diff --git a/compiler/rustc_middle/src/ty/sty.rs b/compiler/rustc_middle/src/ty/sty.rs
index 6b4f08d9f93..c1fa84dcb25 100644
--- a/compiler/rustc_middle/src/ty/sty.rs
+++ b/compiler/rustc_middle/src/ty/sty.rs
@@ -1132,8 +1132,16 @@ impl<'tcx> ProjectionTy<'tcx> {
     /// For example, if this is a projection of `<T as Iterator>::Item`,
     /// then this function would return a `T: Iterator` trait reference.
     pub fn trait_ref(&self, tcx: TyCtxt<'tcx>) -> ty::TraitRef<'tcx> {
+        // FIXME: This method probably shouldn't exist at all, since it's not
+        // clear what this method really intends to do. Be careful when
+        // using this method since the resulting TraitRef additionally
+        // contains the substs for the assoc_item, which strictly speaking
+        // is not correct
         let def_id = tcx.associated_item(self.item_def_id).container.id();
-        ty::TraitRef { def_id, substs: self.substs.truncate_to(tcx, tcx.generics_of(def_id)) }
+        // Include substitutions for generic arguments of associated types
+        let assoc_item = tcx.associated_item(self.item_def_id);
+        let substs_assoc_item = self.substs.truncate_to(tcx, tcx.generics_of(assoc_item.def_id));
+        ty::TraitRef { def_id, substs: substs_assoc_item }
     }
 
     pub fn self_ty(&self) -> Ty<'tcx> {