diff --git a/lib/less/tree/import.js b/lib/less/tree/import.js
index 18e439285..b084eef34 100644
--- a/lib/less/tree/import.js
+++ b/lib/less/tree/import.js
@@ -127,7 +127,7 @@ Import.prototype.eval = function (context) {
         }
     }
 
-    if (this.options.inline) {
+    if (this.options.inline && !this.path.currentFileInfo.reference) {
         var contents = new Anonymous(this.root, 0, {filename: this.importedFilename}, true, true);
         return this.features ? new Media([contents], this.features.value) : [contents];
     } else if (this.css) {
diff --git a/test/less/import/import-inline-invalid-css.less b/test/less/import/import-inline-invalid-css.less
new file mode 100644
index 000000000..274a76e3b
--- /dev/null
+++ b/test/less/import/import-inline-invalid-css.less
@@ -0,0 +1 @@
+@import (inline) "invalid-css.less";
\ No newline at end of file
diff --git a/test/less/import/import-reference.less b/test/less/import/import-reference.less
index cadf09f65..77d06765f 100644
--- a/test/less/import/import-reference.less
+++ b/test/less/import/import-reference.less
@@ -86,4 +86,7 @@
   }
   @rules1: {property: value;};
   @rules2: {property: value;};
-}
\ No newline at end of file
+}
+
+@import (inline) "invalid-css.less";
+@import "import-inline-invalid-css.less";
\ No newline at end of file