diff --git a/crates/bevy_scene/src/scene_spawner.rs b/crates/bevy_scene/src/scene_spawner.rs
index 9f22588c6711c..7015195757d79 100644
--- a/crates/bevy_scene/src/scene_spawner.rs
+++ b/crates/bevy_scene/src/scene_spawner.rs
@@ -4,10 +4,11 @@ use bevy_asset::{AssetEvent, Assets, Handle};
 use bevy_ecs::{
     entity::{Entity, EntityMap},
     reflect::{ReflectComponent, ReflectMapEntities},
+    system::Command,
     world::{Mut, World},
 };
 use bevy_reflect::TypeRegistryArc;
-use bevy_transform::{components::Children, prelude::Parent};
+use bevy_transform::{hierarchy::AddChild, prelude::Parent};
 use bevy_utils::{tracing::error, HashMap};
 use thiserror::Error;
 use uuid::Uuid;
@@ -268,23 +269,22 @@ impl SceneSpawner {
         for (instance_id, parent) in scenes_with_parent {
             if let Some(instance) = self.spawned_instances.get(&instance_id) {
                 for entity in instance.entity_map.values() {
-                    // Add the `Parent` component to the scene root
-                    if let Some(mut entity_mut) = world.get_entity_mut(entity) {
+                    // Add the `Parent` component to the scene root, and update the `Children` component of
+                    // the scene parent
+                    if !world
+                        .get_entity(entity)
                         // This will filter only the scene root entity, as all other from the
                         // scene have a parent
-                        if !entity_mut.contains::<Parent>() {
-                            entity_mut.insert(Parent(parent));
-                            if let Some(mut parent_entity) = world.get_entity_mut(parent) {
-                                if let Some(children) = parent_entity.get_mut::<Children>() {
-                                    let children = &**children;
-                                    let mut children = children.to_vec();
-                                    children.push(entity);
-                                    parent_entity.insert(Children::with(&children));
-                                } else {
-                                    parent_entity.insert(Children::with(&[entity]));
-                                }
-                            }
+                        .map(|entity| entity.contains::<Parent>())
+                        // Default is true so that it won't run on an entity that wouldn't exist anymore
+                        // this case shouldn't happen anyway
+                        .unwrap_or(true)
+                    {
+                        AddChild {
+                            parent,
+                            child: entity,
                         }
+                        .write(world);
                     }
                 }
             } else {
diff --git a/crates/bevy_transform/src/hierarchy/child_builder.rs b/crates/bevy_transform/src/hierarchy/child_builder.rs
index 094a2af1314bd..7868d64926bb2 100644
--- a/crates/bevy_transform/src/hierarchy/child_builder.rs
+++ b/crates/bevy_transform/src/hierarchy/child_builder.rs
@@ -7,6 +7,28 @@ use bevy_ecs::{
 };
 use smallvec::SmallVec;
 
+#[derive(Debug)]
+pub struct AddChild {
+    pub parent: Entity,
+    pub child: Entity,
+}
+
+impl Command for AddChild {
+    fn write(self, world: &mut World) {
+        world
+            .entity_mut(self.child)
+            // FIXME: don't erase the previous parent (see #1545)
+            .insert_bundle((Parent(self.parent), PreviousParent(self.parent)));
+        if let Some(mut children) = world.get_mut::<Children>(self.parent) {
+            children.0.push(self.child);
+        } else {
+            world
+                .entity_mut(self.parent)
+                .insert(Children(smallvec::smallvec![self.child]));
+        }
+    }
+}
+
 #[derive(Debug)]
 pub struct InsertChildren {
     parent: Entity,