diff --git a/jOOQ/src/main/java/org/jooq/impl/Tools.java b/jOOQ/src/main/java/org/jooq/impl/Tools.java
index 6dd3036b19..3be5739c55 100644
--- a/jOOQ/src/main/java/org/jooq/impl/Tools.java
+++ b/jOOQ/src/main/java/org/jooq/impl/Tools.java
@@ -5333,13 +5333,22 @@ final class Tools {
         return result;
     }
 
+    /**
+     * Look up a field in a table, or create a new qualified field from the table.
+     */
     static final Field<?> tableField(Table<?> table, Object field) {
         if (field instanceof Field<?>)
             return (Field<?>) field;
         else if (field instanceof Name)
-            return table.field((Name) field);
+            if (table.fieldsRow().size() == 0)
+                return DSL.field(table.getQualifiedName().append(((Name) field).unqualifiedName())) ;
+            else
+                return table.field((Name) field);
         else if (field instanceof String)
-            return table.field((String) field);
+            if (table.fieldsRow().size() == 0)
+                return DSL.field(table.getQualifiedName().append((String) field));
+            else
+                return table.field((String) field);
         else
             throw new IllegalArgumentException("Field type not supported: " + field);
     }