Index: trunk/src/org/openstreetmap/josm/data/validation/tests/Highways.java
===================================================================
--- trunk/src/org/openstreetmap/josm/data/validation/tests/Highways.java	(revision 14775)
+++ trunk/src/org/openstreetmap/josm/data/validation/tests/Highways.java	(revision 14777)
@@ -218,5 +218,5 @@
             if (otherWays.size() == 1)
                 continue;
-            otherWays.removeIf(w -> w == way || !highway.startsWith(w.get(HIGHWAY)) || !LINK_TO_HIGHWAYS.contains(w.get(HIGHWAY)));
+            otherWays.removeIf(w -> w == way || !w.hasTag("highway") || !highway.startsWith(w.get(HIGHWAY)) || !LINK_TO_HIGHWAYS.contains(w.get(HIGHWAY)));
             if (otherWays.isEmpty())
                 continue;