diff --git a/src/Utility.php b/src/Utility.php
index a9da0d1..fb56c95 100644
--- a/src/Utility.php
+++ b/src/Utility.php
@@ -345,11 +345,11 @@ public static function retrieveNestedProperty(array $properties, $property_path)
       return NULL;
     }
 
+    $property = static::getInnerProperty($properties[$key]);
     if (!isset($nested_path)) {
-      return $properties[$key];
+      return $property;
     }
 
-    $property = static::getInnerProperty($properties[$key]);
     if (!$property instanceof ComplexDataDefinitionInterface) {
       return NULL;
     }