diff --git a/packages/node_modules/@node-red/runtime/lib/flows/util.js b/packages/node_modules/@node-red/runtime/lib/flows/util.js
index 0f3435b77..7c98fc041 100644
--- a/packages/node_modules/@node-red/runtime/lib/flows/util.js
+++ b/packages/node_modules/@node-red/runtime/lib/flows/util.js
@@ -134,10 +134,12 @@ function createNode(flow,config) {
                 subflowInstanceConfig,
                 instanceConfig
             );
+            // Register this subflow as an instance node of the parent flow.
+            // This allows nodes inside the subflow to get ahold of each other
+            // such as a node accessing its config node
+            flow.subflowInstanceNodes[config.id] = subflow
             subflow.start();
             return subflow.node;
-
-            Log.error(Log._("nodes.flow.unknown-type", {type:type}));
         }
     } catch(err) {
         Log.error(err);