diff --git a/detekt-psi-utils/api/detekt-psi-utils.api b/detekt-psi-utils/api/detekt-psi-utils.api
index b1e2a840ba1..d2aac2a350d 100644
--- a/detekt-psi-utils/api/detekt-psi-utils.api
+++ b/detekt-psi-utils/api/detekt-psi-utils.api
@@ -45,7 +45,7 @@ public final class io/gitlab/arturbosch/detekt/rules/AllowedExceptionNamePattern
 }
 
 public final class io/gitlab/arturbosch/detekt/rules/GuardClausesKt {
-	public static final fun isElvisOperatorGuardClause (Lorg/jetbrains/kotlin/psi/KtExpression;)Z
+	public static final fun isElvisOperatorGuardClause (Lorg/jetbrains/kotlin/psi/KtExpression;Lorg/jetbrains/kotlin/psi/KtExpression;)Z
 	public static final fun isIfConditionGuardClause (Lorg/jetbrains/kotlin/psi/KtExpression;Lorg/jetbrains/kotlin/psi/KtExpression;)Z
 }
 
diff --git a/detekt-psi-utils/src/main/kotlin/io/gitlab/arturbosch/detekt/rules/GuardClauses.kt b/detekt-psi-utils/src/main/kotlin/io/gitlab/arturbosch/detekt/rules/GuardClauses.kt
index d1a6d3dda9d..1274c10c85b 100644
--- a/detekt-psi-utils/src/main/kotlin/io/gitlab/arturbosch/detekt/rules/GuardClauses.kt
+++ b/detekt-psi-utils/src/main/kotlin/io/gitlab/arturbosch/detekt/rules/GuardClauses.kt
@@ -5,6 +5,7 @@ import org.jetbrains.kotlin.psi.KtBinaryExpression
 import org.jetbrains.kotlin.psi.KtExpression
 import org.jetbrains.kotlin.psi.KtIfExpression
 import org.jetbrains.kotlin.psi.KtNamedFunction
+import org.jetbrains.kotlin.psi.psiUtil.anyDescendantOfType
 import org.jetbrains.kotlin.psi.psiUtil.findDescendantOfType
 import org.jetbrains.kotlin.psi.psiUtil.lastBlockStatementOrThis
 
@@ -23,7 +24,7 @@ inline fun <reified T : KtExpression> KtNamedFunction.yieldStatementsSkippingGua
 
 inline fun <reified T : KtExpression> KtExpression.isGuardClause(): Boolean {
     val descendantExpr = this.findDescendantOfType<T>() ?: return false
-    return this.isIfConditionGuardClause(descendantExpr) || this.isElvisOperatorGuardClause()
+    return this.isIfConditionGuardClause(descendantExpr) || this.isElvisOperatorGuardClause(descendantExpr)
 }
 
 fun <T : KtExpression> KtExpression.isIfConditionGuardClause(descendantExpr: T): Boolean {
@@ -32,7 +33,5 @@ fun <T : KtExpression> KtExpression.isIfConditionGuardClause(descendantExpr: T):
         descendantExpr === ifExpr.then?.lastBlockStatementOrThis()
 }
 
-fun KtExpression.isElvisOperatorGuardClause(): Boolean {
-    val elvisExpr = this.findDescendantOfType<KtBinaryExpression>() ?: return false
-    return elvisExpr.operationToken == KtTokens.ELVIS
-}
+fun <T : KtExpression> KtExpression.isElvisOperatorGuardClause(descendantExpr: T): Boolean =
+    this.anyDescendantOfType<KtBinaryExpression> { it.operationToken == KtTokens.ELVIS && it.right == descendantExpr }
diff --git a/detekt-rules-style/src/test/kotlin/io/gitlab/arturbosch/detekt/rules/style/ReturnCountSpec.kt b/detekt-rules-style/src/test/kotlin/io/gitlab/arturbosch/detekt/rules/style/ReturnCountSpec.kt
index b9e43bd7dc8..978e931c629 100644
--- a/detekt-rules-style/src/test/kotlin/io/gitlab/arturbosch/detekt/rules/style/ReturnCountSpec.kt
+++ b/detekt-rules-style/src/test/kotlin/io/gitlab/arturbosch/detekt/rules/style/ReturnCountSpec.kt
@@ -186,10 +186,12 @@ class ReturnCountSpec {
     @Nested
     inner class `a file with multiple guard clauses` {
         val code = """
-            fun multipleGuards(a: Int?, b: Any?, c: Int?) {
+            var x = 1
+            fun multipleGuards(a: Int?, b: Any?, c: Int?, d: Int?) {
                 if(a == null) return
                 val models = b as? Int ?: return
                 val position = c?.takeIf { it != -1 } ?: return
+                x = d ?: return
                 if(b !is String) {
                     println("b is not a String")
                     return