diff --git a/pmd-java/etc/grammar/Java.jjt b/pmd-java/etc/grammar/Java.jjt
index 45ac709fa9..cce100569b 100644
--- a/pmd-java/etc/grammar/Java.jjt
+++ b/pmd-java/etc/grammar/Java.jjt
@@ -1788,7 +1788,13 @@ void UnaryExpressionNotPlusMinus() #UnaryExpressionNotPlusMinus((jjtn000.getImag
 {}
 {
  ( "~" {jjtThis.setImage("~");} | "!" {jjtThis.setImage("!");} ) UnaryExpression()
-| LOOKAHEAD(CastExpression()) CastExpression()
+/*
+ * This is really ugly... we are repeting the CastExpression lookahead and full expression...
+ * If we don't the lookahead within CastExpression is ignored, and it simply looks for the expression,
+ * meaning we can't be explicit as to what can be casted depending on the cast type (primitive or otherwhise)
+*/
+| LOOKAHEAD("(" (Annotation())* PrimitiveType() ")") CastExpression()
+| LOOKAHEAD("(" (Annotation())* Type() ( "&" ReferenceType() )* ")" UnaryExpressionNotPlusMinus()) CastExpression()
 | PostfixExpression()
 }
 
@@ -1803,7 +1809,7 @@ void CastExpression() :
 {
   LOOKAHEAD(
     "(" (Annotation())* PrimitiveType() ")"
-  ) "(" (Annotation() {checkForBadTypeAnnotations();})* PrimitiveType() ")" UnaryExpression()
+  ) "(" (Annotation() {checkForBadTypeAnnotations();})* Type() ")" UnaryExpression()
 | "(" (Annotation() {checkForBadTypeAnnotations();})* Type() ( "&" {checkForBadIntersectionTypesInCasts(); jjtThis.setIntersectionTypes(true);} ReferenceType() )* ")" UnaryExpressionNotPlusMinus()
 }
 
diff --git a/pmd-java/src/main/resources/rulesets/java/controversial.xml b/pmd-java/src/main/resources/rulesets/java/controversial.xml
index 1640a842ca..1e3393209e 100644
--- a/pmd-java/src/main/resources/rulesets/java/controversial.xml
+++ b/pmd-java/src/main/resources/rulesets/java/controversial.xml
@@ -379,7 +379,7 @@ adverse impacts on performance.
             <property name="xpath">
                 <value>
                     <![CDATA[
-            //PrimitiveType[@Image = 'short'][name(..) != 'CastExpression']
+            //PrimitiveType[@Image = 'short'][name(../..) != 'CastExpression']
                     ]]>
                 </value>
             </property>