diff --git a/sql/catalyst/src/main/scala/org/apache/spark/sql/catalyst/analysis/Analyzer.scala b/sql/catalyst/src/main/scala/org/apache/spark/sql/catalyst/analysis/Analyzer.scala
index 23e4709bbd882..876aa0eae0e90 100644
--- a/sql/catalyst/src/main/scala/org/apache/spark/sql/catalyst/analysis/Analyzer.scala
+++ b/sql/catalyst/src/main/scala/org/apache/spark/sql/catalyst/analysis/Analyzer.scala
@@ -17,6 +17,8 @@
 
 package org.apache.spark.sql.catalyst.analysis
 
+import java.lang.reflect.Modifier
+
 import scala.collection.mutable.ArrayBuffer
 
 import org.apache.spark.sql.AnalysisException
@@ -559,7 +561,13 @@ class Analyzer(
       }
 
       resolveExpression(unbound, LocalRelation(attributes), throws = true) transform {
-        case n: NewInstance if n.outerPointer.isEmpty && n.cls.isMemberClass =>
+        case n: NewInstance
+          // If this is an inner class of another class, register the outer object in `OuterScopes`.
+          // Note that static inner classes (e.g., inner classes within Scala objects) don't need
+          // outer pointer registration.
+          if n.outerPointer.isEmpty &&
+             n.cls.isMemberClass &&
+             !Modifier.isStatic(n.cls.getModifiers) =>
           val outer = OuterScopes.outerScopes.get(n.cls.getDeclaringClass.getName)
           if (outer == null) {
             throw new AnalysisException(
diff --git a/sql/core/src/test/scala/org/apache/spark/sql/DatasetSuite.scala b/sql/core/src/test/scala/org/apache/spark/sql/DatasetSuite.scala
index 14fc37b64aa36..33df6375e3aad 100644
--- a/sql/core/src/test/scala/org/apache/spark/sql/DatasetSuite.scala
+++ b/sql/core/src/test/scala/org/apache/spark/sql/DatasetSuite.scala
@@ -621,12 +621,22 @@ class DatasetSuite extends QueryTest with SharedSQLContext {
       ds.filter(_ => true),
       Some(1), Some(2), Some(3))
   }
+
+  test("SPARK-13540 Dataset of nested class defined in Scala object") {
+    checkAnswer(
+      Seq(OuterObject.InnerClass("foo")).toDS(),
+      OuterObject.InnerClass("foo"))
+  }
 }
 
 class OuterClass extends Serializable {
   case class InnerClass(a: String)
 }
 
+object OuterObject {
+  case class InnerClass(a: String)
+}
+
 case class ClassData(a: String, b: Int)
 case class ClassData2(c: String, d: Int)
 case class ClassNullableData(a: String, b: Integer)