diff --git a/lms/djangoapps/discussion_api/api.py b/lms/djangoapps/discussion_api/api.py
index a14bcae278..2b4c7e9bbc 100644
--- a/lms/djangoapps/discussion_api/api.py
+++ b/lms/djangoapps/discussion_api/api.py
@@ -85,11 +85,7 @@ def _get_comment_and_context(request, comment_id):
     """
     try:
         cc_comment = Comment(id=comment_id).retrieve()
-        _, context = _get_thread_and_context(
-            request,
-            cc_comment["thread_id"],
-            cc_comment["parent_id"]
-        )
+        _, context = _get_thread_and_context(request, cc_comment["thread_id"])
         return cc_comment, context
     except CommentClientRequestError:
         raise Http404
diff --git a/lms/djangoapps/discussion_api/tests/test_api.py b/lms/djangoapps/discussion_api/tests/test_api.py
index be157a4273..663e02824a 100644
--- a/lms/djangoapps/discussion_api/tests/test_api.py
+++ b/lms/djangoapps/discussion_api/tests/test_api.py
@@ -1689,13 +1689,14 @@ class UpdateCommentTest(CommentsServiceMockMixin, UrlResetMixin, ModuleStoreTest
         for request in httpretty.httpretty.latest_requests:
             self.assertEqual(request.method, "GET")
 
-    def test_basic(self):
-        self.register_comment()
+    @ddt.data(None, "test_parent")
+    def test_basic(self, parent_id):
+        self.register_comment({"parent_id": parent_id})
         actual = update_comment(self.request, "test_comment", {"raw_body": "Edited body"})
         expected = {
             "id": "test_comment",
             "thread_id": "test_thread",
-            "parent_id": None,  # TODO: we can't get this without retrieving from the thread :-(
+            "parent_id": parent_id,
             "author": self.user.username,
             "author_label": None,
             "created_at": "2015-06-03T00:00:00Z",