diff --git a/pmd/etc/changelog.txt b/pmd/etc/changelog.txt
index 9cdd3f8b59..0fbbf7579a 100644
--- a/pmd/etc/changelog.txt
+++ b/pmd/etc/changelog.txt
@@ -7,6 +7,7 @@ Fixed bug 2338341 - ArrayIndexOutOfBoundsException in CPD (on Ruby)
 Fixed bug 2315599 - False +: UseSingleton with class containing constructor
 Fixed bug 1955852 - false positives for UnusedPrivateMethod & UnusedLocalVariable
 Fixed bug 2404700 - UseSingleton should not act on enums
+Fixed bug 2225474 - VariableNamingConventions does not work with nonprimitives
 Fixed bug - JUnitTestsShouldIncludeAssert now detects Junit 4 Assert.assert...  constructs
 
 October 12, 2008 - 4.2.4:
diff --git a/pmd/regress/test/net/sourceforge/pmd/rules/naming/xml/VariableNamingConventions.xml b/pmd/regress/test/net/sourceforge/pmd/rules/naming/xml/VariableNamingConventions.xml
index c2c83ce561..62a4a9cc93 100644
--- a/pmd/regress/test/net/sourceforge/pmd/rules/naming/xml/VariableNamingConventions.xml
+++ b/pmd/regress/test/net/sourceforge/pmd/rules/naming/xml/VariableNamingConventions.xml
@@ -115,4 +115,15 @@ public class Foo {
 }
      ]]></code>
     </test-code>
+    <test-code>
+    	<description><![CDATA[
+False - with non primitive fields (Bug 2225474)	
+	]]></description>
+	<expected-problems>1</expected-problems>
+	<code><![CDATA[
+public class X {
+	public final static String foo = "3";
+}
+	]]></code>
+    </test-code>
 </test-data>
diff --git a/pmd/src/net/sourceforge/pmd/rules/VariableNamingConventions.java b/pmd/src/net/sourceforge/pmd/rules/VariableNamingConventions.java
index a108688e3e..d5e6c229cb 100644
--- a/pmd/src/net/sourceforge/pmd/rules/VariableNamingConventions.java
+++ b/pmd/src/net/sourceforge/pmd/rules/VariableNamingConventions.java
@@ -8,9 +8,10 @@ import java.util.Map;
 import net.sourceforge.pmd.AbstractRule;
 import net.sourceforge.pmd.PropertyDescriptor;
 import net.sourceforge.pmd.ast.ASTClassOrInterfaceDeclaration;
+import net.sourceforge.pmd.ast.ASTClassOrInterfaceType;
 import net.sourceforge.pmd.ast.ASTCompilationUnit;
 import net.sourceforge.pmd.ast.ASTFieldDeclaration;
-import net.sourceforge.pmd.ast.ASTName;
+import net.sourceforge.pmd.ast.ASTReferenceType;
 import net.sourceforge.pmd.ast.ASTPrimitiveType;
 import net.sourceforge.pmd.ast.ASTType;
 import net.sourceforge.pmd.ast.ASTVariableDeclarator;
@@ -71,9 +72,14 @@ public class VariableNamingConventions extends AbstractRule {
     private Object checkNames(ASTFieldDeclaration node, Object data) {
         ASTType childNodeType = (ASTType) node.jjtGetChild(0);
         String varType = "";
-        if (childNodeType.jjtGetChild(0) instanceof ASTName) {
-            varType = ((ASTName) childNodeType.jjtGetChild(0)).getImage();
-        } else if (childNodeType.jjtGetChild(0) instanceof ASTPrimitiveType) {
+        if (childNodeType.jjtGetChild(0) instanceof ASTReferenceType ) {
+            ASTReferenceType refType = ((ASTReferenceType) childNodeType.jjtGetChild(0));
+	    if ( refType.jjtGetChild(0) instanceof ASTClassOrInterfaceType ) {
+	    	varType = ((ASTClassOrInterfaceType)refType.jjtGetChild(0)).getImage();
+	    } else {
+	    	varType = "";
+	    }
+	} else if (childNodeType.jjtGetChild(0) instanceof ASTPrimitiveType) {
             varType = ((ASTPrimitiveType) childNodeType.jjtGetChild(0)).getImage();
         }
         if (varType != null && varType.length() > 0) {