diff --git a/lisp/ox.el b/lisp/ox.el
index 02c0ddefe..c14eafe44 100644
--- a/lisp/ox.el
+++ b/lisp/ox.el
@@ -4753,7 +4753,8 @@ objects of the same type."
      (let ((counter 0))
        ;; Increment counter until ELEMENT is found again.
        (org-element-map (plist-get info :parse-tree)
-	   (or types (org-element-type element))
+	   (or (and types (cons (org-element-type element) types))
+               (org-element-type element))
 	 (lambda (el)
            (let ((cached (org-element-property :org-export--counter el)))
 	     (cond