diff --git a/platform/core-api/src/com/intellij/psi/util/PsiUtilCore.java b/platform/core-api/src/com/intellij/psi/util/PsiUtilCore.java
index eaf72d5504f7..3a12a3311c2a 100644
--- a/platform/core-api/src/com/intellij/psi/util/PsiUtilCore.java
+++ b/platform/core-api/src/com/intellij/psi/util/PsiUtilCore.java
@@ -486,7 +486,7 @@ public class PsiUtilCore {
 
   @NotNull
   public static Language findLanguageFromElement(final PsiElement elt) {
-    if (elt.getFirstChild() == null) { //is leaf
+    if (!(elt instanceof PsiFile) && elt.getFirstChild() == null) { //is leaf
       final PsiElement parent = elt.getParent();
       if (parent != null) {
         return parent.getLanguage();