diff --git a/gtk/inspector/gtktreemodelcssnode.c b/gtk/inspector/gtktreemodelcssnode.c
index 196335e3da..ee55211d0b 100644
--- a/gtk/inspector/gtktreemodelcssnode.c
+++ b/gtk/inspector/gtktreemodelcssnode.c
@@ -18,6 +18,7 @@
 #include "config.h"
 
 #include "gtktreemodelcssnode.h"
+#include "gtk/gtkcsstransientnodeprivate.h"
 
 struct _GtkTreeModelCssNodePrivate
 {
@@ -471,6 +472,9 @@ gtk_tree_model_css_node_connect_node (GtkTreeModelCssNode *model,
 {
   GtkCssNode *child;
 
+  if (GTK_IS_CSS_TRANSIENT_NODE (node))
+    return;
+
   g_object_ref (node);
 
   g_signal_connect_after (node, "node-added", G_CALLBACK (child_added_cb), model);
@@ -520,6 +524,9 @@ gtk_tree_model_css_node_disconnect_node (GtkTreeModelCssNode *model,
 {
   GtkCssNode *child;
 
+  if (GTK_IS_CSS_TRANSIENT_NODE (node))
+    return;
+
   g_signal_handlers_disconnect_by_func (node, G_CALLBACK (child_added_cb), model);
   g_signal_handlers_disconnect_by_func (node, G_CALLBACK (child_removed_cb), model);
   g_signal_handlers_disconnect_by_func (node, G_CALLBACK (notify_cb), model);