diff --git a/src/CPPScope.cxx b/src/CPPScope.cxx
index e6c86c6..013e63c 100644
--- a/src/CPPScope.cxx
+++ b/src/CPPScope.cxx
@@ -431,6 +431,8 @@ static PyObject* meta_getattro(PyObject* pyclass, PyObject* pyname)
         if (attr) {
         // cache the result
             if (CPPDataMember_Check(attr)) {
+                if (Cppyy::IsClass(scope))
+                    PyType_Type.tp_setattro(pyclass, pyname, attr);
                 PyType_Type.tp_setattro((PyObject*)Py_TYPE(pyclass), pyname, attr);
 
                 Py_DECREF(attr);