diff --git a/java/com/google/gerrit/server/CommentsUtil.java b/java/com/google/gerrit/server/CommentsUtil.java
index 344549e..b18f499 100644
--- a/java/com/google/gerrit/server/CommentsUtil.java
+++ b/java/com/google/gerrit/server/CommentsUtil.java
@@ -438,7 +438,7 @@
       // unignore the test in PortedCommentsIT.
       Map<String, FileDiffOutput> modifiedFiles =
           diffOperations.listModifiedFilesAgainstParent(
-              change.getProject(), patchset.commitId(), /* parentNum= */ null);
+              change.getProject(), patchset.commitId(), /* parentNum= */ 0);
       return modifiedFiles.isEmpty()
           ? null
           : modifiedFiles.values().iterator().next().oldCommitId();
diff --git a/java/com/google/gerrit/server/change/FileInfoJson.java b/java/com/google/gerrit/server/change/FileInfoJson.java
index ad6f9c7..ab557dc 100644
--- a/java/com/google/gerrit/server/change/FileInfoJson.java
+++ b/java/com/google/gerrit/server/change/FileInfoJson.java
@@ -46,7 +46,8 @@
    *
    * @param change a Gerrit change.
    * @param objectId a commit SHA-1 identifying a patchset commit.
-   * @param parentNum an integer identifying the parent number used for comparison.
+   * @param parentNum 1-based integer identifying the parent number used for comparison. If zero,
+   *     the only parent will be used or the auto-merge if {@code newCommit} is a merge commit.
    * @return a mapping of the file paths to their related diff information.
    */
   default Map<String, FileInfo> getFileInfoMap(Change change, ObjectId objectId, int parentNum)
@@ -74,7 +75,8 @@
    *
    * @param project a project identifying a repository.
    * @param objectId a commit SHA-1 identifying a patchset commit.
-   * @param parentNum an integer identifying the parent number used for comparison.
+   * @param parentNum 1-based integer identifying the parent number used for comparison. If zero,
+   *     the only parent will be used or the auto-merge if {@code newCommit} is a merge commit.
    * @return a mapping of the file paths to their related diff information.
    */
   Map<String, FileInfo> getFileInfoMap(Project.NameKey project, ObjectId objectId, int parentNum)
diff --git a/java/com/google/gerrit/server/change/FileInfoJsonNewImpl.java b/java/com/google/gerrit/server/change/FileInfoJsonNewImpl.java
index 1ca2c93..7277404 100644
--- a/java/com/google/gerrit/server/change/FileInfoJsonNewImpl.java
+++ b/java/com/google/gerrit/server/change/FileInfoJsonNewImpl.java
@@ -47,8 +47,11 @@
       throws ResourceConflictException, PatchListNotAvailableException {
     try {
       if (base == null) {
+        // Setting parentNum=0 requests the default parent, which is the only parent for
+        // single-parent commits, or the auto-merge otherwise
         return asFileInfo(
-            diffs.listModifiedFilesAgainstParent(change.getProject(), objectId, null));
+            diffs.listModifiedFilesAgainstParent(
+                change.getProject(), objectId, /* parentNum= */ 0));
       }
       return asFileInfo(diffs.listModifiedFiles(change.getProject(), base.commitId(), objectId));
     } catch (DiffNotAvailableException e) {
@@ -63,7 +66,7 @@
       throws ResourceConflictException, PatchListNotAvailableException {
     try {
       Map<String, FileDiffOutput> modifiedFiles =
-          diffs.listModifiedFilesAgainstParent(project, objectId, parent + 1);
+          diffs.listModifiedFilesAgainstParent(project, objectId, parent);
       return asFileInfo(modifiedFiles);
     } catch (DiffNotAvailableException e) {
       convertException(e);
diff --git a/java/com/google/gerrit/server/change/FileInfoJsonOldImpl.java b/java/com/google/gerrit/server/change/FileInfoJsonOldImpl.java
index 55d162a..0570296 100644
--- a/java/com/google/gerrit/server/change/FileInfoJsonOldImpl.java
+++ b/java/com/google/gerrit/server/change/FileInfoJsonOldImpl.java
@@ -60,10 +60,10 @@
       Project.NameKey project, ObjectId objectId, int parentNum)
       throws ResourceConflictException, PatchListNotAvailableException {
     PatchListKey key =
-        parentNum == -1
+        parentNum == 0
             ? PatchListKey.againstDefaultBase(objectId, Whitespace.IGNORE_NONE)
             : PatchListKey.againstParentNum(
-                parentNum + 1, objectId, DiffPreferencesInfo.Whitespace.IGNORE_NONE);
+                parentNum, objectId, DiffPreferencesInfo.Whitespace.IGNORE_NONE);
     return toFileInfoMap(project, key);
   }
 
