connection node_2; connection node_1; CREATE TABLE parent1 ( id INT PRIMARY KEY, KEY (id) ) ENGINE=InnoDB; CREATE TABLE parent2 ( id INT PRIMARY KEY, KEY (id) ) ENGINE=InnoDB; CREATE TABLE child ( id INT PRIMARY KEY, parent1_id INT, parent2_id INT, FOREIGN KEY (parent1_id) REFERENCES parent1(id), FOREIGN KEY (parent1_id) REFERENCES parent2(id) ) ENGINE=InnoDB; INSERT INTO parent1 VALUES (1); INSERT INTO parent2 VALUES (1); INSERT INTO child VALUES (1,1,1); INSERT INTO child VALUES (2,1,1); SET foreign_key_checks=OFF; DROP TABLE parent1; UPDATE child SET parent1_id=2 WHERE id=1; DROP TABLE child; DROP TABLE parent2; SET foreign_key_checks=ON;