diff --git a/pmd-java/src/main/java/net/sourceforge/pmd/lang/java/typeresolution/MethodTypeResolution.java b/pmd-java/src/main/java/net/sourceforge/pmd/lang/java/typeresolution/MethodTypeResolution.java
index 8e0b0c31f9..d0f9567bc1 100644
--- a/pmd-java/src/main/java/net/sourceforge/pmd/lang/java/typeresolution/MethodTypeResolution.java
+++ b/pmd-java/src/main/java/net/sourceforge/pmd/lang/java/typeresolution/MethodTypeResolution.java
@@ -69,34 +69,21 @@ public final class MethodTypeResolution {
         List<JavaTypeDefinition> subtypeableParams = subtypeableMethod.getParameterTypes();
         List<JavaTypeDefinition> methodParams = method.getParameterTypes();
 
-
-        if (!method.getMethod().isVarArgs() && !subtypeableMethod.getMethod().isVarArgs()) {
+        // If we come from third-phase, both are varargs, otherwhise, treat all as fixed-arity
+        if (!method.getMethod().isVarArgs() || !subtypeableMethod.getMethod().isVarArgs()) {
             for (int index = 0; index < subtypeableParams.size(); ++index) {
                 if (!isSubtypeable(methodParams.get(index), subtypeableParams.get(index))) {
                     return false;
                 }
             }
-        } else if (method.getMethod().isVarArgs() && subtypeableMethod.getMethod().isVarArgs()) {
-
-            if (methodParams.size() < subtypeableParams.size()) {
-                for (int index = 0; index < subtypeableParams.size(); ++index) {
-                    if (!isSubtypeable(method.getArgTypeIncludingVararg(index),
-                                       subtypeableMethod.getArgTypeIncludingVararg(index))) {
-                        return false;
-                    }
-                }
-            } else {
-                for (int index = 0; index < methodParams.size(); ++index) {
-                    if (!isSubtypeable(method.getArgTypeIncludingVararg(index),
-                                       subtypeableMethod.getArgTypeIncludingVararg(index))) {
-                        return false;
-                    }
+        } else {
+            final int maxSize = Math.max(subtypeableParams.size(), methodParams.size());
+            for (int index = 0; index < maxSize; ++index) {
+                if (!isSubtypeable(method.getArgTypeIncludingVararg(index),
+                                   subtypeableMethod.getArgTypeIncludingVararg(index))) {
+                    return false;
                 }
             }
-
-        } else {
-            throw new IllegalStateException("These methods can only be vararg at the same time:\n"
-                                                    + method.toString() + "\n" + subtypeableMethod.toString());
         }
 
         return true;
@@ -110,13 +97,12 @@ public final class MethodTypeResolution {
                                                            List<MethodType> methodsToSearch, ASTArgumentList argList) {
         // TODO: check if explicit type arguments are applicable to the type parameter bounds
         List<MethodType> selectedMethods = new ArrayList<>();
+        final int argCount = argList == null ? 0 : argList.jjtGetNumChildren();
 
         outter:
         for (int methodIndex = 0; methodIndex < methodsToSearch.size(); ++methodIndex) {
             MethodType methodType = methodsToSearch.get(methodIndex);
 
-            final int argCount = argList == null ? 0 : argList.jjtGetNumChildren();
-
             // vararg methods are considered fixed arity here, see 3rd phase
             if (getArity(methodType.getMethod()) == argCount) {
                 if (!methodType.isParameterized()) {
@@ -260,6 +246,7 @@ public final class MethodTypeResolution {
     public static List<MethodType> selectMethodsSecondPhase(List<MethodType> methodsToSearch, ASTArgumentList argList) {
         // TODO: check if explicit type arguments are applicable to the type parameter bounds
         List<MethodType> selectedMethods = new ArrayList<>();
+        final int argCount = argList == null ? 0 : argList.jjtGetNumChildren();
 
         for (int methodIndex = 0; methodIndex < methodsToSearch.size(); ++methodIndex) {
             MethodType methodType = methodsToSearch.get(methodIndex);
@@ -267,8 +254,6 @@ public final class MethodTypeResolution {
                 throw new ResolutionFailedException();
             }
 
