diff --git a/server/src/main/java/org/elasticsearch/action/fieldcaps/TransportFieldCapabilitiesIndexAction.java b/server/src/main/java/org/elasticsearch/action/fieldcaps/TransportFieldCapabilitiesIndexAction.java
index 2c0d4ef5635e7..4ce810be9311d 100644
--- a/server/src/main/java/org/elasticsearch/action/fieldcaps/TransportFieldCapabilitiesIndexAction.java
+++ b/server/src/main/java/org/elasticsearch/action/fieldcaps/TransportFieldCapabilitiesIndexAction.java
@@ -91,16 +91,22 @@ protected FieldCapabilitiesIndexResponse shardOperation(final FieldCapabilitiesI
                     continue;
                 }
                 // add nested and object fields
-                int dotIndex = ft.name().indexOf('.');
+                int dotIndex = ft.name().lastIndexOf('.');
                 while (dotIndex > -1) {
                     String parentField = ft.name().substring(0, dotIndex);
-                    ObjectMapper mapper = mapperService.getObjectMapper(parentField);
-                    if (mapper != null) {
+                    if (responseMap.containsKey(parentField)) {
+                        // we added this path on another field already
+                        break;
+                    }
+                    // checks if the parent field contains sub-fields
+                    if (mapperService.fullName(parentField) == null) {
+                        // no field type, it must be an object field
+                        ObjectMapper mapper = mapperService.getObjectMapper(parentField);
                         String type = mapper.nested().isNested() ? "nested" : "object";
                         FieldCapabilities fieldCap = new FieldCapabilities(parentField, type, false, false);
                         responseMap.put(parentField, fieldCap);
                     }
-                    dotIndex = ft.name().indexOf('.', dotIndex + 1);
+                    dotIndex = parentField.lastIndexOf('.');
                 }
             }
         }