diff --git a/src/jdk.compiler/share/classes/com/sun/tools/javac/comp/LambdaToMethod.java b/src/jdk.compiler/share/classes/com/sun/tools/javac/comp/LambdaToMethod.java
index 5f2a5820e03..9d7bd1f068e 100644
--- a/src/jdk.compiler/share/classes/com/sun/tools/javac/comp/LambdaToMethod.java
+++ b/src/jdk.compiler/share/classes/com/sun/tools/javac/comp/LambdaToMethod.java
@@ -1569,8 +1569,15 @@ public class LambdaToMethod extends TreeTranslator {
         public void visitVarDef(JCVariableDecl tree) {
             TranslationContext<?> context = context();
             if (context != null && context instanceof LambdaTranslationContext lambdaContext) {
-                if (frameStack.head.tree.hasTag(LAMBDA)) {
-                    lambdaContext.addSymbol(tree.sym, LOCAL_VAR);
+                for (Frame frame : frameStack) {
+                    if (frame.tree.hasTag(VARDEF)) {
+                        //skip variable frames inside a lambda:
+                        continue;
+                    } else if (frame.tree.hasTag(LAMBDA)) {
+                        lambdaContext.addSymbol(tree.sym, LOCAL_VAR);
+                    } else {
+                        break;
+                    }
                 }
                 // Check for type variables (including as type arguments).
                 // If they occur within class nested in a lambda, mark for erasure
diff --git a/test/langtools/tools/javac/patterns/T8312229.java b/test/langtools/tools/javac/patterns/T8312229.java
new file mode 100644
index 00000000000..423864cdcc3
--- /dev/null
+++ b/test/langtools/tools/javac/patterns/T8312229.java
@@ -0,0 +1,44 @@
+/*
+ * Copyright (c) 2023, Oracle and/or its affiliates. All rights reserved.
+ * DO NOT ALTER OR REMOVE COPYRIGHT NOTICES OR THIS FILE HEADER.
+ *
+ * This code is free software; you can redistribute it and/or modify it
+ * under the terms of the GNU General Public License version 2 only, as
+ * published by the Free Software Foundation.
+ *
+ * This code is distributed in the hope that it will be useful, but WITHOUT
+ * ANY WARRANTY; without even the implied warranty of MERCHANTABILITY or
+ * FITNESS FOR A PARTICULAR PURPOSE.  See the GNU General Public License
+ * version 2 for more details (a copy is included in the LICENSE file that
+ * accompanied this code).
+ *
+ * You should have received a copy of the GNU General Public License version
+ * 2 along with this work; if not, write to the Free Software Foundation,
+ * Inc., 51 Franklin St, Fifth Floor, Boston, MA 02110-1301 USA.
+ *
+ * Please contact Oracle, 500 Oracle Parkway, Redwood Shores, CA 94065 USA
+ * or visit www.oracle.com if you need additional information or have any
+ * questions.
+ */
+ /*
+ * @test
+ * @bug 8312229
+ * @summary Ensure javac does not crash when a variable is used from an anonymous class
+ * @compile T8312229.java
+ */
+public class T8312229 {
+    void test(Object o) {
+        Runnable r = () -> {
+            var l = switch (o) {
+                default -> {
+                    Integer i = 42;
+                    yield new Runnable() {
+                        public void run() {
+                            i.toString(); // should not crash here
+                        }
+                    };
+                }
+            };
+        };
+    }
+}