diff --git a/java/java-psi-impl/src/com/intellij/psi/impl/source/tree/java/PsiMethodReferenceExpressionImpl.java b/java/java-psi-impl/src/com/intellij/psi/impl/source/tree/java/PsiMethodReferenceExpressionImpl.java
index f82cf73733aa..7ff13f1f0596 100644
--- a/java/java-psi-impl/src/com/intellij/psi/impl/source/tree/java/PsiMethodReferenceExpressionImpl.java
+++ b/java/java-psi-impl/src/com/intellij/psi/impl/source/tree/java/PsiMethodReferenceExpressionImpl.java
@@ -421,7 +421,7 @@ public class PsiMethodReferenceExpressionImpl extends PsiReferenceExpressionBase
         psiSubstitutor = psiSubstitutor.putAll(substitutor);
       }
       return LambdaUtil.inferFromReturnType(method.getTypeParameters(),
-                                            psiSubstitutor.substitute(method.getReturnType()),
+                                            method.getReturnType(),
                                             interfaceMethodReturnType,
                                             psiSubstitutor,
                                             languageLevel, getProject());