diff --git a/lucene/test-framework/src/java/org/apache/lucene/tests/index/BaseFieldInfoFormatTestCase.java b/lucene/test-framework/src/java/org/apache/lucene/tests/index/BaseFieldInfoFormatTestCase.java
index 1087eb15c5d1..853646f8c17e 100644
--- a/lucene/test-framework/src/java/org/apache/lucene/tests/index/BaseFieldInfoFormatTestCase.java
+++ b/lucene/test-framework/src/java/org/apache/lucene/tests/index/BaseFieldInfoFormatTestCase.java
@@ -278,6 +278,9 @@ public void testRandom() throws Exception {
 
     String parentField = random().nextBoolean() ? TestUtil.randomUnicodeString(random()) : null;
 
+    if (softDeletesField != null && softDeletesField.equals(parentField)) {
+      parentField = null;
+    }
     var builder = INDEX_PACKAGE_ACCESS.newFieldInfosBuilder(softDeletesField, parentField);
 
     for (String field : fieldNames) {