diff --git a/spec/spec_helper.rb b/spec/spec_helper.rb
index 355dddfce20..1f12da7429d 100644
--- a/spec/spec_helper.rb
+++ b/spec/spec_helper.rb
@@ -481,8 +481,11 @@ RSpec.configure do |config|
   if Bullet.enable?
     config.before(:each) do |example|
       Bullet.start_request
-      possible_objects, impossible_objects =
-        example.example_group.onceler.instance_variable_get(:@bullet_state)
+      # we walk the example group chain until we reach one that actually recorded something
+      oncie = example.example_group
+      oncie = oncie.superclass while oncie && !oncie.onceler&.tape && oncie.superclass.respond_to?(:onceler)
+
+      possible_objects, impossible_objects = oncie.onceler.instance_variable_get(:@bullet_state)
       possible_objects&.each { |object| Bullet::Detector::NPlusOneQuery.possible_objects.add(object) }
       impossible_objects&.each { |object| Bullet::Detector::NPlusOneQuery.impossible_objects.add(object) }
     end