diff --git a/contrib/mtree/spec.c b/contrib/mtree/spec.c
--- a/contrib/mtree/spec.c
+++ b/contrib/mtree/spec.c
@@ -100,7 +100,7 @@
 static	void	replacenode(NODE *, NODE *);
 static	void	set(char *, NODE *);
 static	void	unset(char *, NODE *);
-static	void	addchild(NODE *, NODE *);
+static	NODE *	addchild(NODE *, NODE *);
 static	int	nodecmp(const NODE *, const NODE *);
 static	int	appendfield(FILE *, int, const char *, ...) __printflike(3, 4);
 
@@ -235,8 +235,7 @@
 				 * full path entry; add or replace
 				 */
 			centry->parent = pathparent;
-			addchild(pathparent, centry);
-			last = centry;
+			last = addchild(pathparent, centry);
 		} else if (strcmp(centry->name, ".") == 0) {
 				/*
 				 * duplicate "." entry; always replace
@@ -248,8 +247,7 @@
 				 * add or replace
 				 */
 			centry->parent = last;
-			addchild(last, centry);
-			last = centry;
+			last = addchild(last, centry);
 		} else {
 				/*
 				 * new relative child in parent dir
@@ -257,8 +255,7 @@
 				 * add or replace
 				 */
 			centry->parent = last->parent;
-			addchild(last->parent, centry);
-			last = centry;
+			last = addchild(last->parent, centry);
 		}
 	}
 	return (root);
@@ -716,7 +713,7 @@
  *	a duplicate, insert it into the linked list referenced by
  *	pathparent->child.  Keep the list sorted if Sflag is set.
  */
-static void
+static NODE *
 addchild(NODE *pathparent, NODE *centry)
 {
 	NODE *samename;      /* node with the same name as centry */
@@ -735,7 +732,7 @@
 	if (cur == NULL) {
 		/* centry is pathparent's first and only child node so far */
 		pathparent->child = centry;
-		return;
+		return (centry);
 	}
 
 	/*
@@ -778,9 +775,10 @@
 		 * free the information in the centry node.
 		 */
 		replacenode(samename, centry);
+		centry = samename;
 		if (samename == replacepos) {
 			/* The just-replaced node was in the correct position */
-			return;
+			return (centry);
 		}
 		if (samename == insertpos || samename->prev == insertpos) {
 			/*
@@ -788,7 +786,7 @@
 			 * or just after the replaced node, but that would
 			 * be equivalent to just retaining the replaced node.
 			 */
-			return;
+			return (centry);
 		}
 
 		/*
@@ -828,7 +826,7 @@
 		if (centry->next)
 			centry->next->prev = centry;
 	}
-	return;
+	return (centry);
 }
 
 /*