diff --git a/rt/frontend/jaxws/src/main/java/org/apache/cxf/jaxws/handler/AnnotationHandlerChainBuilder.java b/rt/frontend/jaxws/src/main/java/org/apache/cxf/jaxws/handler/AnnotationHandlerChainBuilder.java
index d8d62f4e7ae..b25fd76dc32 100644
--- a/rt/frontend/jaxws/src/main/java/org/apache/cxf/jaxws/handler/AnnotationHandlerChainBuilder.java
+++ b/rt/frontend/jaxws/src/main/java/org/apache/cxf/jaxws/handler/AnnotationHandlerChainBuilder.java
@@ -87,7 +87,7 @@ public List<Handler> buildHandlerChainFromClass(Class<?> clz, List<Handler> exis
 
             try {
                 
-                URL handlerFileURL  = resolveHandlerChainFile(clz, hcAnn.getFileName()); 
+                URL handlerFileURL  = resolveHandlerChainFile(hcAnn.getDeclaringClass(), hcAnn.getFileName()); 
                 if (handlerFileURL == null) {
                     throw new WebServiceException(new Message("HANDLER_CFG_FILE_NOT_FOUND_EXC", BUNDLE, hcAnn
                         .getFileName()).toString());