diff --git a/hapi-fhir-jpaserver-base/src/main/java/ca/uhn/fhir/jpa/dao/SearchBuilder.java b/hapi-fhir-jpaserver-base/src/main/java/ca/uhn/fhir/jpa/dao/SearchBuilder.java
index 30a7787cada..1a3dd2fd764 100644
--- a/hapi-fhir-jpaserver-base/src/main/java/ca/uhn/fhir/jpa/dao/SearchBuilder.java
+++ b/hapi-fhir-jpaserver-base/src/main/java/ca/uhn/fhir/jpa/dao/SearchBuilder.java
@@ -447,8 +447,12 @@ public class SearchBuilder implements ISearchBuilder {
 						}
 
 						if (resourceTypes.isEmpty()) {
-							RuntimeResourceDefinition resourceDef = myContext.getResourceDefinition(myResourceType);
-							String paramPath = myCallingDao.getSearchParamByName(resourceDef, theParamName).getPath();
+							RuntimeResourceDefinition resourceDef = myContext.getResourceDefinition(theResourceName);
+							RuntimeSearchParam searchParamByName = myCallingDao.getSearchParamByName(resourceDef, theParamName);
+							if (searchParamByName == null) {
+								throw new InternalErrorException("Could not find parameter " + theParamName );
+							}
+							String paramPath = searchParamByName.getPath();
 							if (paramPath.endsWith(".as(Reference)")) {
 								paramPath = paramPath.substring(0, paramPath.length() - ".as(Reference)".length()) + "Reference";
 							}
diff --git a/hapi-fhir-jpaserver-base/src/test/java/ca/uhn/fhir/jpa/dao/dstu3/FhirResourceDaoDstu3SearchCustomSearchParamTest.java b/hapi-fhir-jpaserver-base/src/test/java/ca/uhn/fhir/jpa/dao/dstu3/FhirResourceDaoDstu3SearchCustomSearchParamTest.java
index da3756c9f58..7c454b0d560 100644
--- a/hapi-fhir-jpaserver-base/src/test/java/ca/uhn/fhir/jpa/dao/dstu3/FhirResourceDaoDstu3SearchCustomSearchParamTest.java
+++ b/hapi-fhir-jpaserver-base/src/test/java/ca/uhn/fhir/jpa/dao/dstu3/FhirResourceDaoDstu3SearchCustomSearchParamTest.java
@@ -264,7 +264,11 @@ public class FhirResourceDaoDstu3SearchCustomSearchParamTest extends BaseJpaDstu
 		Patient p2 = new Patient();
 		p2.addName().setFamily("P2");
 		p2.addExtension().setUrl("http://acme.org/sibling").setValue(new Reference(p1id));
+
 		IIdType p2id = myPatientDao.create(p2).getId().toUnqualifiedVersionless();
+		Appointment app = new Appointment();
+		app.addParticipant().getActor().setReference(p2id.getValue());
+		IIdType appid = myAppointmentDao.create(app).getId().toUnqualifiedVersionless();
 
 		SearchParameterMap map;
 		IBundleProvider results;
@@ -284,6 +288,14 @@ public class FhirResourceDaoDstu3SearchCustomSearchParamTest extends BaseJpaDstu
 		foundResources = toUnqualifiedVersionlessIdValues(results);
 		assertThat(foundResources, contains(p2id.getValue()));
 
+		// Search by two level chain
+		map = new SearchParameterMap();
+		map.add("patient", new ReferenceParam("sibling.name", "P1"));
+		results = myAppointmentDao.search(map);
+		foundResources = toUnqualifiedVersionlessIdValues(results);
+		assertThat(foundResources, containsInAnyOrder(appid.getValue()));
+
+
 	}
 
 	@Test