diff --git a/src/runtime/translate.ts b/src/runtime/translate.ts
index 886e61956..62eb4ebca 100644
--- a/src/runtime/translate.ts
+++ b/src/runtime/translate.ts
@@ -205,7 +205,10 @@ export function translate(
       warn(`Fall back to translate '${key}' key with '${targetLocale}' locale.`)
     }
     message = messages[targetLocale] || {}
-    format = resolveValue(message, key)
+    if ((format = resolveValue(message, key)) === null) {
+      // if null, resolve with object key path
+      format = (message as any)[key] // eslint-disable-line @typescript-eslint/no-explicit-any
+    }
     if (isString(format) || isFunction(format)) break
     handleMissing(context, key, targetLocale, missingWarn, 'translate')
   }
diff --git a/test/runtime/translate.test.ts b/test/runtime/translate.test.ts
index 98458eb53..80a9f5b5f 100644
--- a/test/runtime/translate.test.ts
+++ b/test/runtime/translate.test.ts
@@ -539,4 +539,16 @@ describe('edge cases', () => {
     })
     expect(translate(ctx, 'こんにちは')).toEqual('こんにちは！')
   })
+
+  test('object path key', () => {
+    const ctx = context({
+      locale: 'en',
+      messages: {
+        en: {
+          'side.left': 'Left'
+        }
+      }
+    })
+    expect(translate(ctx, 'side.left')).toEqual('Left')
+  })
 })