diff --git a/Library/Homebrew/formulary.rb b/Library/Homebrew/formulary.rb
index 86ce3d1451..1a8afb24a9 100644
--- a/Library/Homebrew/formulary.rb
+++ b/Library/Homebrew/formulary.rb
@@ -203,7 +203,7 @@ module Formulary
 
       @caveats_string = json_formula["caveats"]
       def caveats
-        @caveats_string
+        self.class.instance_variable_get(:@caveats_string)
       end
     end
 
diff --git a/Library/Homebrew/test/formulary_spec.rb b/Library/Homebrew/test/formulary_spec.rb
index a631cf491a..6276ecf876 100644
--- a/Library/Homebrew/test/formulary_spec.rb
+++ b/Library/Homebrew/test/formulary_spec.rb
@@ -241,7 +241,7 @@ describe Formulary do
             "recommended_dependencies" => ["recommended_dep"],
             "optional_dependencies"    => ["optional_dep"],
             "uses_from_macos"          => ["uses_from_macos_dep"],
-            "caveats"                  => "",
+            "caveats"                  => "example caveat string",
           }.merge(extra_items),
         }
       end
@@ -276,6 +276,7 @@ describe Formulary do
           expect(formula.deps.count).to eq 5
         end
         expect(formula.uses_from_macos_elements).to eq ["uses_from_macos_dep"]
+        expect(formula.caveats).to eq "example caveat string"
         expect {
           formula.install
         }.to raise_error("Cannot build from source from abstract formula.")