diff --git a/java/com/google/gerrit/server/events/EventFactory.java b/java/com/google/gerrit/server/events/EventFactory.java
index 3a4dcff..3f988a3 100644
--- a/java/com/google/gerrit/server/events/EventFactory.java
+++ b/java/com/google/gerrit/server/events/EventFactory.java
@@ -399,7 +399,7 @@
     try {
       Map<String, FileDiffOutput> modifiedFiles =
           diffOperations.listModifiedFilesAgainstParent(
-              change.getProject(), patchSet.commitId(), /* parent= */ null);
+              change.getProject(), patchSet.commitId(), /* parent= */ 0);
 
       for (FileDiffOutput diff : modifiedFiles.values()) {
         if (patchSetAttribute.files == null) {
@@ -456,7 +456,7 @@
 
       Map<String, FileDiffOutput> modifiedFiles =
           diffOperations.listModifiedFilesAgainstParent(
-              change.getProject(), patchSet.commitId(), /* parent= */ null);
+              change.getProject(), patchSet.commitId(), /* parent= */ 0);
       for (FileDiffOutput fileDiff : modifiedFiles.values()) {
         p.sizeDeletions += fileDiff.deletions();
         p.sizeInsertions += fileDiff.insertions();
diff --git a/java/com/google/gerrit/server/patch/DiffOperations.java b/java/com/google/gerrit/server/patch/DiffOperations.java
index 7213581..d2da736 100644
--- a/java/com/google/gerrit/server/patch/DiffOperations.java
+++ b/java/com/google/gerrit/server/patch/DiffOperations.java
@@ -46,8 +46,8 @@
    *
    * @param project a project name representing a git repository.
    * @param newCommit 20 bytes SHA-1 of the new commit used in the diff.
-   * @param parentNum integer specifying which parent to use as base. If null, the only parent will
-   *     be used or the auto-merge if {@code newCommit} is a merge commit.
+   * @param parentNum 1-based integer specifying which parent to use as base. If zero, the only
+   *     parent will be used or the auto-merge if {@code newCommit} is a merge commit.
    * @return map of file paths to the file diffs. The map key is the new file path for all {@link
    *     ChangeType} file diffs except {@link ChangeType#DELETED} entries where the map key contains
    *     the old file path. The map entries are not sorted by key.
@@ -56,8 +56,7 @@
    *     an internal error occurred in Git while evaluating the diff.
    */
   Map<String, FileDiffOutput> listModifiedFilesAgainstParent(
-      Project.NameKey project, ObjectId newCommit, @Nullable Integer parentNum)
-      throws DiffNotAvailableException;
+      Project.NameKey project, ObjectId newCommit, int parentNum) throws DiffNotAvailableException;
 
   /**
    * Returns the list of added, deleted or modified files between two commits (patchsets). The
@@ -85,8 +84,8 @@
    *
    * @param project a project name representing a git repository.
    * @param newCommit 20 bytes SHA-1 of the new commit used in the diff.
-   * @param parentNum integer specifying which parent to use as base. If null, the only parent will
-   *     be used or the auto-merge if {@code newCommit} is a merge commit.
+   * @param parentNum 1-based integer specifying which parent to use as base. If zero, the only
+   *     parent will be used or the auto-merge if {@code newCommit} is a merge commit.
    * @param fileName the file name for which the diff should be evaluated.
    * @param whitespace preference controlling whitespace effect in diff computation.
    * @return the diff for the single file between the two commits.
@@ -96,7 +95,7 @@
   FileDiffOutput getModifiedFileAgainstParent(
       Project.NameKey project,
       ObjectId newCommit,
-      @Nullable Integer parentNum,
+      int parentNum,
       String fileName,
       @Nullable DiffPreferencesInfo.Whitespace whitespace)
       throws DiffNotAvailableException;
diff --git a/java/com/google/gerrit/server/patch/DiffOperationsImpl.java b/java/com/google/gerrit/server/patch/DiffOperationsImpl.java
index f500796..3423b32 100644
--- a/java/com/google/gerrit/server/patch/DiffOperationsImpl.java
+++ b/java/com/google/gerrit/server/patch/DiffOperationsImpl.java
@@ -91,8 +91,7 @@
 
