diff --git a/apps/language_server/lib/language_server/providers/definition.ex b/apps/language_server/lib/language_server/providers/definition.ex
index 25ea03bf1..ddf972c3b 100644
--- a/apps/language_server/lib/language_server/providers/definition.ex
+++ b/apps/language_server/lib/language_server/providers/definition.ex
@@ -16,7 +16,15 @@ defmodule ElixirLS.LanguageServer.Providers.Definition do
     result =
       case Locator.definition(source_file.text, line, character, metadata: metadata) do
         nil ->
-          nil
+          case Locator.definition(source_file.text, line, max(character - 1, 1),
+                 metadata: metadata
+               ) do
+            nil ->
+              nil
+
+            %ElixirLS.LanguageServer.Location{} = location ->
+              Protocol.Location.new(location, uri, source_file.text, project_dir)
+          end
 
         %ElixirLS.LanguageServer.Location{} = location ->
           Protocol.Location.new(location, uri, source_file.text, project_dir)
diff --git a/apps/language_server/lib/language_server/providers/references.ex b/apps/language_server/lib/language_server/providers/references.ex
index e03302128..830abf48e 100644
--- a/apps/language_server/lib/language_server/providers/references.ex
+++ b/apps/language_server/lib/language_server/providers/references.ex
@@ -25,7 +25,18 @@ defmodule ElixirLS.LanguageServer.Providers.References do
     Build.with_build_lock(fn ->
       trace = ElixirLS.LanguageServer.Tracer.get_trace()
 
-      Locator.references(source_file.text, line, character, trace, metadata: metadata)
+      references =
+        case Locator.references(source_file.text, line, character, trace, metadata: metadata) do
+          [] ->
+            Locator.references(source_file.text, line, max(character - 1, 1), trace,
+              metadata: metadata
+            )
+
+          references ->
+            references
+        end
+
+      references
       |> Enum.map(fn elixir_sense_reference ->
         elixir_sense_reference
         |> build_reference(uri, source_file.text, project_dir)
diff --git a/apps/language_server/lib/language_server/providers/references/locator.ex b/apps/language_server/lib/language_server/providers/references/locator.ex
index 5e96a6724..b96b39e32 100644
--- a/apps/language_server/lib/language_server/providers/references/locator.ex
+++ b/apps/language_server/lib/language_server/providers/references/locator.ex
@@ -20,7 +20,19 @@ defmodule ElixirLS.LanguageServer.Providers.References.Locator do
   alias ElixirSense.Core.Parser
 
   def references(code, line, column, trace, options \\ []) do
-    case NormalizedCode.Fragment.surround_context(code, {line, column}) do
+    {context, column} =
+      case NormalizedCode.Fragment.surround_context(code, {line, column}) do
+        :none ->
+          {:none, column}
+
+        %{context: {:dot, _, _}} ->
+          {NormalizedCode.Fragment.surround_context(code, {line, max(column - 1, 1)}), column - 1}
+
+        context ->
+          {context, column}
+      end
+
+    case context do
       :none ->
         []