type</Label>
               <Select value={form.type} onValueChange={(v) => {
                 const t = v as NodeType
-                setForm((f) => ({ ...f, type: t, ...(ZIGBEE_TYPES.includes(t) ? { check_method: 'none' as CheckMethod } : {}) }))
+                setForm((f) => {
+                  const next: Partial<NodeData> = { ...f, type: t }
+                  if (ZIGBEE_TYPES.includes(t)) next.check_method = 'none' as CheckMethod
+                  if (getValidParentTypes(t).length === 0) next.parent_id = undefined
+                  return next
+                })
               }}>
                 <SelectTrigger className={`bg-[#21262d] border-[#30363d] text-sm h-8 w-full cursor-pointer ${modalStyles['modal-interactive']} ${modalStyles['modal-radius']}`} aria-label="Node type selector">
                   <SelectValue>{NODE_TYPE_LABELS[(form.type ?? 'server') as NodeType]}</SelectValue>
@@ -320,6 +343,40 @@ export function NodeModal({ open, onClose, onSubmit, initial, title = 'Add Node'
               </div>
             )}
 
+            {/* Parent Container */}
+            {(() => {
+              const childType = (form.type ?? 'generic') as NodeType
+              const validParentTypes = getValidParentTypes(childType)
+              if (validParentTypes.length === 0) return null
+              const validParents = parentCandidates.filter(
+                (n) => n.id !== currentNodeId && validParentTypes.includes(n.type),
+              )
+              if (validParents.length === 0) return null
+              return (
+                <div className="flex flex-col gap-1.5 col-span-2">
+                  <Label className="text-xs text-muted-foreground">Parent Container</Label>
+                  <Select
+                    value={form.parent_id ?? 'none'}
+                    onValueChange={(v) => set('parent_id', v === 'none' ? undefined : v)}
+                  >
+                    <SelectTrigger className={`bg-[#21262d] border-[#30363d] text-sm h-8 cursor-pointer ${modalStyles['modal-interactive']} ${modalStyles['modal-radius']}`} aria-label="Parent container selector">
+                      <SelectValue>
+                        {form.parent_id
+                          ? (validParents.find((n) => n.id === form.parent_id)?.label ?? 'None')
+                          : 'None'}
+                      </SelectValue>
+                    </SelectTrigger>
+                    <SelectContent className="bg-[#21262d] border-[#30363d]">
+                      <SelectItem value="none" className="text-sm">None</SelectItem>
+                      {validParents.map((n) => (
+                        <SelectItem key={n.id} value={n.id} className="text-sm">{n.label}</SelectItem>
+                      ))}
+                    </SelectContent>
+                  </Select>
+                </div>
+              )
+            })()}
+
             {/* Container mode */}
             {CONTAINER_MODE_TYPES.includes((form.type ?? 'generic') as NodeType) && (
               <div className="flex items-center justify-between col-span-2 py-1">
diff --git a/frontend/src/components/modals/__tests__/NodeModal.test.tsx b/frontend/src/components/modals/__tests__/NodeModal.test.tsx
index ca74316..7319526 100644
--- a/frontend/src/components/modals/__tests__/NodeModal.test.tsx
+++ b/frontend/src/components/modals/__tests__/NodeModal.test.tsx
@@ -311,18 +311,48 @@ describe('NodeModal', () => {
     expect(screen.queryByText('Reset to defaults')).toBeNull()
   })
 
-  // ── Parent Container selector removed ────────────────────────────────
+  // ── Parent Container selector ─────────────────────────────────────────
 
-  it('does not render the Parent Container selector', () => {
-    renderModal({ initial: BASE })
+  it('does not render Parent Container for non-child types', () => {
+    renderModal({
+      initial: BASE,
+      parentCandidates: [{ id: 'p1', label: 'Proxmox', type: 'proxmox' }],
+    })
     expect(screen.queryByText('Parent Container')).toBeNull()
   })
 
