diff --git a/test/pitytest11/src/PityTree.hh b/test/pitytest11/src/PityTree.hh
index 9478c7f..3644e7e 100644
--- a/test/pitytest11/src/PityTree.hh
+++ b/test/pitytest11/src/PityTree.hh
@@ -29,6 +29,10 @@ namespace pEp {
             explicit PityTree(T& self, const std::string& name, T& parent);
             explicit PityTree(const PityTree& rhs, T& owner);
 
+            // copy-assign
+            PityTree& operator=(const PityTree<T>& rhs);
+
+            // clone
             virtual PityTree* clone() = 0;
 
             // Append
@@ -62,6 +66,7 @@ namespace pEp {
             void setParent(T* const parent);
 
         private:
+            void _cloneChildRefs(const PityTree<T>& rhs);
             // Fields
             std::string _nodename;
             T& _self;
diff --git a/test/pitytest11/src/PityTree.hxx b/test/pitytest11/src/PityTree.hxx
index fdef8f4..7b9fcb6 100644
--- a/test/pitytest11/src/PityTree.hxx
+++ b/test/pitytest11/src/PityTree.hxx
@@ -44,12 +44,15 @@ namespace pEp {
         {
             _nodename = rhs._nodename;
             _parent = nullptr;
+            _cloneChildRefs(rhs);
+        }
 
-            for (const ChildRef& cr : rhs.getChildRefs()) {
-                _childobjs.push_back(ChildObj(cr.second.clone()));
-                T& ret = *_childobjs.back().get();
-                addRef(ret);
-            }
+        template<class T>
+        PityTree<T>& PityTree<T>::operator=(const PityTree<T>& rhs) {
+            _nodename = rhs._nodename;
+            _parent = nullptr;
+            _cloneChildRefs(rhs);
+            return *this;
         }
 
         template<class T>
@@ -196,6 +199,17 @@ namespace pEp {
 
             return name;
         }
+
+        // When you copy a treenode, you need to create a copy of all children
+        // and take ownership
+        template<class T>
+        void PityTree<T>::_cloneChildRefs(const PityTree<T>& rhs) {
+            for (const ChildRef& cr : rhs.getChildRefs()) {
+                _childobjs.push_back(ChildObj(cr.second.clone()));
+                T& ret = *_childobjs.back().get();
+                addRef(ret);
+            }
+        }
     } // namespace PityTest11
 } // namespace pEp