   @Override
   public Map<String, FileDiffOutput> listModifiedFilesAgainstParent(
-      Project.NameKey project, ObjectId newCommit, @Nullable Integer parent)
-      throws DiffNotAvailableException {
+      Project.NameKey project, ObjectId newCommit, int parent) throws DiffNotAvailableException {
     try {
       DiffParameters diffParams = computeDiffParameters(project, newCommit, parent);
       return getModifiedFiles(diffParams);
@@ -120,7 +119,7 @@
   public FileDiffOutput getModifiedFileAgainstParent(
       Project.NameKey project,
       ObjectId newCommit,
-      @Nullable Integer parent,
+      int parent,
       String fileName,
       @Nullable DiffPreferencesInfo.Whitespace whitespace)
       throws DiffNotAvailableException {
@@ -376,7 +375,7 @@
       Project.NameKey project, ObjectId newCommit, Integer parent) throws IOException {
     DiffParameters.Builder result =
         DiffParameters.builder().project(project).newCommit(newCommit).parent(parent);
-    if (parent != null) {
+    if (parent > 0) {
       result.baseCommit(baseCommitUtil.getBaseCommit(project, newCommit, parent));
       result.comparisonType(ComparisonType.againstParent(parent));
       return result.build();
diff --git a/java/com/google/gerrit/server/patch/PatchScriptFactory.java b/java/com/google/gerrit/server/patch/PatchScriptFactory.java
index 0c648b5..fbb6559 100644
--- a/java/com/google/gerrit/server/patch/PatchScriptFactory.java
+++ b/java/com/google/gerrit/server/patch/PatchScriptFactory.java
@@ -172,7 +172,7 @@
 
     this.fileName = fileName;
     this.psa = patchSetA;
-    this.parentNum = -1;
+    this.parentNum = 0;
     this.psb = patchSetB;
     this.diffPrefs = diffPrefs;
     this.currentUser = currentUser;
@@ -223,7 +223,7 @@
     this.runNewDiffCache = cfg.getBoolean("cache", "diff_cache", "runNewDiffCache_GetDiff", false);
 
     changeId = patchSetB.changeId();
-    checkArgument(parentNum >= 0, "parentNum must be >= 0");
+    checkArgument(parentNum > 0, "parentNum must be > 0");
   }
 
   @Override
@@ -326,11 +326,7 @@
     FileDiffOutput fileDiffOutput =
         aId == null
             ? diffOperations.getModifiedFileAgainstParent(
-                notes.getProjectName(),
-                bId,
-                parentNum == -1 ? null : parentNum + 1,
-                fileName,
-                diffPrefs.ignoreWhitespace)
+                notes.getProjectName(), bId, parentNum, fileName, diffPrefs.ignoreWhitespace)
             : diffOperations.getModifiedFile(
                 notes.getProjectName(), aId, bId, fileName, diffPrefs.ignoreWhitespace);
     return newBuilder().toPatchScriptNew(git, fileDiffOutput);
@@ -395,7 +391,7 @@
     if (psa == null) {
       return Optional.empty();
     }
-    checkState(parentNum < 0, "expected no parentNum when psa is present");
+    checkState(parentNum == 0, "expected no parentNum when psa is present");
     checkArgument(psa.get() != 0, "edit not supported for left side");
     return Optional.of(getCommitId(psa));
   }
@@ -409,10 +405,10 @@
   }
 
   private PatchListKey keyFor(ObjectId aId, ObjectId bId, Whitespace whitespace) {
-    if (parentNum < 0) {
+    if (parentNum == 0) {
       return PatchListKey.againstCommit(aId, bId, whitespace);
     }
-    return PatchListKey.againstParentNum(parentNum + 1, bId, whitespace);
+    return PatchListKey.againstParentNum(parentNum, bId, whitespace);
   }
 
   private PatchList listFor(PatchListKey key) throws PatchListNotAvailableException {
diff --git a/java/com/google/gerrit/server/restapi/change/Files.java b/java/com/google/gerrit/server/restapi/change/Files.java
index 1efe378..320e57d 100644
--- a/java/com/google/gerrit/server/restapi/change/Files.java
+++ b/java/com/google/gerrit/server/restapi/change/Files.java
@@ -183,7 +183,7 @@
         r =
             Response.ok(
                 fileInfoJson.getFileInfoMap(
-                    resource.getChange(), resource.getPatchSet().commitId(), parentNum - 1));
+                    resource.getChange(), resource.getPatchSet().commitId(), parentNum));
       } else {
         r = Response.ok(fileInfoJson.getFileInfoMap(resource.getChange(), resource.getPatchSet()));
       }
@@ -280,11 +280,11 @@
 
         Map<String, FileDiffOutput> oldList =
             diffOperations.listModifiedFilesAgainstParent(
-                project, patchSet.commitId(), /* parentNum= */ null);
+                project, patchSet.commitId(), /* parentNum= */ 0);
 
