diff --git a/include/exec/memory.h b/include/exec/memory.h
index 9101fc3a55..c084db2d9d 100644
--- a/include/exec/memory.h
+++ b/include/exec/memory.h
@@ -836,13 +836,13 @@ void memory_region_set_alias_offset(MemoryRegion *mr,
                                     hwaddr offset);
 
 /**
- * memory_region_present: translate an address/size relative to a
- * MemoryRegion into a #MemoryRegionSection.
+ * memory_region_present: checks if an address relative to a @parent
+ * translates into #MemoryRegion within @parent
  *
  * Answer whether a #MemoryRegion within @parent covers the address
  * @addr.
  *
- * @parent: a MemoryRegion within which @addr is a relative address
+ * @parent: a #MemoryRegion within which @addr is a relative address
  * @addr: the area within @parent to be searched
  */
 bool memory_region_present(MemoryRegion *parent, hwaddr addr);
diff --git a/memory.c b/memory.c
index 59ecc28401..3f1df238e2 100644
--- a/memory.c
+++ b/memory.c
@@ -1562,7 +1562,7 @@ static FlatRange *flatview_lookup(FlatView *view, AddrRange addr)
 bool memory_region_present(MemoryRegion *parent, hwaddr addr)
 {
     MemoryRegion *mr = memory_region_find(parent, addr, 1).mr;
-    if (!mr) {
+    if (!mr || (mr == parent)) {
         return false;
     }
     memory_region_unref(mr);