diff --git a/source/java/org/alfresco/rest/api/search/impl/SearchMapper.java b/source/java/org/alfresco/rest/api/search/impl/SearchMapper.java
index 656135a284..72580c2d2d 100644
--- a/source/java/org/alfresco/rest/api/search/impl/SearchMapper.java
+++ b/source/java/org/alfresco/rest/api/search/impl/SearchMapper.java
@@ -524,40 +524,43 @@ public class SearchMapper
                 Pivot pivot = piterator.next();
                 ParameterCheck.mandatoryString("pivot key", pivot.getKey());
                 String pivotKey = pivot.getKey();
+
                 if (facetFields.getFacets() != null && !facetFields.getFacets().isEmpty())
                 {
-                    Optional<FacetField> found = facetFields.getFacets().stream().filter(
-                                queryable -> pivotKey.equals(queryable.getLabel()!=null?queryable.getLabel():queryable.getField())).findFirst();
+                    Optional<FacetField> found = facetFields.getFacets().stream()
+                                .filter(queryable -> pivotKey.equals(queryable.getLabel() != null ? queryable.getLabel() : queryable.getField())).findFirst();
 
                     if (found.isPresent())
                     {
                         sp.addPivot(found.get().getField());
                         facetFields.getFacets().remove(found.get());
                         searchRequestContext.getPivotKeys().put(found.get().getField(), pivotKey);
+                        continue;
                     }
-                    else
+                }
+
+                if (piterator.hasNext())
+                {
+                    //Its not the last one so lets complain
+                    throw new InvalidArgumentException(InvalidArgumentException.DEFAULT_MESSAGE_ID,
+                                new Object[] { ": Pivot parameter " + pivotKey + " is does not reference a facet Field." });
+                }
+                else
+                {
+                    if (stats != null && !stats.isEmpty())
                     {
-                        if (piterator.hasNext())
+                        //It is the last one so it can reference stats
+                        Optional<StatsRequestParameters> foundStat =  stats.stream().filter(stas -> pivotKey.equals(stas.getLabel()!=null?stas.getLabel():stas.getField())).findFirst();
+                        if (foundStat.isPresent())
                         {
-                            //Its not the last one so lets complain
-                            throw new InvalidArgumentException(InvalidArgumentException.DEFAULT_MESSAGE_ID,
-                                        new Object[] { ": Pivot parameter " + pivotKey + " is does not reference a facet Field." });
-                        }
-                        else
-                        {
-                            //It is the last one so it can reference facetquery or stats
-                            /**
-                            Optional<StatsRequestParameters> foundStat =  stats.stream().filter(stas -> pivotKey.equals(stas.getLabel())).findFirst();
-                            if (foundStat.isPresent())
-                            {
-                                stats.remove(foundStat.get());
-                            }
-                             **/
                             sp.addPivot(pivotKey);
                             searchRequestContext.getPivotKeys().put(pivotKey, pivotKey);
+                            continue;
                         }
-                    }
 
+                    }
+                    throw new InvalidArgumentException(InvalidArgumentException.DEFAULT_MESSAGE_ID,
+                                new Object[] { ": Pivot parameter " + pivotKey + " is does not reference a facet Field or stats." });
                 }
             }
         }
diff --git a/source/test-java/org/alfresco/rest/api/search/SearchMapperTests.java b/source/test-java/org/alfresco/rest/api/search/SearchMapperTests.java
index b81cb5d6b4..d90c06a49f 100644
--- a/source/test-java/org/alfresco/rest/api/search/SearchMapperTests.java
+++ b/source/test-java/org/alfresco/rest/api/search/SearchMapperTests.java
@@ -697,8 +697,15 @@ public class SearchMapperTests
 
         SearchRequestContext searchRequestContext = SearchRequestContext.from(minimalQuery());
 
-        //"bob" doesn't refer to a field facet but its the last one so lets be kind
-        searchMapper.fromPivot(searchParameters, null, ff, Arrays.asList(new Pivot("bob")), searchRequestContext);
+        //"bob" doesn't refer to a field facet but its the last one so needs to refer to a stat
+        StatsRequestParameters bobf = new StatsRequestParameters("bob", null, null, null,null, null, null, null,null, null, null, null,null, null, null, null);
+        StatsRequestParameters bobL = new StatsRequestParameters("creator", "bob", null, null,null, null, null, null,null, null, null, null,null, null, null, null);
+        searchMapper.fromPivot(searchParameters, Arrays.asList(bobf), ff, Arrays.asList(new Pivot("bob")), searchRequestContext);
+        assertEquals(1 ,searchParameters.getPivots().size());
+
+        searchParameters = new SearchParameters();
+        searchMapper.fromPivot(searchParameters, Arrays.asList(bobf), ff, Arrays.asList(new Pivot("bob")), searchRequestContext);
+        assertEquals(1 ,searchParameters.getPivots().size());
 
         try
         {