diff --git a/pdfbox/src/main/java/org/apache/pdfbox/multipdf/Splitter.java b/pdfbox/src/main/java/org/apache/pdfbox/multipdf/Splitter.java
index cbbb6139fa8..b2ff778cec6 100644
--- a/pdfbox/src/main/java/org/apache/pdfbox/multipdf/Splitter.java
+++ b/pdfbox/src/main/java/org/apache/pdfbox/multipdf/Splitter.java
@@ -57,6 +57,7 @@
 import org.apache.pdfbox.pdmodel.interactive.annotation.PDAnnotationLink;
 import org.apache.pdfbox.pdmodel.interactive.annotation.PDAnnotationMarkup;
 import org.apache.pdfbox.pdmodel.interactive.annotation.PDAnnotationPopup;
+import org.apache.pdfbox.pdmodel.interactive.annotation.PDAnnotationWidget;
 import org.apache.pdfbox.pdmodel.interactive.annotation.PDAppearanceStream;
 import org.apache.pdfbox.pdmodel.interactive.documentnavigation.destination.PDDestination;
 import org.apache.pdfbox.pdmodel.interactive.documentnavigation.destination.PDNamedDestination;
@@ -820,6 +821,12 @@ private void processAnnotations(PDPage imported) throws IOException
                     }
                 }
             }
+            if (annotationClone instanceof PDAnnotationWidget &&
+                annotationClone.getCOSObject().containsKey(COSName.PARENT))
+            {
+                // remove non-terminal field /Parent reference, because this may lead to orphan pages
+                annotationClone.getCOSObject().removeItem(COSName.PARENT);
+            }
             if (annotation.getPage() != null)
             {
                 annotationClone.setPage(imported);