diff --git a/src/datatypes.c b/src/datatypes.c
--- a/src/datatypes.c
+++ b/src/datatypes.c
@@ -861,6 +861,7 @@ virReleaseNodeDevice(virNodeDevicePtr de
 
     dev->magic = -1;
     VIR_FREE(dev->name);
+    VIR_FREE(dev->parent);
     VIR_FREE(dev);
 
     DEBUG("unref connection %p %d", conn, conn->refs);
diff --git a/src/datatypes.h b/src/datatypes.h
--- a/src/datatypes.h
+++ b/src/datatypes.h
@@ -199,6 +199,7 @@ struct _virNodeDevice {
     int refs;                           /* reference count */
     virConnectPtr conn;                 /* pointer back to the connection */
     char *name;                         /* device name (unique on node) */
+    char *parent;                       /* parent device name */
 };
 
 
diff --git a/src/libvirt.c b/src/libvirt.c
--- a/src/libvirt.c
+++ b/src/libvirt.c
@@ -5689,11 +5689,15 @@ const char *virNodeDeviceGetParent(virNo
         return NULL;
     }
 
-    if (dev->conn->deviceMonitor && dev->conn->deviceMonitor->deviceGetParent)
-        return dev->conn->deviceMonitor->deviceGetParent (dev);
-
-    virLibConnError (dev->conn, VIR_ERR_NO_SUPPORT, __FUNCTION__);
-    return NULL;
+    if (!dev->parent) {
+        if (dev->conn->deviceMonitor && dev->conn->deviceMonitor->deviceGetParent) {
+            dev->parent = dev->conn->deviceMonitor->deviceGetParent (dev);
+        } else {
+            virLibConnError (dev->conn, VIR_ERR_NO_SUPPORT, __FUNCTION__);
+            return NULL;
+        }
+    }
+    return dev->parent;
 }
 
 /**
diff --git a/src/node_device.c b/src/node_device.c
--- a/src/node_device.c
+++ b/src/node_device.c
@@ -91,66 +91,84 @@ static virNodeDevicePtr nodeDeviceLookup
                                                const char *name)
 {
     virDeviceMonitorStatePtr driver = conn->devMonPrivateData;
-    virNodeDeviceObjPtr obj = virNodeDeviceFindByName(&driver->devs, name);
+    virNodeDeviceObjPtr obj;
+    virNodeDevicePtr ret = NULL;
 
+    obj = virNodeDeviceFindByName(&driver->devs, name);
     if (!obj) {
         virNodeDeviceReportError(conn, VIR_ERR_INVALID_NODE_DEVICE,
                                  "%s", _("no node device with matching name"));
-        return NULL;
+        goto cleanup;
     }
 
-    return virGetNodeDevice(conn, name);
+    ret = virGetNodeDevice(conn, name);
 
+cleanup:
+    return ret;
 }
 
 static char *nodeDeviceDumpXML(virNodeDevicePtr dev,
                                unsigned int flags ATTRIBUTE_UNUSED)
 {
     virDeviceMonitorStatePtr driver = dev->conn->devMonPrivateData;
-    virNodeDeviceObjPtr obj = virNodeDeviceFindByName(&driver->devs, dev->name);
+    virNodeDeviceObjPtr obj;
+    char *ret = NULL;
 
+    obj = virNodeDeviceFindByName(&driver->devs, dev->name);
     if (!obj) {
         virNodeDeviceReportError(dev->conn, VIR_ERR_INVALID_NODE_DEVICE,
                               "%s", _("no node device with matching name"));
-        return NULL;
+        goto cleanup;
     }
 
-    return virNodeDeviceDefFormat(dev->conn, obj->def);
+    ret = virNodeDeviceDefFormat(dev->conn, obj->def);
+
+cleanup:
+    return ret;
 }
 
 
 static char *nodeDeviceGetParent(virNodeDevicePtr dev)
 {
     virDeviceMonitorStatePtr driver = dev->conn->devMonPrivateData;
-    virNodeDeviceObjPtr obj = virNodeDeviceFindByName(&driver->devs, dev->name);
+    virNodeDeviceObjPtr obj;
+    char *ret = NULL;
 
+    obj = virNodeDeviceFindByName(&driver->devs, dev->name);
     if (!obj) {
         virNodeDeviceReportError(dev->conn, VIR_ERR_INVALID_NODE_DEVICE,
                               "%s", _("no node device with matching name"));
-        return NULL;
+        goto cleanup;
     }
 
-    return obj->def->parent;
+    ret = strdup(obj->def->parent);
+
+cleanup:
+    return ret;
 }
 
 
 static int nodeDeviceNumOfCaps(virNodeDevicePtr dev)
 {
     virDeviceMonitorStatePtr driver = dev->conn->devMonPrivateData;
-    virNodeDeviceObjPtr obj = virNodeDeviceFindByName(&driver->devs, dev->name);
+    virNodeDeviceObjPtr obj;
     virNodeDevCapsDefPtr caps;
     int ncaps = 0;
+    int ret = -1;
 
+    obj = virNodeDeviceFindByName(&driver->devs, dev->name);
     if (!obj) {
         virNodeDeviceReportError(dev->conn, VIR_ERR_INVALID_NODE_DEVICE,
                               "%s", _("no node device with matching name"));
-        return -1;
+        goto cleanup;
     }
 
     for (caps = obj->def->caps; caps; caps = caps->next)
         ++ncaps;
+    ret = ncaps;
 
-    return ncaps;
+cleanup:
+    return ret;
 }
 
 
@@ -158,29 +176,32 @@ nodeDeviceListCaps(virNodeDevicePtr dev,
 nodeDeviceListCaps(virNodeDevicePtr dev, char **const names, int maxnames)
 {
     virDeviceMonitorStatePtr driver = dev->conn->devMonPrivateData;
-    virNodeDeviceObjPtr obj = virNodeDeviceFindByName(&driver->devs, dev->name);
+    virNodeDeviceObjPtr obj;
     virNodeDevCapsDefPtr caps;
     int ncaps = 0;
+    int ret = -1;
 
+    obj = virNodeDeviceFindByName(&driver->devs, dev->name);
     if (!obj) {
         virNodeDeviceReportError(dev->conn, VIR_ERR_INVALID_NODE_DEVICE,
                               "%s", _("no node device with matching name"));
-        return -1;
+        goto cleanup;
     }
 
     for (caps = obj->def->caps; caps && ncaps < maxnames; caps = caps->next) {
         names[ncaps] = strdup(virNodeDevCapTypeToString(caps->type));
         if (names[ncaps++] == NULL)
-            goto failure;
+            goto cleanup;
     }
+    ret = ncaps;
 
-    return ncaps;
-
- failure:
-    --ncaps;
-    while (--ncaps >= 0)
-        VIR_FREE(names[ncaps]);
-    return -1;
+cleanup:
+    if (ret == -1) {
+        --ncaps;
+        while (--ncaps >= 0)
+            VIR_FREE(names[ncaps]);
+    }
+    return ret;
 }