diff --git a/java/src/org/broadinstitute/sting/gatk/walkers/annotator/VariantAnnotatorEngine.java b/java/src/org/broadinstitute/sting/gatk/walkers/annotator/VariantAnnotatorEngine.java
index c51349408..b9526be48 100755
--- a/java/src/org/broadinstitute/sting/gatk/walkers/annotator/VariantAnnotatorEngine.java
+++ b/java/src/org/broadinstitute/sting/gatk/walkers/annotator/VariantAnnotatorEngine.java
@@ -188,8 +188,14 @@ public class VariantAnnotatorEngine {
                 if ( dbsnp != null && (!vc.hasAttribute(VariantContext.ID_KEY) || vc.getAttribute(VariantContext.ID_KEY).equals(VCFConstants.EMPTY_ID_FIELD)) )
                     infoAnnotations.put(VariantContext.ID_KEY, dbsnp.getRsID());
             } else {
-                List<Object> dbRod = tracker.getReferenceMetaData(dbSet.getKey());
-                infoAnnotations.put(dbSet.getValue(), dbRod.size() == 0 ?  false : true);
+                boolean overlapsComp = false;
+                for ( VariantContext comp : tracker.getVariantContexts(ref, dbSet.getKey(), null, ref.getLocus(), false, false) ) {
+                    if ( !comp.isFiltered() ) {
+                        overlapsComp = true;
+                        break;
+                    }
+                }
+                infoAnnotations.put(dbSet.getValue(), overlapsComp ? true : false);
             }
         }
 
diff --git a/java/test/org/broadinstitute/sting/gatk/walkers/annotator/VariantAnnotatorIntegrationTest.java b/java/test/org/broadinstitute/sting/gatk/walkers/annotator/VariantAnnotatorIntegrationTest.java
index 5d515422b..9c2a989e5 100755
--- a/java/test/org/broadinstitute/sting/gatk/walkers/annotator/VariantAnnotatorIntegrationTest.java
+++ b/java/test/org/broadinstitute/sting/gatk/walkers/annotator/VariantAnnotatorIntegrationTest.java
@@ -84,10 +84,18 @@ public class VariantAnnotatorIntegrationTest extends WalkerTest {
     }
 
     @Test
-    public void testDBTag() {
+    public void testDBTagWithDbsnp() {
         WalkerTestSpec spec = new WalkerTestSpec(
                 baseTestString() + " -D " + GATKDataLocation + "dbsnp_129_b36.rod -G \"Standard\" -B variant,VCF," + validationDataLocation + "vcfexample3empty.vcf -BTI variant", 1,
                 Arrays.asList("24d9649943be876e78f76bbf9ff5b501"));
-        executeTest("getting DB tag", spec);
+        executeTest("getting DB tag with dbSNP", spec);
+    }
+
+    @Test
+    public void testDBTagWithHapMap() {
+        WalkerTestSpec spec = new WalkerTestSpec(
+                baseTestString() + " -B compH3,VCF," + validationDataLocation + "fakeHM3.vcf -G \"Standard\" -B variant,VCF," + validationDataLocation + "vcfexample3empty.vcf -BTI variant", 1,
+                Arrays.asList("77980e4f741c09d88f7a91faf86037c6"));
+        executeTest("getting DB tag with HM3", spec);
     }
 }