diff --git a/src/main/java/org/springframework/data/jpa/repository/query/QueryUtils.java b/src/main/java/org/springframework/data/jpa/repository/query/QueryUtils.java
index 6628a2c2e..66e8338f8 100644
--- a/src/main/java/org/springframework/data/jpa/repository/query/QueryUtils.java
+++ b/src/main/java/org/springframework/data/jpa/repository/query/QueryUtils.java
@@ -50,6 +50,7 @@ import javax.persistence.metamodel.Attribute;
 import javax.persistence.metamodel.Attribute.PersistentAttributeType;
 import javax.persistence.metamodel.Bindable;
 import javax.persistence.metamodel.ManagedType;
+import javax.persistence.metamodel.PluralAttribute;
 
 import org.springframework.core.annotation.AnnotationUtils;
 import org.springframework.data.domain.Sort;
@@ -439,22 +440,25 @@ public abstract class QueryUtils {
 	static <T> Expression<T> toExpressionRecursively(From<?, ?> from, PropertyPath property) {
 
 		Bindable<?> propertyPathModel = null;
-		if (from.getModel() instanceof ManagedType) {
+		Bindable<?> model = from.getModel();
+		String segment = property.getSegment();
+
+		if (model instanceof ManagedType) {
 
 			/*
 			 *  Required to keep support for EclipseLink 2.4.x. TODO: Remove once we drop that (probably Dijkstra M1)
 			 *  See: https://bugs.eclipse.org/bugs/show_bug.cgi?id=413892
 			 */
-			propertyPathModel = (Bindable<?>) ((ManagedType<?>) from.getModel()).getAttribute(property.getSegment());
+			propertyPathModel = (Bindable<?>) ((ManagedType<?>) model).getAttribute(segment);
 		} else {
-			propertyPathModel = from.get(property.getSegment()).getModel();
+			propertyPathModel = from.get(segment).getModel();
 		}
 
-		if (requiresJoin(propertyPathModel)) {
-			Join<?, ?> join = getOrCreateJoin(from, property.getSegment());
+		if (requiresJoin(propertyPathModel, model instanceof PluralAttribute)) {
+			Join<?, ?> join = getOrCreateJoin(from, segment);
 			return (Expression<T>) (property.hasNext() ? toExpressionRecursively(join, property.next()) : join);
 		} else {
-			Path<Object> path = from.get(property.getSegment());
+			Path<Object> path = from.get(segment);
 			return (Expression<T>) (property.hasNext() ? toExpressionRecursively(path, property.next()) : path);
 		}
 	}
@@ -464,9 +468,14 @@ public abstract class QueryUtils {
 	 * non-optional association.
 	 * 
 	 * @param propertyPathModel must not be {@literal null}.
+	 * @param for
 	 * @return
 	 */
-	private static boolean requiresJoin(Bindable<?> propertyPathModel) {
+	private static boolean requiresJoin(Bindable<?> propertyPathModel, boolean forPluralAttribute) {
+
+		if (propertyPathModel == null && forPluralAttribute) {
+			return true;
+		}
 
 		if (!(propertyPathModel instanceof Attribute)) {
 			return false;
diff --git a/src/test/java/org/springframework/data/jpa/repository/query/QueryUtilsIntegrationTests.java b/src/test/java/org/springframework/data/jpa/repository/query/QueryUtilsIntegrationTests.java
index cc979cc2f..65a0f0b7c 100644
--- a/src/test/java/org/springframework/data/jpa/repository/query/QueryUtilsIntegrationTests.java
+++ b/src/test/java/org/springframework/data/jpa/repository/query/QueryUtilsIntegrationTests.java
@@ -18,7 +18,14 @@ package org.springframework.data.jpa.repository.query;
 import static org.hamcrest.Matchers.*;
 import static org.junit.Assert.*;
 
+import java.util.Set;
+
+import javax.persistence.Entity;
 import javax.persistence.EntityManager;
+import javax.persistence.EntityManagerFactory;
+import javax.persistence.Id;
+import javax.persistence.OneToMany;
+import javax.persistence.Persistence;
 import javax.persistence.PersistenceContext;
 import javax.persistence.criteria.CriteriaBuilder;
 import javax.persistence.criteria.CriteriaQuery;
@@ -105,7 +112,42 @@ public class QueryUtilsIntegrationTests {
 		assertThat(root.getJoins(), hasSize(1));
 	}
 
+	/**
+	 * @see DATAJPA-476
+	 */
+	@Test
+	public void traversesPluralAttributeCorrectly() {
+
+		EntityManagerFactory entityManagerFactory = Persistence.createEntityManagerFactory("merchant");
+		CriteriaBuilder builder = entityManagerFactory.createEntityManager().getCriteriaBuilder();
+		CriteriaQuery<Merchant> query = builder.createQuery(Merchant.class);
+		Root<Merchant> root = query.from(Merchant.class);
+
+		QueryUtils.toExpressionRecursively(root, PropertyPath.from("employeesCredentialsUid", Merchant.class));
+	}
+
 	protected void assertNoJoinRequestedForOptionalAssociation(Root<Order> root) {
 		assertThat(root.getJoins(), is(empty()));
 	}
+
+	@Entity
+	static class Merchant {
+
+		@Id String id;
+		@OneToMany Set<Employee> employees;
+	}
+
+	@Entity
+	static class Employee {
+
+		@Id String id;
+		@OneToMany Set<Credential> credentials;
+	}
+
+	@Entity
+	static class Credential {
+
+		@Id String id;
+		String uid;
+	}
 }
diff --git a/src/test/resources/META-INF/persistence.xml b/src/test/resources/META-INF/persistence.xml
index 4ada165df..a67914334 100644
--- a/src/test/resources/META-INF/persistence.xml
+++ b/src/test/resources/META-INF/persistence.xml
@@ -55,6 +55,18 @@
 		</properties>
 	</persistence-unit>
 	
+	<!-- DATAJPA-476 -->
+	<persistence-unit name="merchant">
+		<class>org.springframework.data.jpa.domain.sample.User</class>
+		<class>org.springframework.data.jpa.repository.query.QueryUtilsIntegrationTests$Merchant</class>
+		<class>org.springframework.data.jpa.repository.query.QueryUtilsIntegrationTests$Employee</class>
+		<class>org.springframework.data.jpa.repository.query.QueryUtilsIntegrationTests$Credential</class>
+		<exclude-unlisted-classes>true</exclude-unlisted-classes>
+		<properties>
+			<property name="hibernate.dialect" value="org.hibernate.dialect.HSQLDialect" />
+		</properties>
+	</persistence-unit>
+	
 	<!--  Custom PUs for metadata tests -->
 	
 	<persistence-unit name="metadata">