diff --git a/lib/checkother.cpp b/lib/checkother.cpp
index 1ec8df6e8..9f04e2058 100644
--- a/lib/checkother.cpp
+++ b/lib/checkother.cpp
@@ -2059,7 +2059,7 @@ void CheckOther::checkStructMemberUsage()
             {
                 if (tok2->str() == "(")
                 {
-                    structname = "";
+                    structname.clear();
                     break;
                 }
 
@@ -2067,20 +2067,24 @@ void CheckOther::checkStructMemberUsage()
                     break;
             }
 
+            // bail out if struct is inherited
+            if (!structname.empty() && Token::findmatch(tok, (",|private|protected|public " + structname).c_str()))
+                structname.clear();
+
             // Bail out if some data is casted to struct..
             const std::string s("( struct| " + tok->next()->str() + " * ) & %var% [");
             if (Token::findmatch(tok, s.c_str()))
-                structname = "";
+                structname.clear();
 
             // Try to prevent false positives when struct members are not used directly.
             if (Token::findmatch(tok, (structname + " *").c_str()))
-                structname = "";
+                structname.clear();
             else if (Token::findmatch(tok, (structname + " %type% *").c_str()))
                 structname = "";
         }
 
         if (tok->str() == "}")
-            structname = "";
+            structname.clear();
 
         if (!structname.empty() && Token::Match(tok, "[{;]"))
         {
@@ -2097,7 +2101,7 @@ void CheckOther::checkStructMemberUsage()
             else
                 continue;
 
-            // Check if the struct variable is anywhere in the file
+            // Check if the struct variable is used anywhere in the file
             const std::string usagePattern(". " + varname);
             bool used = false;
             for (const Token *tok2 = _tokenizer->tokens(); tok2; tok2 = tok2->next())
diff --git a/test/testunusedvar.cpp b/test/testunusedvar.cpp
index d0197ee91..96e6dbda5 100644
--- a/test/testunusedvar.cpp
+++ b/test/testunusedvar.cpp
@@ -44,6 +44,7 @@ private:
         TEST_CASE(structmember6);
         TEST_CASE(structmember7);
         TEST_CASE(structmember8);
+        TEST_CASE(structmember9);  // #2017 - struct is inherited
         TEST_CASE(structmember_extern);		// No false positives for extern structs
 
         TEST_CASE(localvar1);
@@ -279,6 +280,17 @@ private:
         ASSERT_EQUALS("", errout.str());
     }
 
+    void structmember9()
+    {
+        checkStructMemberUsage("struct base {\n"
+                               "    int a;\n"
+                               "};\n"
+                               "\n"
+                               "struct derived : public base {"
+                               "}\n");
+        ASSERT_EQUALS("", errout.str());
+    }
+
     void structmember_extern()
     {
         // extern struct => no false positive