diff --git a/activerecord/lib/active_record/associations/join_helper.rb b/activerecord/lib/active_record/associations/join_helper.rb
index 5a41b40c8fc6d..27b70edf1a02a 100644
--- a/activerecord/lib/active_record/associations/join_helper.rb
+++ b/activerecord/lib/active_record/associations/join_helper.rb
@@ -19,7 +19,7 @@ def construct_tables
 
           if reflection.source_macro == :has_and_belongs_to_many
             tables << alias_tracker.aliased_table_for(
-              (reflection.source_reflection || reflection).join_table,
+              reflection.source_reflection.join_table,
               table_alias_for(reflection, true)
             )
           end
diff --git a/activerecord/lib/active_record/reflection.rb b/activerecord/lib/active_record/reflection.rb
index e95f77b4d04e3..d3a56c870a8e7 100644
--- a/activerecord/lib/active_record/reflection.rb
+++ b/activerecord/lib/active_record/reflection.rb
@@ -269,7 +269,7 @@ def through_reflection
       end
 
       def source_reflection
-        nil
+        self
       end
 
       # A chain of reflections from this one back to the owner. For more see the explanation in