FULL PRODUCT VERSION :
java version "1.8.0"
Java(TM) SE Runtime Environment (build 1.8.0-b132)
Java HotSpot(TM) Client VM (build 25.0-b70, mixed mode, sharing)


ADDITIONAL OS VERSION INFORMATION :
Windows 7 64 bits, Windows 8.1 64 bits

A DESCRIPTION OF THE PROBLEM :
Method references cannot be used with method taht returns generic type.

^^^^^^^^^^^^
getObject()::doSomething

The getObject could not be resolved if it returns a generic type

When a parent class defines a generic type with a getter.
This getter cannot be called from a child class with a method reference.

Althought if we create a new getter with the right forced type the method is correctly called.

Provided sample code reproduced the problem

STEPS TO FOLLOW TO REPRODUCE THE PROBLEM :
Run TestFailure class

EXPECTED VERSUS ACTUAL BEHAVIOR :
EXPECTED -
The handler defined into AbstractClass is correctly resolved and called

ERROR MESSAGES/STACK TRACES THAT OCCUR :
Exception in thread "main" java.lang.VerifyError: Bad type on operand stack
Exception Details:
  Location:
    TestFailure.main([Ljava/lang/String;)V @13: invokedynamic
  Reason:
    Type 'Handler' (current frame, stack[1]) is not assignable to 'CustomHandler'
  Current Frame:
    bci: @13
    flags: { }
    locals: { '[Ljava/lang/String;', 'ConcreteClass' }
    stack: { 'ConcreteClass', 'Handler' }
  Bytecode:
    0000000: bb00 1059 b700 124c 2b2b b600 13ba 001a
    0000010: 0000 b600 1b2b b600 1fb1

at java.lang.Class.getDeclaredMethods0(Native Method)
at java.lang.Class.privateGetDeclaredMethods(Class.java:2688)
at java.lang.Class.getMethod0(Class.java:2937)
at java.lang.Class.getMethod(Class.java:1771)
at sun.launcher.LauncherHelper.validateMainClass(LauncherHelper.java:544)
at sun.launcher.LauncherHelper.checkAndLoadMain(LauncherHelper.java:526)

REPRODUCIBILITY :
This bug can be reproduced always.

---------- BEGIN SOURCE ----------
// Define the generic handler
public abstract class AbstractClass <H extends Handler >{

private H parentHandler;

public AbstractClass(H parentHandler) {
super();
this.parentHandler = parentHandler;
}

public H getHandler() {
return parentHandler;
}
}

//Call the generic handler
public class ConcreteClass extends AbstractClass<CustomHandler> {

private Handler localHandler;

public ConcreteClass() {
//Define parentHandler
super(new CustomHandler());
}

public void setLocalHandler(Handler handler){
this.localHandler = handler;
}

public CustomHandler getForcedHandler() {
//return the parent handler
return getHandler();
}

public void check() {
localHandler.handle(new Object());
}
}

@FunctionalInterface
public interface Handler {
void handle(Object o);
}

public class CustomHandler implements Handler {
@Override
public void handle(Object o) {
System.out.println("It works !");
}
}

public class TestFailure {

public static void main (String... arg){

ConcreteClass cc = new ConcreteClass();

//Grab the parent handler
                // ^^^^^^^^^^^^^^
cc.setLocalHandler(cc.getHandler()::handle);

//Try to handle ==> fails
cc.check();

}
}

public class TestWorkaround {


public static void main (String... arg){

ConcreteClass cc = new ConcreteClass();

//Grab the parent handler
                // !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
cc.setLocalHandler(cc.getForcedHandler()::handle);

//Try to handle ==> Success due to getForcedHandler() method with static type
cc.check();

}
}

---------- END SOURCE ----------

CUSTOMER SUBMITTED WORKAROUND :
Create a method that returns a static type instead of the generic one returned by parent class

public CustomHandler getForcedHandler() {
//return the parent handler
return getHandler();
}