connection node_2; connection node_1; CREATE TABLE parent ( id INT NOT NULL, PRIMARY KEY (id) ) ENGINE=InnoDB; CREATE TABLE child ( id INT, parent_id INT, FOREIGN KEY (parent_id) REFERENCES parent(id) ON UPDATE SET NULL ON DELETE SET NULL ) ENGINE=InnoDB; INSERT INTO parent VALUES (1),(2); INSERT INTO child VALUES (1,1),(2,2); connection node_2; DELETE FROM parent WHERE id = 1; SELECT parent_id IS NULL FROM child WHERE id = 1; parent_id IS NULL 1 connection node_1; SELECT parent_id IS NULL FROM child WHERE id = 1; parent_id IS NULL 1 UPDATE parent SET id = 3 WHERE id = 2; SELECT parent_id IS NULL FROM child WHERE id = 2; parent_id IS NULL 1 connection node_2; SELECT parent_id IS NULL FROM child WHERE id = 2; parent_id IS NULL 1 connection node_1; DROP TABLE child; DROP TABLE parent;