diff --git a/syft/pkg/cataloger/java/parse_pom_xml.go b/syft/pkg/cataloger/java/parse_pom_xml.go
index befe0537d..5fe1f34d1 100644
--- a/syft/pkg/cataloger/java/parse_pom_xml.go
+++ b/syft/pkg/cataloger/java/parse_pom_xml.go
@@ -236,7 +236,11 @@ func resolveProperty(pom gopom.Project, property *string, propertyName string) s
 	seenBeforePropertyNames := map[string]struct{}{
 		propertyName: {},
 	}
-	return recursiveResolveProperty(pom, propertyCase, seenBeforePropertyNames)
+	result := recursiveResolveProperty(pom, propertyCase, seenBeforePropertyNames)
+	if propertyMatcher.MatchString(result) {
+		return "" // dereferencing variable failed; fall back to empty string
+	}
+	return result
 }
 
 //nolint:gocognit
diff --git a/syft/pkg/cataloger/java/parse_pom_xml_test.go b/syft/pkg/cataloger/java/parse_pom_xml_test.go
index 450f33fcd..66ebb5216 100644
--- a/syft/pkg/cataloger/java/parse_pom_xml_test.go
+++ b/syft/pkg/cataloger/java/parse_pom_xml_test.go
@@ -502,7 +502,7 @@ func Test_resolveProperty(t *testing.T) {
 			pom: gopom.Project{
 				Parent: nil,
 			},
-			expected: "${project.parent.groupId}",
+			expected: "",
 		},
 		{
 			name:     "nil string pointer halts search",
@@ -512,7 +512,7 @@ func Test_resolveProperty(t *testing.T) {
 					GroupID: nil,
 				},
 			},
-			expected: "${project.parent.groupId}",
+			expected: "",
 		},
 		{
 			name:     "double dereference",
@@ -537,7 +537,7 @@ func Test_resolveProperty(t *testing.T) {
 					Version: stringPointer("1.2.3"),
 				},
 			},
-			expected: "${springboot.version}",
+			expected: "",
 		},
 		{
 			name:     "resolution halts even if it resolves to a variable",
@@ -552,7 +552,7 @@ func Test_resolveProperty(t *testing.T) {
 					},
 				},
 			},
-			expected: "${undefined.version}",
+			expected: "",
 		},
 		{
 			name:     "resolution halts even if cyclic",
@@ -564,7 +564,7 @@ func Test_resolveProperty(t *testing.T) {
 					},
 				},
 			},
-			expected: "${springboot.version}",
+			expected: "",
 		},
 		{
 			name:     "resolution halts even if cyclic more steps",
@@ -578,21 +578,24 @@ func Test_resolveProperty(t *testing.T) {
 					},
 				},
 			},
-			expected: "${cyclic.version}",
+			expected: "",
 		},
 		{
 			name:     "resolution  halts even if cyclic involving parent",
 			property: "${cyclic.version}",
 			pom: gopom.Project{
+				Parent: &gopom.Parent{
+					Version: stringPointer("${cyclic.version}"),
+				},
 				Properties: &gopom.Properties{
 					Entries: map[string]string{
-						"other.version":      "${cyclic.version}",
+						"other.version":      "${parent.version}",
 						"springboot.version": "${other.version}",
 						"cyclic.version":     "${springboot.version}",
 					},
 				},
 			},
-			expected: "${cyclic.version}",
+			expected: "",
 		},
 	}