diff --git a/db-service/lib/infer/index.js b/db-service/lib/infer/index.js
index 9b616a7ea..2e84335fd 100644
--- a/db-service/lib/infer/index.js
+++ b/db-service/lib/infer/index.js
@@ -727,6 +727,9 @@ function infer(originalQuery, model) {
       function resolveInline(col, namePrefix = col.as || col.flatName) {
         const { inline, $refLinks } = col
         const $leafLink = $refLinks[$refLinks.length - 1]
+        if(!$leafLink.definition.target && !$leafLink.definition.elements) {
+          throw new Error(`Unexpected “inline” on “${col.ref.map(idOnly)}”; can only be used after a reference to a structure, association or table alias`)
+        }
         let elements = {}
         inline.forEach(inlineCol => {
           inferQueryElement(inlineCol, false, $leafLink, { inExpr: true, inNestedProjection: true, baseColumn: col })
@@ -780,6 +783,9 @@ function infer(originalQuery, model) {
       function resolveExpand(col) {
         const { expand, $refLinks } = col
         const $leafLink = $refLinks?.[$refLinks.length - 1] || inferred.SELECT.from.$refLinks.at(-1) // fallback to anonymous expand
+        if(!$leafLink.definition.target && !$leafLink.definition.elements) {
+          throw new Error(`Unexpected “expand” on “${col.ref.map(idOnly)}”; can only be used after a reference to a structure, association or table alias`)
+        }
         const target = getDefinition($leafLink.definition.target)
         if (target) {
           const expandSubquery = {
@@ -795,19 +801,20 @@ function infer(originalQuery, model) {
             ? new cds.struct({ elements: inferredExpandSubquery.elements })
             : new cds.array({ items: new cds.struct({ elements: inferredExpandSubquery.elements }) })
           return Object.defineProperty(res, '$assocExpand', { value: true })
-        } // struct
-        let elements = {}
-        expand.forEach(e => {
-          if (e === '*') {
-            elements = { ...elements, ...$leafLink.definition.elements }
-          } else {
-            inferQueryElement(e, false, $leafLink, { inExpr: true, inNestedProjection: true })
-            if (e.expand) elements[e.as || e.flatName] = resolveExpand(e)
-            if (e.inline) elements = { ...elements, ...resolveInline(e) }
-            else elements[e.as || e.flatName] = e.$refLinks ? e.$refLinks[e.$refLinks.length - 1].definition : e
-          }
-        })
-        return new cds.struct({ elements })
+        } else if ($leafLink.definition.elements) {
+          let elements = {}
+          expand.forEach(e => {
+            if (e === '*') {
+              elements = { ...elements, ...$leafLink.definition.elements }
+            } else {
+              inferQueryElement(e, false, $leafLink, { inExpr: true, inNestedProjection: true })
+              if (e.expand) elements[e.as || e.flatName] = resolveExpand(e)
+              if (e.inline) elements = { ...elements, ...resolveInline(e) }
+              else elements[e.as || e.flatName] = e.$refLinks ? e.$refLinks[e.$refLinks.length - 1].definition : e
+            }
+          })
+          return new cds.struct({ elements })
+        }
       }
 
       function stepNotFoundInPredecessor(step, def) {
diff --git a/db-service/test/bookshop/db/schema.cds b/db-service/test/bookshop/db/schema.cds
index 5002d3d97..62bba3000 100644
--- a/db-service/test/bookshop/db/schema.cds
+++ b/db-service/test/bookshop/db/schema.cds
@@ -300,6 +300,9 @@ entity SoccerPlayers {
   key jerseyNumber: Integer;
   name: String;
   team: Association to SoccerTeams;
+  emails: many {
+    address: String;
+  }
 }
 
 entity TestPublisher {
diff --git a/db-service/test/cds-infer/negative.test.js b/db-service/test/cds-infer/negative.test.js
index 1b34c6f9a..e50b591d2 100644
--- a/db-service/test/cds-infer/negative.test.js
+++ b/db-service/test/cds-infer/negative.test.js
@@ -365,6 +365,28 @@ describe('negative', () => {
         ),
       ).to.throw(/"title" not found in the elements of "bookshop.Authors"/)
     })
+
+    it('expand on `.items` not possible', () => {
+      expect(() => _inferred(CQL`SELECT from bookshop.SoccerPlayers { name, emails { address } }`, model)).to.throw(
+        "Unexpected “expand” on “emails”; can only be used after a reference to a structure, association or table alias"
+      )
+    })
+    it('expand on scalar not possible', () => {
+      expect(() => _inferred(CQL`SELECT from bookshop.SoccerPlayers { name { address } }`, model)).to.throw(
+        "Unexpected “expand” on “name”; can only be used after a reference to a structure, association or table alias"
+      )
+    })
+
+    it('inline on `.items` not possible', () => {
+      expect(() => _inferred(CQL`SELECT from bookshop.SoccerPlayers { name, emails.{ address } }`, model)).to.throw(
+        "Unexpected “inline” on “emails”; can only be used after a reference to a structure, association or table alias"
+      )
+    })
+    it('inline on scalar not possible', () => {
+      expect(() => _inferred(CQL`SELECT from bookshop.SoccerPlayers { name.{ address } }`, model)).to.throw(
+        "Unexpected “inline” on “name”; can only be used after a reference to a structure, association or table alias"
+      )
+    })
   })
 
   describe('infix filters', () => {