diff --git a/app/models/tag_implication.rb b/app/models/tag_implication.rb
index 9d9a851ad..b10a4c65a 100644
--- a/app/models/tag_implication.rb
+++ b/app/models/tag_implication.rb
@@ -77,7 +77,7 @@ class TagImplication < TagRelationship
   module ValidationMethods
     def absence_of_circular_relation
       # We don't want a -> b && b -> a chains
-      if TagImplication.active.exists?(["antecedent_name = ? and consequent_name = ?", consequent_name, antecedent_name])
+      if descendants.include?(antecedent_name)
         errors[:base] << "Tag implication can not create a circular relation with another tag implication"
       end
     end
diff --git a/test/unit/tag_implication_test.rb b/test/unit/tag_implication_test.rb
index d1dd50880..d5352fcff 100644
--- a/test/unit/tag_implication_test.rb
+++ b/test/unit/tag_implication_test.rb
@@ -80,10 +80,13 @@ class TagImplicationTest < ActiveSupport::TestCase
 
     should "not validate when a circular relation is created" do
       ti1 = FactoryBot.create(:tag_implication, :antecedent_name => "aaa", :consequent_name => "bbb")
-      ti2 = FactoryBot.build(:tag_implication, :antecedent_name => "bbb", :consequent_name => "aaa")
-      ti2.save
-      assert(ti2.errors.any?, "Tag implication should not have validated.")
-      assert_equal("Tag implication can not create a circular relation with another tag implication", ti2.errors.full_messages.join(""))
+      ti2 = FactoryBot.create(:tag_implication, :antecedent_name => "bbb", :consequent_name => "ccc")
+      ti3 = FactoryBot.build(:tag_implication, :antecedent_name => "bbb", :consequent_name => "aaa")
+
+      assert(ti1.valid?)
+      assert(ti2.valid?)
+      refute(ti3.valid?)
+      assert_equal("Tag implication can not create a circular relation with another tag implication", ti3.errors.full_messages.join(""))
     end
 
     should "not validate when a transitive relation is created" do