         Map<String, FileDiffOutput> curList =
             diffOperations.listModifiedFilesAgainstParent(
-                project, resource.getPatchSet().commitId(), /* parentNum= */ null);
+                project, resource.getPatchSet().commitId(), /* parentNum= */ 0);
 
         int sz = paths.size();
         List<String> pathList = Lists.newArrayListWithCapacity(sz);
diff --git a/java/com/google/gerrit/server/restapi/change/GetDiff.java b/java/com/google/gerrit/server/restapi/change/GetDiff.java
index 2169d57..dd951a8 100644
--- a/java/com/google/gerrit/server/restapi/change/GetDiff.java
+++ b/java/com/google/gerrit/server/restapi/change/GetDiff.java
@@ -74,6 +74,7 @@
   @Option(name = "--base", metaVar = "REVISION")
   String base;
 
+  /** 1-based index of the parent's position in the commit object. */
   @Option(name = "--parent", metaVar = "parent-number")
   int parentNum;
 
@@ -143,7 +144,7 @@
     } else if (parentNum > 0) {
       psf =
           patchScriptFactoryFactory.create(
-              notes, fileName, parentNum - 1, pId, prefs, currentUser.get());
+              notes, fileName, parentNum, pId, prefs, currentUser.get());
     } else {
       psf = patchScriptFactoryFactory.create(notes, fileName, null, pId, prefs, currentUser.get());
     }
diff --git a/java/com/google/gerrit/server/restapi/project/FilesInCommitCollection.java b/java/com/google/gerrit/server/restapi/project/FilesInCommitCollection.java
index 7bee2f2..6d054bd 100644
--- a/java/com/google/gerrit/server/restapi/project/FilesInCommitCollection.java
+++ b/java/com/google/gerrit/server/restapi/project/FilesInCommitCollection.java
@@ -77,6 +77,10 @@
   }
 
   public static final class ListFiles implements RestReadView<CommitResource> {
+    /**
+     * The 1-based parent number. If zero, the default base commit will be used, which is the only
+     * parent for commits having one parent or the auto-merge commit otherwise.
+     */
     @Option(name = "--parent", metaVar = "parent-number")
     int parentNum;
 
@@ -97,8 +101,7 @@
         throws ResourceConflictException, PatchListNotAvailableException {
       RevCommit commit = resource.getCommit();
       return Response.ok(
-          fileInfoJson.getFileInfoMap(
-              resource.getProjectState().getNameKey(), commit, parentNum - 1));
+          fileInfoJson.getFileInfoMap(resource.getProjectState().getNameKey(), commit, parentNum));
     }
   }
 }
diff --git a/javatests/com/google/gerrit/acceptance/api/revision/RevisionDiffIT.java b/javatests/com/google/gerrit/acceptance/api/revision/RevisionDiffIT.java
index d8dab33..a01b340 100644
--- a/javatests/com/google/gerrit/acceptance/api/revision/RevisionDiffIT.java
+++ b/javatests/com/google/gerrit/acceptance/api/revision/RevisionDiffIT.java
@@ -153,7 +153,8 @@
     PushOneCommit.Result result = push.to("refs/heads/master");
 
     Map<String, FileDiffOutput> modifiedFiles =
-        diffOperations.listModifiedFilesAgainstParent(project, result.getCommit(), null);
+        diffOperations.listModifiedFilesAgainstParent(
+            project, result.getCommit(), /* parentNum= */ 0);
 
     assertThat(modifiedFiles.keySet()).containsExactly("/COMMIT_MSG", "f.txt");
     assertThat(
diff --git a/javatests/com/google/gerrit/server/patch/DiffOperationsTest.java b/javatests/com/google/gerrit/server/patch/DiffOperationsTest.java
index 5bf5154..aa313e3 100644
--- a/javatests/com/google/gerrit/server/patch/DiffOperationsTest.java
+++ b/javatests/com/google/gerrit/server/patch/DiffOperationsTest.java
@@ -72,7 +72,7 @@
 
     FileDiffOutput diffOutput =
         diffOperations.getModifiedFileAgainstParent(
-            testProjectName, newCommitId, /* parentNum=*/ null, fileName2, /* whitespace=*/ null);
+            testProjectName, newCommitId, /* parentNum=*/ 0, fileName2, /* whitespace=*/ null);
 
     assertThat(diffOutput.oldCommitId()).isEqualTo(oldCommitId);
     assertThat(diffOutput.newCommitId()).isEqualTo(newCommitId);