diff --git a/src/backend/parser/parse_target.c b/src/backend/parser/parse_target.c
index 57247de363..3bc62ac3ba 100644
--- a/src/backend/parser/parse_target.c
+++ b/src/backend/parser/parse_target.c
@@ -1499,7 +1499,8 @@ ExpandRowReference(ParseState *pstate, Node *expr,
  * drill down to find the ultimate defining expression and attempt to infer
  * the tupdesc from it.  We ereport if we can't determine the tupdesc.
  *
- * levelsup is an extra offset to interpret the Var's varlevelsup correctly.
+ * levelsup is an extra offset to interpret the Var's varlevelsup correctly
+ * when recursing.  Outside callers should pass zero.
  */
 TupleDesc
 expandRecordVariable(ParseState *pstate, Var *var, int levelsup)
@@ -1587,10 +1588,17 @@ expandRecordVariable(ParseState *pstate, Var *var, int levelsup)
 					/*
 					 * Recurse into the sub-select to see what its Var refers
 					 * to.  We have to build an additional level of ParseState
-					 * to keep in step with varlevelsup in the subselect.
+					 * to keep in step with varlevelsup in the subselect;
+					 * furthermore, the subquery RTE might be from an outer
+					 * query level, in which case the ParseState for the
+					 * subselect must have that outer level as parent.
 					 */
 					ParseState	mypstate = {0};
+					Index		levelsup;
 
+					/* this loop must work, since GetRTEByRangeTablePosn did */
+					for (levelsup = 0; levelsup < netlevelsup; levelsup++)
+						pstate = pstate->parentParseState;
 					mypstate.parentParseState = pstate;
 					mypstate.p_rtable = rte->subquery->rtable;
 					/* don't bother filling the rest of the fake pstate */
@@ -1641,12 +1649,11 @@ expandRecordVariable(ParseState *pstate, Var *var, int levelsup)
 					 * Recurse into the CTE to see what its Var refers to. We
 					 * have to build an additional level of ParseState to keep
 					 * in step with varlevelsup in the CTE; furthermore it
-					 * could be an outer CTE.
+					 * could be an outer CTE (compare SUBQUERY case above).
 					 */
-					ParseState	mypstate;
+					ParseState	mypstate = {0};
 					Index		levelsup;
 
-					MemSet(&mypstate, 0, sizeof(mypstate));
 					/* this loop must work, since GetCTEForRTE did */
 					for (levelsup = 0;
 						 levelsup < rte->ctelevelsup + netlevelsup;
diff --git a/src/test/regress/expected/rowtypes.out b/src/test/regress/expected/rowtypes.out
index 981ee0811a..d735a95bdc 100644
--- a/src/test/regress/expected/rowtypes.out
+++ b/src/test/regress/expected/rowtypes.out
@@ -1240,6 +1240,42 @@ select r, r is null as isnull, r is not null as isnotnull from r;
  (,)         | t      | f
 (6 rows)
 
+--
+-- Check parsing of indirect references to composite values (bug #18077)
+--
+explain (verbose, costs off)
+with cte(c) as materialized (select row(1, 2)),
+     cte2(c) as (select * from cte)
+select * from cte2 as t
+where (select * from (select c as c1) s
+       where (select (c1).f1 > 0)) is not null;
+                 QUERY PLAN                 
+--------------------------------------------
+ CTE Scan on cte
+   Output: cte.c
+   Filter: ((SubPlan 3) IS NOT NULL)
+   CTE cte
+     ->  Result
+           Output: '(1,2)'::record
+   SubPlan 3
+     ->  Result
+           Output: cte.c
+           One-Time Filter: $2
+           InitPlan 2 (returns $2)
+             ->  Result
+                   Output: ((cte.c).f1 > 0)
+(13 rows)
+
+with cte(c) as materialized (select row(1, 2)),
+     cte2(c) as (select * from cte)
+select * from cte2 as t
+where (select * from (select c as c1) s
+       where (select (c1).f1 > 0)) is not null;
+   c   
+-------
+ (1,2)
+(1 row)
+
 --
 -- Tests for component access / FieldSelect
 --
diff --git a/src/test/regress/sql/rowtypes.sql b/src/test/regress/sql/rowtypes.sql
index 565e6249d5..11bfcdee3a 100644
--- a/src/test/regress/sql/rowtypes.sql
+++ b/src/test/regress/sql/rowtypes.sql
@@ -494,6 +494,21 @@ with r(a,b) as materialized
           (null,row(1,2)), (null,row(null,null)), (null,null) )
 select r, r is null as isnull, r is not null as isnotnull from r;
 
+--
+-- Check parsing of indirect references to composite values (bug #18077)
+--
+explain (verbose, costs off)
+with cte(c) as materialized (select row(1, 2)),
+     cte2(c) as (select * from cte)
+select * from cte2 as t
+where (select * from (select c as c1) s
+       where (select (c1).f1 > 0)) is not null;
+
+with cte(c) as materialized (select row(1, 2)),
+     cte2(c) as (select * from cte)
+select * from cte2 as t
+where (select * from (select c as c1) s
+       where (select (c1).f1 > 0)) is not null;
 
 --
 -- Tests for component access / FieldSelect