diff --git a/java/debugger/impl/src/com/intellij/debugger/impl/DebuggerUtilsEx.java b/java/debugger/impl/src/com/intellij/debugger/impl/DebuggerUtilsEx.java
index 0f062bf231cf..753e7f478639 100644
--- a/java/debugger/impl/src/com/intellij/debugger/impl/DebuggerUtilsEx.java
+++ b/java/debugger/impl/src/com/intellij/debugger/impl/DebuggerUtilsEx.java
@@ -894,9 +894,18 @@ public abstract class DebuggerUtilsEx extends DebuggerUtils {
     if (body == null || !intersects(lineRange, body)) return null;
     if (body instanceof PsiCodeBlock) {
       for (PsiStatement statement : ((PsiCodeBlock)body).getStatements()) {
-        if (intersects(lineRange, statement)) {
+        // return first statement starting on the line
+        if (lineRange.contains(statement.getTextOffset())) {
           return statement;
         }
+        // otherwise check all children
+        else if (intersects(lineRange, statement)) {
+          for (PsiElement element : SyntaxTraverser.psiTraverser(statement)) {
+            if (lineRange.contains(element.getTextOffset())) {
+              return element;
+            }
+          }
+        }
       }
       return null;
     }