diff --git a/src/Mapper/Tree/Shell.php b/src/Mapper/Tree/Shell.php
index 10831820..aa793494 100644
--- a/src/Mapper/Tree/Shell.php
+++ b/src/Mapper/Tree/Shell.php
@@ -11,7 +11,6 @@
 use CuyZ\Valinor\Type\Type;
 use CuyZ\Valinor\Type\Types\UnresolvableType;
 
-use function array_unshift;
 use function assert;
 use function implode;
 
@@ -30,12 +29,16 @@ final class Shell
 
     private Attributes $attributes;
 
-    private self $parent;
+    /** @var list<string> */
+    private array $path;
 
     /** @var list<string> */
     private array $allowedSuperfluousKeys = [];
 
-    private function __construct(Settings $settings, Type $type)
+    /**
+     * @param list<string> $path
+     */
+    private function __construct(Settings $settings, Type $type, array $path = [])
     {
         if ($type instanceof UnresolvableType) {
             throw new UnresolvableShellType($type);
@@ -43,6 +46,7 @@ private function __construct(Settings $settings, Type $type)
 
         $this->settings = $settings;
         $this->type = $type;
+        $this->path = $path;
     }
 
     public static function root(
@@ -55,9 +59,10 @@ public static function root(
 
     public function child(string $name, Type $type, ?Attributes $attributes = null): self
     {
-        $instance = new self($this->settings, $type);
+        $path = $this->path;
+        $path[] = $name;
+        $instance = new self($this->settings, $type, $path);
         $instance->name = $name;
-        $instance->parent = $this;
 
         if ($attributes) {
             $instance->attributes = $attributes;
@@ -73,7 +78,7 @@ public function name(): string
 
     public function isRoot(): bool
     {
-        return ! isset($this->parent);
+        return ! isset($this->name);
     }
 
     public function withType(Type $newType): self
@@ -152,19 +157,11 @@ public function allowedSuperfluousKeys(): array
 
     public function path(): string
     {
-        if (! isset($this->parent)) {
+        if ($this->isRoot()) {
             return '*root*';
         }
 
-        $node = $this;
-        $path = [];
-
-        while (isset($node->parent)) {
-            array_unshift($path, $node->name);
-            $node = $node->parent;
-        }
-
-        return implode('.', $path);
+        return implode('.', $this->path);
     }
 
     private static function castCompatibleValue(Type $type, mixed $value): mixed
diff --git a/tests/Unit/Mapper/Tree/ShellTest.php b/tests/Unit/Mapper/Tree/ShellTest.php
index a8b243c1..99e69f4c 100644
--- a/tests/Unit/Mapper/Tree/ShellTest.php
+++ b/tests/Unit/Mapper/Tree/ShellTest.php
@@ -80,6 +80,7 @@ public function test_shell_child_values_can_be_retrieved(): void
         $shell = Shell::root(new Settings(), new FakeType(), []);
         $child = $shell->child('foo', $type, $attributes)->withValue($value);
 
+        self::assertFalse($child->isRoot());
         self::assertSame('foo', $child->name());
         self::assertSame('foo', $child->path());
         self::assertSame($type, $child->type());