diff --git a/lib/astutils.cpp b/lib/astutils.cpp
index 8db8a56cff1..e31c73fc235 100644
--- a/lib/astutils.cpp
+++ b/lib/astutils.cpp
@@ -1020,7 +1020,7 @@ bool isAliasOf(const Token* tok, const Token* expr, int* indirect, bool* inconcl
                 if (val.isLocalLifetimeValue() || (pointer && val.isSymbolicValue() && val.intvalue == 0)) {
                     if (findAstNode(val.tokvalue,
                                     [&](const Token* aliasTok) {
-                        return aliasTok->exprId() == childTok->exprId();
+                        return aliasTok != childTok && aliasTok->exprId() == childTok->exprId();
                     })) {
                         if (val.isInconclusive() && inconclusive != nullptr) {
                             value = &val;
diff --git a/test/testother.cpp b/test/testother.cpp
index e73ef09e06a..90bf6cbacff 100644
--- a/test/testother.cpp
+++ b/test/testother.cpp
@@ -3973,6 +3973,15 @@ class TestOther : public TestFixture {
               "}\n");
         ASSERT_EQUALS("[test.cpp:2]: (style) Parameter 's' can be declared as pointer to const\n",
                       errout.str());
+
+        check("void f(char *a1, char *a2) {\n" // #12252
+              "    char* b = new char[strlen(a1) + strlen(a2) + 2];\n"
+              "    sprintf(b, \"%s_%s\", a1, a2);\n"
+              "    delete[] b;\n"
+              "}\n");
+        ASSERT_EQUALS("[test.cpp:1]: (style) Parameter 'a1' can be declared as pointer to const\n"
+                      "[test.cpp:1]: (style) Parameter 'a2' can be declared as pointer to const\n",
+                      errout.str());
     }
 
     void switchRedundantAssignmentTest() {