diff --git a/pmd/regress/test/net/sourceforge/pmd/rules/xml/BigIntegerInstantiation.xml b/pmd/regress/test/net/sourceforge/pmd/rules/xml/BigIntegerInstantiation.xml
index f116cd31a0..bfae4d3258 100644
--- a/pmd/regress/test/net/sourceforge/pmd/rules/xml/BigIntegerInstantiation.xml
+++ b/pmd/regress/test/net/sourceforge/pmd/rules/xml/BigIntegerInstantiation.xml
@@ -35,6 +35,18 @@ public class Foo {
     </test-code>
     <test-code>
         <description><![CDATA[
+Pass, BigDecimal(i - 1)
+     ]]></description>
+        <expected-problems>0</expected-problems>
+        <code><![CDATA[
+public class Foo {
+ int i = 42;
+ BigDecimal b = new BigDecimal(i - 1);
+}
+     ]]></code>
+    </test-code>
+    <test-code>
+        <description><![CDATA[
 Pass, BigInteger("10") and BigDecimal in 1.4 mode
      ]]></description>
         <expected-problems>0</expected-problems>
diff --git a/pmd/src/net/sourceforge/pmd/rules/basic/BigIntegerInstantiation.java b/pmd/src/net/sourceforge/pmd/rules/basic/BigIntegerInstantiation.java
index 1ab554a503..463d981a63 100644
--- a/pmd/src/net/sourceforge/pmd/rules/basic/BigIntegerInstantiation.java
+++ b/pmd/src/net/sourceforge/pmd/rules/basic/BigIntegerInstantiation.java
@@ -32,6 +32,9 @@ public class BigIntegerInstantiation extends AbstractRule {
             ASTArguments args = (ASTArguments) node.getFirstChildOfType(ASTArguments.class);
             if (args.getArgumentCount() == 1) {
                 ASTLiteral literal = (ASTLiteral) node.getFirstChildOfType(ASTLiteral.class);
+                if (literal == null || literal.jjtGetParent().jjtGetParent().jjtGetParent().jjtGetParent().jjtGetParent() != args) {
+                    return super.visit(node, data);
+                }
 
                 img = literal.getImage();
                 if ((img.length() > 2 && img.charAt(0) == '"')) {