diff --git a/tns-core-modules/ui/core/view-base/view-base.d.ts b/tns-core-modules/ui/core/view-base/view-base.d.ts
index 8c5f7e280..34a79edcd 100644
--- a/tns-core-modules/ui/core/view-base/view-base.d.ts
+++ b/tns-core-modules/ui/core/view-base/view-base.d.ts
@@ -157,6 +157,11 @@ export abstract class ViewBase extends Observable {
      */
     public readonly parent: ViewBase;
 
+    /**
+     * Gets the template parent or the native parent. Sets the template parent.
+     */
+    public parentNode: ViewBase;
+
     /**
      * Gets or sets the id for this view.
      */
diff --git a/tns-core-modules/ui/core/view-base/view-base.ts b/tns-core-modules/ui/core/view-base/view-base.ts
index bdbdee00b..632215e52 100644
--- a/tns-core-modules/ui/core/view-base/view-base.ts
+++ b/tns-core-modules/ui/core/view-base/view-base.ts
@@ -149,6 +149,7 @@ export abstract class ViewBase extends Observable implements ViewBaseDefinition
     private _style: Style;
     private _isLoaded: boolean;
     private _visualState: string;
+    private _templateParent: ViewBase;
     private __nativeView: any;
     // private _disableNativeViewRecycling: boolean;
     public domNode: dnm.DOMNode;
@@ -221,6 +222,14 @@ export abstract class ViewBase extends Observable implements ViewBaseDefinition
         this._style = new Style(this);
     }
 
+    get parentNode() {
+        return this._templateParent || this.parent;
+    }
+
+    set parentNode(node: ViewBase) {
+        this._templateParent = node;
+    }
+
     get nativeView(): any {
         // this._disableNativeViewRecycling = true;
         return this.nativeViewProtected;