diff --git a/debug/org.eclipse.cdt.debug.mi.core/cdi/org/eclipse/cdt/debug/mi/core/cdi/ExpressionManager.java b/debug/org.eclipse.cdt.debug.mi.core/cdi/org/eclipse/cdt/debug/mi/core/cdi/ExpressionManager.java
index 99f8f003e02..373d0b302da 100644
--- a/debug/org.eclipse.cdt.debug.mi.core/cdi/org/eclipse/cdt/debug/mi/core/cdi/ExpressionManager.java
+++ b/debug/org.eclipse.cdt.debug.mi.core/cdi/org/eclipse/cdt/debug/mi/core/cdi/ExpressionManager.java
@@ -157,6 +157,10 @@ public class ExpressionManager extends Manager {
 			if (vars[i].getMIVar().getVarName().equals(varName)) {
 				return vars[i];
 			}
+			Variable v = vars[i].getChild(varName);
+			if (v != null) {
+				return v;
+			}
 		}
 		return null;
 	}