diff --git a/java/java-tests/testSrc/com/intellij/psi/impl/smartPointers/SmartPsiElementPointersTest.java b/java/java-tests/testSrc/com/intellij/psi/impl/smartPointers/SmartPsiElementPointersTest.java
index b6dcb69ea76f..9a7d7bc32d51 100644
--- a/java/java-tests/testSrc/com/intellij/psi/impl/smartPointers/SmartPsiElementPointersTest.java
+++ b/java/java-tests/testSrc/com/intellij/psi/impl/smartPointers/SmartPsiElementPointersTest.java
@@ -767,4 +767,20 @@ public class SmartPsiElementPointersTest extends CodeInsightTestCase {
 
     assertNotNull(pointer.getElement());
   }
+
+  public void testPointerToEmptyElement() {
+    PsiFile file = configureByText(JavaFileType.INSTANCE, "class Foo {\n" +
+                                                             "  Test<String> test = new Test<>();\n" +
+                                                             "}");
+    PsiJavaCodeReferenceElement ref = PsiTreeUtil.findElementOfClassAtOffset(file, file.getText().indexOf("<>"), PsiJavaCodeReferenceElement.class, false);
+    SmartPointerEx pointer = (SmartPointerEx)SmartPointerManager.getInstance(myProject).createSmartPsiElementPointer(
+      ref.getParameterList().getTypeParameterElements()[0]);
+    ref = null;
+
+    PlatformTestUtil.tryGcSoftlyReachableObjects();
+    assertNull(pointer.getCachedElement());
+
+    assertInstanceOf(pointer.getElement(), PsiTypeElement.class);
+  }
+
 }
diff --git a/platform/core-impl/src/com/intellij/psi/impl/smartPointers/SelfElementInfo.java b/platform/core-impl/src/com/intellij/psi/impl/smartPointers/SelfElementInfo.java
index b4a686fe29bd..4f0896755954 100644
--- a/platform/core-impl/src/com/intellij/psi/impl/smartPointers/SelfElementInfo.java
+++ b/platform/core-impl/src/com/intellij/psi/impl/smartPointers/SelfElementInfo.java
@@ -26,6 +26,7 @@ import com.intellij.openapi.util.*;
 import com.intellij.openapi.vfs.VirtualFile;
 import com.intellij.psi.*;
 import com.intellij.psi.impl.PsiDocumentManagerBase;
+import com.intellij.psi.util.PsiTreeUtil;
 import org.jetbrains.annotations.NotNull;
 import org.jetbrains.annotations.Nullable;
 
@@ -133,6 +134,18 @@ public class SelfElementInfo extends SmartPointerElementInfo {
     PsiElement anchor = file.getViewProvider().findElementAt(syncStartOffset, language);
     if (anchor == null) return null;
 
+    PsiElement result = findParent(syncStartOffset, syncEndOffset, type, anchor);
+    if (result == null && syncEndOffset == syncStartOffset && anchor.getTextRange().getStartOffset() == syncEndOffset) {
+      anchor = PsiTreeUtil.prevLeaf(anchor, false);
+      if (anchor != null) {
+        result = findParent(syncStartOffset, syncEndOffset, type, anchor);
+      }
+    }
+    return result;
+  }
+
+  @Nullable
+  private static PsiElement findParent(int syncStartOffset, int syncEndOffset, @NotNull Class type, PsiElement anchor) {
     TextRange range = anchor.getTextRange();
 
     if (range.getStartOffset() != syncStartOffset) return null;