diff --git a/tooling/metamodel-generator/src/main/java/org/hibernate/processor/validation/MockEntityPersister.java b/tooling/metamodel-generator/src/main/java/org/hibernate/processor/validation/MockEntityPersister.java
index 940df2e4ae07..0557025955ea 100644
--- a/tooling/metamodel-generator/src/main/java/org/hibernate/processor/validation/MockEntityPersister.java
+++ b/tooling/metamodel-generator/src/main/java/org/hibernate/processor/validation/MockEntityPersister.java
@@ -98,25 +98,36 @@ public String getEntityName() {
 
 	@Override
 	public final Type getPropertyType(String propertyPath) {
-		Type result = propertyTypesByName.get(propertyPath);
-		if (result!=null) {
-			return result;
+		final Type cached = propertyTypesByName.get(propertyPath);
+		if ( cached == null ) {
+			final Type type = propertyType( propertyPath );
+			if ( type != null ) {
+				propertyTypesByName.put( propertyPath, type );
+			}
+			return type;
+		}
+		else {
+			return cached;
 		}
+	}
 
-		result = createPropertyType(propertyPath);
-		if (result == null) {
-			//check subclasses, needed for treat()
-			result = getSubclassPropertyType(propertyPath);
+	private Type propertyType(String propertyPath) {
+		final Type type = createPropertyType( propertyPath );
+		if ( type != null ) {
+			return type;
 		}
 
-		if ("id".equals( propertyPath )) {
-			result = identifierType();
+		//check subclasses, needed for treat()
+		final Type typeFromSubclass = getSubclassPropertyType( propertyPath );
+		if ( typeFromSubclass != null ) {
+			return typeFromSubclass;
 		}
 
-		if (result!=null) {
-			propertyTypesByName.put(propertyPath, result);
+		if ( "id".equals( propertyPath ) ) {
+			return identifierType();
 		}
-		return result;
+
+		return null;
 	}
 
 	abstract Type createPropertyType(String propertyPath);