diff --git a/pmd/regress/test/net/sourceforge/pmd/rules/design/xml/SingularField.xml b/pmd/regress/test/net/sourceforge/pmd/rules/design/xml/SingularField.xml
index c0e34434cf..1bab9d87d1 100644
--- a/pmd/regress/test/net/sourceforge/pmd/rules/design/xml/SingularField.xml
+++ b/pmd/regress/test/net/sourceforge/pmd/rules/design/xml/SingularField.xml
@@ -427,9 +427,23 @@ Ok, field used to aggregate values
 public class Foo {
  private int x;
  int bar(int y) {
-  x = x + y; 
+  x = x + y;
   return x;
  }
+}
+     ]]></code>
+    </test-code>
+    <test-code>
+        <description><![CDATA[
+Ok, setting values
+     ]]></description>
+        <expected-problems>0</expected-problems>
+        <code><![CDATA[
+public class Foo {
+ private Person p = new Person();
+ public Foo(String name) {
+  p.name = name;
+ }
 }
      ]]></code>
     </test-code>
diff --git a/pmd/src/net/sourceforge/pmd/rules/design/SingularField.java b/pmd/src/net/sourceforge/pmd/rules/design/SingularField.java
index 459f4428c5..91ef8306da 100644
--- a/pmd/src/net/sourceforge/pmd/rules/design/SingularField.java
+++ b/pmd/src/net/sourceforge/pmd/rules/design/SingularField.java
@@ -66,7 +66,8 @@ public class SingularField extends AbstractRule {
                 	
                 	//Is the first usage in an assignment?
                 	Node potentialStatement = primaryExpressionParent.jjtGetParent();
-	                if (!isInAssignment(potentialStatement)) {
+	                boolean assignmentToField = no.getImage().equals(location.getImage());	//Check the the assignment is not to a field inside the field object
+					if (!assignmentToField || !isInAssignment(potentialStatement)) {
 	                	violation = false;
 	                	break;		//Optimization
 	                } else {