-  it('does not render Parent Container for docker_container either', () => {
-    renderModal({ initial: { ...BASE, type: 'docker_container' } })
+  it('does not render Parent Container when no valid candidates exist', () => {
+    renderModal({
+      initial: { ...BASE, type: 'docker_container' },
+      parentCandidates: [],
+    })
     expect(screen.queryByText('Parent Container')).toBeNull()
   })
 
+  it('renders Parent Container for docker_container when docker_host candidate exists', () => {
+    renderModal({
+      initial: { ...BASE, type: 'docker_container' },
+      parentCandidates: [{ id: 'dh1', label: 'Docker Host', type: 'docker_host' }],
+    })
+    expect(screen.getByText('Parent Container')).toBeDefined()
+  })
+
+  it('renders Parent Container for docker_container when only an LXC candidate exists', () => {
+    renderModal({
+      initial: { ...BASE, type: 'docker_container' },
+      parentCandidates: [{ id: 'lxc1', label: 'My LXC', type: 'lxc' }],
+    })
+    expect(screen.getByText('Parent Container')).toBeDefined()
+  })
+
+  it('renders Parent Container for lxc when proxmox candidate exists', () => {
+    renderModal({
+      initial: { ...BASE, type: 'lxc' },
+      parentCandidates: [{ id: 'px1', label: 'PVE', type: 'proxmox' }],
+    })
+    expect(screen.getByText('Parent Container')).toBeDefined()
+  })
+
   // ── Appearance ────────────────────────────────────────────────────────
 
   it('renders 3 color swatch labels (border, background, icon)', () => {
diff --git a/frontend/src/utils/__tests__/virtualEdgeParent.test.ts b/frontend/src/utils/__tests__/virtualEdgeParent.test.ts
index 6308866..dae4707 100644
--- a/frontend/src/utils/__tests__/virtualEdgeParent.test.ts
+++ b/frontend/src/utils/__tests__/virtualEdgeParent.test.ts
@@ -1,5 +1,26 @@
 import { describe, it, expect } from 'vitest'
-import { resolveVirtualEdgeParent } from '../virtualEdgeParent'
+import { resolveVirtualEdgeParent, getValidParentTypes } from '../virtualEdgeParent'
+
+describe('getValidParentTypes', () => {
+  it('returns container-mode types for lxc', () => {
+    expect(getValidParentTypes('lxc')).toEqual(['proxmox', 'vm', 'lxc', 'docker_host'])
+  })
+
+  it('returns container-mode types for vm', () => {
+    expect(getValidParentTypes('vm')).toEqual(['proxmox', 'vm', 'lxc', 'docker_host'])
+  })
+
+  it('returns docker_host/lxc/vm/proxmox for docker_container', () => {
+    expect(getValidParentTypes('docker_container')).toEqual(['docker_host', 'lxc', 'vm', 'proxmox'])
+  })
+
+  it('returns empty list for types that cannot have a parent', () => {
+    expect(getValidParentTypes('server')).toEqual([])
+    expect(getValidParentTypes('router')).toEqual([])
+    expect(getValidParentTypes('proxmox')).toEqual([])
+    expect(getValidParentTypes('docker_host')).toEqual([])
+  })
+})
 
 describe('resolveVirtualEdgeParent', () => {
   it('nests lxc under proxmox (container-mode parent)', () => {
diff --git a/frontend/src/utils/virtualEdgeParent.ts b/frontend/src/utils/virtualEdgeParent.ts
index b239822..9cef306 100644
--- a/frontend/src/utils/virtualEdgeParent.ts
+++ b/frontend/src/utils/virtualEdgeParent.ts
@@ -15,6 +15,16 @@ export interface ParentAssignment {
   parentId: string
 }
 
+export function getValidParentTypes(childType: NodeType): NodeType[] {
+  if (childType === 'lxc' || childType === 'vm') {
+    return ['proxmox', 'vm', 'lxc', 'docker_host']
+  }
+  if (childType === 'docker_container') {
+    return ['docker_host', 'lxc', 'vm', 'proxmox']
+  }
+  return []
+}
+
 export function resolveVirtualEdgeParent(
   source: VirtualEdgeEndpoint,
   target: VirtualEdgeEndpoint,