diff --git a/docx4j-core/src/main/java/org/docx4j/openpackaging/parts/WordprocessingML/MainDocumentPart.java b/docx4j-core/src/main/java/org/docx4j/openpackaging/parts/WordprocessingML/MainDocumentPart.java
index 388cd7e53..a86486e59 100644
--- a/docx4j-core/src/main/java/org/docx4j/openpackaging/parts/WordprocessingML/MainDocumentPart.java
+++ b/docx4j-core/src/main/java/org/docx4j/openpackaging/parts/WordprocessingML/MainDocumentPart.java
@@ -156,14 +156,31 @@ public List<Object> getContent() {
     	return this.getJaxbElement().getContent();
     }	
 	
-    private PropertyResolver propertyResolver;
+	private PropertyResolver propertyResolver;
+
+	/**
+	 * get the PropertyResolver, creating if necessary
+	 */
 	public PropertyResolver getPropertyResolver() {
-		if (propertyResolver==null) {
+		return getPropertyResolver(true);
+	}
+
+	/**
+	 * get the PropertyResolver
+	 * 
+	 * @param create whether to create if null
+	 * @return
+	 * @since 11.5.2
+	 */
+	public PropertyResolver getPropertyResolver(boolean create) {
+		// create=false is only really necessary where a StackOverflow is a possibility;
+		// eg getPropertyResolver() being invoked from PropertyResolver's constructor.
+		if (create && propertyResolver == null) {
 			try {
-				propertyResolver = new PropertyResolver( (WordprocessingMLPackage)this.pack);
+				propertyResolver = new PropertyResolver((WordprocessingMLPackage) this.pack);
 			} catch (Docx4JException e) {
 				e.printStackTrace();
-			}			
+			}
 		}
 		return propertyResolver;
 	}
diff --git a/docx4j-core/src/main/java/org/docx4j/openpackaging/parts/WordprocessingML/NumberingDefinitionsPart.java b/docx4j-core/src/main/java/org/docx4j/openpackaging/parts/WordprocessingML/NumberingDefinitionsPart.java
index 56b05a939..0d96ef404 100644
--- a/docx4j-core/src/main/java/org/docx4j/openpackaging/parts/WordprocessingML/NumberingDefinitionsPart.java
+++ b/docx4j-core/src/main/java/org/docx4j/openpackaging/parts/WordprocessingML/NumberingDefinitionsPart.java
@@ -410,19 +410,40 @@ private Ind getIndFromLvl(Lvl lvl) {
 		// use any w:ind in it (or TODO styles it is based on)
 		if (lvl.getPStyle()!=null) {
 			
+			log.debug("override level has linked style: " + lvl.getPStyle().getVal() );
+
 			// Get the style
-//			StyleDefinitionsPart stylesPart = ((WordprocessingMLPackage)this.getPackage()).
-//				getMainDocumentPart().getStyleDefinitionsPart();
+			org.docx4j.wml.Style style = null;
 			PropertyResolver propertyResolver 
-				= ((WordprocessingMLPackage)this.getPackage()).getMainDocumentPart().getPropertyResolver(); 
-			
-			log.debug("override level has linked style: " + lvl.getPStyle().getVal() );
-			
-			org.docx4j.wml.Style style = propertyResolver.getStyle( lvl.getPStyle().getVal() );
+				= ((WordprocessingMLPackage)this.getPackage()).getMainDocumentPart().getPropertyResolver(false); 
+				/* avoids invoking it during init:
+					at org.docx4j.openpackaging.parts.WordprocessingML.MainDocumentPart.getPropertyResolver(MainDocumentPart.java:163)
+					at org.docx4j.openpackaging.parts.WordprocessingML.NumberingDefinitionsPart.getIndFromLvl(NumberingDefinitionsPart.java:417)
+					at org.docx4j.openpackaging.parts.WordprocessingML.NumberingDefinitionsPart.getInd(NumberingDefinitionsPart.java:401)
+					at org.docx4j.openpackaging.parts.WordprocessingML.NumberingDefinitionsPart.getInd(NumberingDefinitionsPart.java:365)
+					at org.docx4j.model.styles.StyleUtil.apply(StyleUtil.java:1941)
+					at org.docx4j.model.styles.StyleUtil.apply(StyleUtil.java:1896)
+					at org.docx4j.model.PropertyResolver.applyPPr(PropertyResolver.java:842)
+					at org.docx4j.model.PropertyResolver.addNormalToResolvedStylePPrComponent(PropertyResolver.java:234)
+					at org.docx4j.model.PropertyResolver.init(PropertyResolver.java:212)
+					at org.docx4j.model.PropertyResolver.<init>(PropertyResolver.java:145)
+					at org.docx4j.openpackaging.parts.WordprocessingML.MainDocumentPart.getPropertyResolver(MainDocumentPart.java:163)
+				*/			
+			if (propertyResolver==null) {
+				// less efficient
+				StyleDefinitionsPart stylesPart = ((WordprocessingMLPackage)this.getPackage()).getMainDocumentPart().getStyleDefinitionsPart();
+				style = stylesPart.getStyleById(lvl.getPStyle().getVal());
+				
+			} else {
+				// use propertyResolver
+				style = propertyResolver.getStyle( lvl.getPStyle().getVal() );
+			}
 			
 			if (style==null) {
-				log.error("Couldn't find style " + lvl.getPStyle().getVal());
+				log.warn("Couldn't find style " + lvl.getPStyle().getVal());
 				return null;
+			} else {
+				log.debug(".. found it");
 			}
 			
 			// If the style has a w:ind, return it.