-            final int argCount = argList == null ? 0 : argList.jjtGetNumChildren();
-
             // vararg methods are considered fixed arity here, see 3rd phase
             if (getArity(methodType.getMethod()) == argCount) {
                 // check method convertability of each argument to the corresponding parameter
diff --git a/pmd-java/src/test/java/net/sourceforge/pmd/typeresolution/ClassTypeResolverTest.java b/pmd-java/src/test/java/net/sourceforge/pmd/typeresolution/ClassTypeResolverTest.java
index 40df739b28..3ed5700ea6 100644
--- a/pmd-java/src/test/java/net/sourceforge/pmd/typeresolution/ClassTypeResolverTest.java
+++ b/pmd-java/src/test/java/net/sourceforge/pmd/typeresolution/ClassTypeResolverTest.java
@@ -105,6 +105,7 @@ import net.sourceforge.pmd.typeresolution.testdata.SubTypeUsage;
 import net.sourceforge.pmd.typeresolution.testdata.SuperExpression;
 import net.sourceforge.pmd.typeresolution.testdata.ThisExpression;
 import net.sourceforge.pmd.typeresolution.testdata.VarArgsMethodUseCase;
+import net.sourceforge.pmd.typeresolution.testdata.VarargsAsFixedArity;
 import net.sourceforge.pmd.typeresolution.testdata.VarargsZeroArity;
 import net.sourceforge.pmd.typeresolution.testdata.dummytypes.Converter;
 import net.sourceforge.pmd.typeresolution.testdata.dummytypes.GenericClass;
@@ -1542,6 +1543,35 @@ public class ClassTypeResolverTest {
         // Make sure we got them all
         assertEquals("All expressions not tested", index, expressions.size());
     }
+    
+    @Test
+    public void testMethodTypeInferenceVarargsAsFixedArity() throws JaxenException {
+        ASTCompilationUnit acu = parseAndTypeResolveForClass15(VarargsAsFixedArity.class);
+
+        List<AbstractJavaTypeNode> expressions = convertList(
+                acu.findChildNodesWithXPath("//VariableInitializer/Expression/PrimaryExpression"),
+                AbstractJavaTypeNode.class);
+
+        int index = 0;
+
+        // int var = aMethod("");
+        assertEquals(int.class, expressions.get(index++).getType());
+
+        // String var2 = aMethod();
+        assertEquals(String.class, expressions.get(index++).getType());
+        
+        // String var3 = aMethod("", "");
+        assertEquals(String.class, expressions.get(index++).getType());
+        
+        // String var4 = aMethod(new Object[] { null });
+        assertEquals(String.class, expressions.get(index++).getType());
+        
+        // null literal has null type
+        assertNull(expressions.get(index++).getType());
+        
+        // Make sure we got them all
+        assertEquals("All expressions not tested", index, expressions.size());
+    }
 
     @Test
     public void testJavaTypeDefinitionEquals() {
diff --git a/pmd-java/src/test/java/net/sourceforge/pmd/typeresolution/testdata/VarargsAsFixedArity.java b/pmd-java/src/test/java/net/sourceforge/pmd/typeresolution/testdata/VarargsAsFixedArity.java
new file mode 100644
index 0000000000..11df97d3dc
--- /dev/null
+++ b/pmd-java/src/test/java/net/sourceforge/pmd/typeresolution/testdata/VarargsAsFixedArity.java
@@ -0,0 +1,23 @@
+/**
+ * BSD-style license; for more info see http://pmd.sourceforge.net/license.html
+ */
+
+package net.sourceforge.pmd.typeresolution.testdata;
+
+public class VarargsAsFixedArity {
+
+    public void tester() {
+        int var = aMethod("");
+        String var2 = aMethod();
+        String var3 = aMethod("", "");
+        String var4 = aMethod(new Object[] { null });
+    }
+    
+    public int aMethod(Object s) {
+        return 0;
+    }
+    
+    public String aMethod(Object... s) {
+        return null;
+    }
+}