diff --git a/packages/mermaid/src/diagrams/class/classDb.ts b/packages/mermaid/src/diagrams/class/classDb.ts
index 7f233f3bf..68d5ec852 100644
--- a/packages/mermaid/src/diagrams/class/classDb.ts
+++ b/packages/mermaid/src/diagrams/class/classDb.ts
@@ -174,6 +174,8 @@ export const addAnnotation = function (className: string, annotation: string) {
  * @public
  */
 export const addMember = function (className: string, member: string) {
+  addClass(className);
+
   const validatedClassName = splitClassNameAndType(className).className;
   const theClass = classes[validatedClassName];
 
diff --git a/packages/mermaid/src/diagrams/class/classDiagram.spec.ts b/packages/mermaid/src/diagrams/class/classDiagram.spec.ts
index 7816345c8..405e411fa 100644
--- a/packages/mermaid/src/diagrams/class/classDiagram.spec.ts
+++ b/packages/mermaid/src/diagrams/class/classDiagram.spec.ts
@@ -742,6 +742,22 @@ describe('given a class diagram with members and methods ', function () {
       parser.parse(str);
     });
 
+    it('should handle direct member declaration', function () {
+      const str = 'classDiagram\n' + 'Car : wheels';
+
+      parser.parse(str);
+      expect(classDb.getClasses()).toHaveProperty('Car');
+      expect(classDb.getClasses()['Car']['members']).toContain('wheels');
+    });
+
+    it('should handle direct member declaration with type', function () {
+      const str = 'classDiagram\n' + 'Car : int wheels';
+
+      parser.parse(str);
+      expect(classDb.getClasses()).toHaveProperty('Car');
+      expect(classDb.getClasses()['Car']['members']).toContain('int wheels');
+    });
+
     it('should handle simple member declaration with type', function () {
       const str = 'classDiagram\n' + 'class Car\n' + 'Car : int wheels';