diff --git a/jbmc/regression/jbmc/nil-names/nil.class b/jbmc/regression/jbmc/nil-names/nil.class
new file mode 100644
index 00000000000..4c76ef5936e
Binary files /dev/null and b/jbmc/regression/jbmc/nil-names/nil.class differ
diff --git a/jbmc/regression/jbmc/nil-names/nil.java b/jbmc/regression/jbmc/nil-names/nil.java
new file mode 100644
index 00000000000..2a17b7227b4
--- /dev/null
+++ b/jbmc/regression/jbmc/nil-names/nil.java
@@ -0,0 +1,9 @@
+public class nil {
+
+  int nil;
+
+  public int getNil() {
+    return nil;
+  }
+
+}
diff --git a/jbmc/regression/jbmc/nil-names/test.desc b/jbmc/regression/jbmc/nil-names/test.desc
new file mode 100644
index 00000000000..0d4dcf5bd46
--- /dev/null
+++ b/jbmc/regression/jbmc/nil-names/test.desc
@@ -0,0 +1,8 @@
+CORE
+nil.class
+--function nil.getNil
+^VERIFICATION SUCCESSFUL$
+^EXIT=0$
+^SIGNAL=0$
+--
+std::bad_cast
diff --git a/jbmc/src/java_bytecode/java_bytecode_parse_tree.h b/jbmc/src/java_bytecode/java_bytecode_parse_tree.h
index 99e03329b87..72d0c07aab4 100644
--- a/jbmc/src/java_bytecode/java_bytecode_parse_tree.h
+++ b/jbmc/src/java_bytecode/java_bytecode_parse_tree.h
@@ -352,7 +352,7 @@ class fieldref_exprt : public exprt
 template <>
 inline bool can_cast_expr<fieldref_exprt>(const exprt &base)
 {
-  return base.get(ID_class) != ID_nil && base.get(ID_component_name) != ID_nil;
+  return !base.get(ID_class).empty() && !base.get(ID_component_name).empty();
 }
 
 #endif // CPROVER_JAVA_BYTECODE_JAVA_BYTECODE_PARSE_TREE_H