diff --git a/lib/radiator/outline.ex b/lib/radiator/outline.ex
index ca25a48c..794d9a45 100644
--- a/lib/radiator/outline.ex
+++ b/lib/radiator/outline.ex
@@ -78,9 +78,9 @@ defmodule Radiator.Outline do
   # if no previous node is given, the new node will be inserted as the first child of the parent node
   def insert_node(%{"show_id" => _show_id} = attrs) do
     Repo.transaction(fn ->
-      prev_id = attrs["prev_id"]
-      parent_id = attrs["parent_id"]
       episode_id = attrs["episode_id"]
+      prev_id = attrs["prev_id"]
+      parent_id = convert_parent_id_to_intern(attrs["parent_id"], episode_id)
 
       prev_node = NodeRepository.get_node_if(prev_id)
       parent_node = find_parent_node(prev_node, parent_id)
@@ -108,6 +108,13 @@ defmodule Radiator.Outline do
     end)
   end
 
+  defp convert_parent_id_to_intern(nil, episode_id) do
+    {episode_root, _} = NodeRepository.get_virtual_nodes_for_episode(episode_id)
+    episode_root.uuid
+  end
+  
+  defp convert_parent_id_to_intern(parent_id, _episode_id), do: parent_id
+
   def insert_node(%{"episode_id" => episode_id} = attrs) do
     %Episode{show_id: show_id} = Podcast.get_episode!(episode_id)
 
diff --git a/lib/radiator/outline/node_repository.ex b/lib/radiator/outline/node_repository.ex
index 372dc50a..306993bf 100644
--- a/lib/radiator/outline/node_repository.ex
+++ b/lib/radiator/outline/node_repository.ex
@@ -80,6 +80,9 @@ defmodule Radiator.Outline.NodeRepository do
     {episode_root, episode_inbox}
   end
 
+  @doc """
+    TODO add documentation
+  """
   def get_virtual_nodes_for_show(show_id) do
     [node_1, node_2] =
       Node
@@ -94,6 +97,23 @@ defmodule Radiator.Outline.NodeRepository do
     end
   end
 
+  @doc """
+    TODO add documentation
+  """
+  def get_virtual_nodes_for_episode(episode_id) do
+    [node_1, node_2] =
+      Node
+      |> where([p], p.episode_id == ^episode_id)
+      |> where([p], p._type in [:episode_root, :episode_inbox])
+      |> Repo.all()
+
+    if node_1._type == :episode_root do
+      {node_1, node_2}
+    else
+      {node_2, node_1}
+    end
+  end
+
   @doc """
   Deletes a node from the repository.
 
diff --git a/test/radiator/outline_test.exs b/test/radiator/outline_test.exs
index f779068f..46873173 100644
--- a/test/radiator/outline_test.exs
+++ b/test/radiator/outline_test.exs
@@ -264,6 +264,23 @@ defmodule Radiator.OutlineTest do
       assert NodeRepository.get_node!(nested_node_2.uuid).prev_id == nested_node_1.uuid
     end
 
+    test "when parent node is nil it will be set to the episode root", %{
+      parent_node: parent_node
+    } do
+      node_attrs = %{"parent_id" => nil, "episode_id" => parent_node.episode_id}
+      {:ok, %{node: new_node}} = Outline.insert_node(node_attrs)
+      # do not test result since it will be altered
+      # but fetching if from the repo with low level functions will return the true value
+      {episode_root, _} = NodeRepository.get_virtual_nodes_for_episode(parent_node.episode_id)
+      assert NodeRepository.get_node!(new_node.uuid).parent_id == episode_root.uuid
+    end
+
+    test "when parent node is not given it will be set to the episode root", %{
+      parent_node: parent_node
+      } do
+
+      end
+
     test "without a parent node the inserted node will be put at the top", %{
       parent_node: parent_node
     } do
diff --git a/test/support/data_case.ex b/test/support/data_case.ex
index 136ba872..b3b1b409 100644
--- a/test/support/data_case.ex
+++ b/test/support/data_case.ex
@@ -128,13 +128,13 @@ defmodule Radiator.DataCase do
     {_show_root, _global_inbox} = NodeRepository.create_virtual_nodes_for_show(show.id)
     episode = PodcastFixtures.episode_fixture()
 
-    {_show_root, _global_inbox} = NodeRepository.create_virtual_nodes_for_episode(episode)
+    {episode_root, _eposide_inbox} = NodeRepository.create_virtual_nodes_for_episode(episode)
 
     parent_node =
       node_fixture(
         episode_id: episode.id,
         show_id: episode.show_id,
-        parent_id: nil,
+        parent_id: episode_root.uuid,
         prev_id: nil,
         content: "root of all evil"
       )