diff --git a/Swat/SwatTreeNode.php b/Swat/SwatTreeNode.php
index 197e96c7..1f374ea6 100644
--- a/Swat/SwatTreeNode.php
+++ b/Swat/SwatTreeNode.php
@@ -111,7 +111,7 @@ public function getParent()
      */
     public function getChildren(): ?RecursiveIterator
     {
-        return $this->children;
+        return new RecursiveArrayIterator($this->children);
     }
 
     /**