diff --git a/src/main/java/org/springframework/data/neo4j/repository/query/FluentQuerySupport.java b/src/main/java/org/springframework/data/neo4j/repository/query/FluentQuerySupport.java
index 59fdb4404..1fecad040 100644
--- a/src/main/java/org/springframework/data/neo4j/repository/query/FluentQuerySupport.java
+++ b/src/main/java/org/springframework/data/neo4j/repository/query/FluentQuerySupport.java
@@ -15,7 +15,6 @@
  */
 package org.springframework.data.neo4j.repository.query;
 
-import java.util.Arrays;
 import java.util.Collection;
 import java.util.Collections;
 import java.util.HashSet;
@@ -126,7 +125,7 @@ abstract class FluentQuerySupport<R> {
 		Set<String> allPaths = new HashSet<>();
 		for (String property : projectingProperties) {
 			if (property.contains(".")) {
-				allPaths.addAll(Arrays.stream(property.split("\\.")).toList());
+				allPaths.add(property.substring(0, property.lastIndexOf(".")));
 			}
 			allPaths.add(property);
 		}
diff --git a/src/test/java/org/springframework/data/neo4j/integration/imperative/RepositoryIT.java b/src/test/java/org/springframework/data/neo4j/integration/imperative/RepositoryIT.java
index 9ddaf3c17..c5444cea2 100644
--- a/src/test/java/org/springframework/data/neo4j/integration/imperative/RepositoryIT.java
+++ b/src/test/java/org/springframework/data/neo4j/integration/imperative/RepositoryIT.java
@@ -2793,6 +2793,7 @@ class RepositoryIT {
 					CREATE (f2) -[:ARRIVES] ->(cdg)
 					CREATE (f3) -[:DEPARTS] ->(lax)
 					CREATE (f3) -[:ARRIVES] ->(lhr)
+					CREATE (f1) -[:NEXT_FLIGHT] ->(f2) -[:NEXT_FLIGHT] ->(f3)
 					""");
 		}
 
@@ -2882,6 +2883,22 @@ class RepositoryIT {
 					});
 		}
 
+		@Test
+		void findAllByExampleFluentCyclicRelationships(@Autowired FlightRepository repository) {
+			Example<Flight> example = Example.of(new Flight("FL 001", null, null),
+					ExampleMatcher.matchingAll().withIgnoreNullValues());
+			List<Flight> flights = repository.findBy(example,
+					q -> q.project("name", "nextFlight.name", "nextFlight.nextFlight.name").all());
+
+			assertThat(flights)
+					.hasSize(1)
+					.first().satisfies(p -> {
+						assertThat(p.getName()).isEqualTo("FL 001");
+						assertThat(p.getNextFlight().getName()).isEqualTo("FL 002");
+						assertThat(p.getNextFlight().getNextFlight().getName()).isEqualTo("FL 003");
+					});
+		}
+
 		@Test // GH-2343
 		void findAllByExampleFluentAs(@Autowired PersonRepository repository) {
 
diff --git a/src/test/java/org/springframework/data/neo4j/integration/shared/common/Flight.java b/src/test/java/org/springframework/data/neo4j/integration/shared/common/Flight.java
index 9c454bbc5..9f50e9e66 100644
--- a/src/test/java/org/springframework/data/neo4j/integration/shared/common/Flight.java
+++ b/src/test/java/org/springframework/data/neo4j/integration/shared/common/Flight.java
@@ -57,4 +57,12 @@ public class Flight {
 	public Airport getArrival() {
 		return arrival;
 	}
+
+	public Flight getNextFlight() {
+		return this.nextFlight;
+	}
+
+	public void setNextFlight(Flight nextFlight) {
+		this.nextFlight = nextFlight;
+	}
 }