diff --git a/infer/src/java/jTrans.ml b/infer/src/java/jTrans.ml
index d9cd05e1c..66d21fda4 100644
--- a/infer/src/java/jTrans.ml
+++ b/infer/src/java/jTrans.ml
@@ -87,9 +87,8 @@ let get_field_name program static tenv cn fs =
   | Some (fieldname, _, _) ->
       fieldname
   | None ->
-      (* TODO: understand why fields cannot be found here *)
-      L.internal_error "cannot find %s.%s@." (JBasics.cn_name cn) (JBasics.fs_name fs) ;
-      raise (Frontend_error "Cannot find fieldname")
+      (* TODO (T28155039): understand why fields cannot be found here *)
+      JTransType.create_fieldname cn fs
 
 
 let formals_from_signature program tenv cn ms kind =
diff --git a/infer/src/java/jTransType.ml b/infer/src/java/jTransType.ml
index 7156b85be..3387d1e54 100644
--- a/infer/src/java/jTransType.ml
+++ b/infer/src/java/jTransType.ml
@@ -216,14 +216,14 @@ let get_method_kind m =
   if Javalib.is_static_method m then Typ.Procname.Java.Static else Typ.Procname.Java.Non_Static
 
 
-let fieldname_create cn fs =
+let create_fieldname cn fs =
   let fieldname = JBasics.fs_name fs in
   let classname = JBasics.cn_name cn in
   Typ.Fieldname.Java.from_string (classname ^ "." ^ fieldname)
 
 
 let create_sil_class_field cn {Javalib.cf_signature; cf_annotations; cf_kind} =
-  let field_name = fieldname_create cn cf_signature
+  let field_name = create_fieldname cn cf_signature
   and field_type = get_named_type (JBasics.fs_type cf_signature)
   and annotation =
     let real_annotations = JAnnotation.translate_item cf_annotations in
@@ -250,7 +250,7 @@ let collect_class_field cn cf (statics, nonstatics) =
 let collect_interface_field cn inf l =
   let fs = inf.Javalib.if_signature in
   let field_type = get_named_type (JBasics.fs_type fs) in
-  let field_name = fieldname_create cn fs in
+  let field_name = create_fieldname cn fs in
   let annotation = JAnnotation.translate_item inf.Javalib.if_annotations in
   (field_name, field_type, annotation) :: l
 
diff --git a/infer/src/java/jTransType.mli b/infer/src/java/jTransType.mli
index 2bee21cd6..da34a79bf 100644
--- a/infer/src/java/jTransType.mli
+++ b/infer/src/java/jTransType.mli
@@ -10,6 +10,9 @@ open! IStd
 open Javalib_pack
 open Sawja_pack
 
+val create_fieldname : JBasics.class_name -> JBasics.field_signature -> Typ.Fieldname.t
+(** translate the name of the field *)
+
 val get_method_kind : JCode.jcode Javalib.jmethod -> Typ.Procname.Java.kind
 
 val get_method_procname :
@@ -19,7 +22,7 @@ val get_method_procname :
   -> JBasics.method_signature
   -> Typ.Procname.Java.kind
   -> Typ.Procname.t
-(** returns a procedure name based on the class name and the method's signature. *)
+(** returns a procedure name based on the class name and the method's signature *)
 
 val translate_method_name :
   JClasspath.program -> Tenv.t -> JCode.jcode Javalib.jmethod -> Typ.Procname.t