diff --git a/activerecord/lib/active_record/associations/collection_association.rb b/activerecord/lib/active_record/associations/collection_association.rb
index 7b6aefe3455aa1966b1e18d66adeb48db52a4649..16b1228b8a6e4248a11df5179fa7b10b420f0a39 100644
--- a/activerecord/lib/active_record/associations/collection_association.rb
+++ b/activerecord/lib/active_record/associations/collection_association.rb
@@ -597,8 +597,8 @@ def include_in_memory?(record)
           if reflection.is_a?(ActiveRecord::Reflection::ThroughReflection)
             assoc = owner.association(reflection.through_reflection.name)
             assoc.reader.any? { |source|
-              target = source.send(reflection.source_reflection.name)
-              target.respond_to?(:include?) ? target.include?(record) : target == record
+              target_reflection = source.send(reflection.source_reflection.name)
+              target_reflection.respond_to?(:include?) ? target_reflection.include?(record) : target_reflection == record
             } || target.include?(record)
           else
             target.include?(record)