diff --git a/.changeset/tall-onions-guess.md b/.changeset/tall-onions-guess.md
new file mode 100644
index 00000000..451a5a6c
--- /dev/null
+++ b/.changeset/tall-onions-guess.md
@@ -0,0 +1,5 @@
+---
+'@xyflow/system': patch
+---
+
+chore(subflows): log warning instead of throwing an error when parent node cant be found
diff --git a/packages/system/src/utils/store.ts b/packages/system/src/utils/store.ts
index c800c90b..f2cf1bfd 100644
--- a/packages/system/src/utils/store.ts
+++ b/packages/system/src/utils/store.ts
@@ -105,8 +105,12 @@ function updateChildPosition<NodeType extends NodeBase>(
 
   const parentId = node.parentId!;
   const parentNode = nodeLookup.get(parentId);
+
   if (!parentNode) {
-    throw new Error(`Parent node ${parentId} not found`);
+    console.warn(
+      `Parent node ${parentId} not found. Please make sure that parent nodes are in front of their child nodes in the nodes array.`
+    );
+    return;
   }
 
   // update the parentLookup