diff --git a/java/java-psi-api/src/com/intellij/psi/PsiMethodReferenceUtil.java b/java/java-psi-api/src/com/intellij/psi/PsiMethodReferenceUtil.java
index d16425632b0e..ad92cfebb62d 100644
--- a/java/java-psi-api/src/com/intellij/psi/PsiMethodReferenceUtil.java
+++ b/java/java-psi-api/src/com/intellij/psi/PsiMethodReferenceUtil.java
@@ -203,20 +203,22 @@ public class PsiMethodReferenceUtil {
         subst = subst.putAll(result.getSubstitutor());
         final MethodSignature signature2 = ((PsiMethod)resolve).getSignature(subst);
 
-        final PsiType interfaceReturnType = LambdaUtil.getFunctionalInterfaceReturnType(left);
+        if (methodReferenceExpression.isExact()) {
+          final PsiType interfaceReturnType = LambdaUtil.getFunctionalInterfaceReturnType(left);
 
-        PsiType returnType = PsiTypesUtil.patchMethodGetClassReturnType(methodReferenceExpression, methodReferenceExpression,
-                                                                        (PsiMethod)resolve, null,
-                                                                        PsiUtil.getLanguageLevel(methodReferenceExpression));
-        if (returnType == null) {
-          returnType = ((PsiMethod)resolve).getReturnType();
-        }
-        PsiType methodReturnType = subst.substitute(returnType);
-        if (interfaceReturnType != null && interfaceReturnType != PsiType.VOID) {
-          if (methodReturnType == null) {
-            methodReturnType = JavaPsiFacade.getElementFactory(methodReferenceExpression.getProject()).createType(((PsiMethod)resolve).getContainingClass(), subst);
+          PsiType returnType = PsiTypesUtil.patchMethodGetClassReturnType(methodReferenceExpression, methodReferenceExpression,
+                                                                          (PsiMethod)resolve, null,
+                                                                          PsiUtil.getLanguageLevel(methodReferenceExpression));
+          if (returnType == null) {
+            returnType = ((PsiMethod)resolve).getReturnType();
+          }
+          PsiType methodReturnType = subst.substitute(returnType);
+          if (interfaceReturnType != null && interfaceReturnType != PsiType.VOID) {
+            if (methodReturnType == null) {
+              methodReturnType = JavaPsiFacade.getElementFactory(methodReferenceExpression.getProject()).createType(((PsiMethod)resolve).getContainingClass(), subst);
+            }
+            if (!TypeConversionUtil.isAssignable(interfaceReturnType, methodReturnType, false)) return false;
           }
-          //if (!TypeConversionUtil.isAssignable(interfaceReturnType, methodReturnType, false)) return false;
         }
         if (areAcceptable(signature1, signature2, qualifierResolveResult.getContainingClass(), qualifierResolveResult.getSubstitutor(), ((PsiMethod)resolve).isVarArgs())) return true;
       } else if (resolve instanceof PsiClass) {
diff --git a/java/java-tests/testData/codeInsight/daemonCodeAnalyzer/lambda/newMethodRef/CheckReturnTypeForExactRefs.java b/java/java-tests/testData/codeInsight/daemonCodeAnalyzer/lambda/newMethodRef/CheckReturnTypeForExactRefs.java
new file mode 100644
index 000000000000..bc0486391e5a
--- /dev/null
+++ b/java/java-tests/testData/codeInsight/daemonCodeAnalyzer/lambda/newMethodRef/CheckReturnTypeForExactRefs.java
@@ -0,0 +1,25 @@
+class Test {
+
+    interface A<X> {
+        X m();
+    }
+    interface B<X> extends A<X> {}
+    interface C<X> {}
+
+    int integerRes() { return new Integer(42); }
+
+    int intRes() { return 42; }
+
+    void m(A<Integer> a) {}
+    void m(B<String> b)  {}
+    void m(C<CharSequence> b)  {}
+
+    void test(boolean flag) {
+        m(this::integerRes);
+        m(flag ? this::integerRes : this::integerRes);
+
+        m(this::intRes);
+        m(flag ? this::intRes : this::intRes);
+    }
+
+}
diff --git a/java/java-tests/testSrc/com/intellij/codeInsight/daemon/lambda/NewMethodRefHighlightingTest.java b/java/java-tests/testSrc/com/intellij/codeInsight/daemon/lambda/NewMethodRefHighlightingTest.java
index 8eef8ab842fb..3330b9d25a27 100644
--- a/java/java-tests/testSrc/com/intellij/codeInsight/daemon/lambda/NewMethodRefHighlightingTest.java
+++ b/java/java-tests/testSrc/com/intellij/codeInsight/daemon/lambda/NewMethodRefHighlightingTest.java
@@ -96,6 +96,10 @@ public class NewMethodRefHighlightingTest extends LightDaemonAnalyzerTestCase {
     doTest();
   }
 
+  public void testCheckReturnTypeForExactRefs() throws Exception {
+    doTest();
+  }
+
   private void doTest() {
     doTest(false);
   }