diff --git a/modeltranslation/tests/models.py b/modeltranslation/tests/models.py
index a965f92..aa281b3 100644
--- a/modeltranslation/tests/models.py
+++ b/modeltranslation/tests/models.py
@@ -351,3 +351,61 @@ class MultitableConflictModelA(models.Model):
 
 class MultitableConflictModelB(MultitableConflictModelA):
     title = models.CharField(ugettext_lazy('title'), max_length=255)
+
+
+# ######### Complex M2M with abstract classes and custom managers
+
+class CustomQuerySetX(models.query.QuerySet):
+    pass
+
+
+class CustomManagerX(models.Manager):
+    def get_queryset(self):
+        return CustomQuerySetX(self.model, using=self._db)
+    get_query_set = get_queryset
+
+
+class AbstractBaseModelX(models.Model):
+    name = models.CharField(max_length=255)
+    objects = CustomManagerX()
+
+    class Meta:
+        abstract = True
+
+
+class AbstractModelX(AbstractBaseModelX):
+    class Meta:
+        abstract = True
+
+
+class ModelX(AbstractModelX):
+    pass
+
+
+class AbstractModelXY(models.Model):
+    model_x = models.ForeignKey('ModelX')
+    model_y = models.ForeignKey('ModelY')
+
+    class Meta:
+        abstract = True
+
+
+class ModelXY(AbstractModelXY):
+    pass
+
+
+class CustomManagerY(models.Manager):
+    pass
+
+
+class AbstractModelY(models.Model):
+    title = models.CharField(max_length=255)
+    xs = models.ManyToManyField('ModelX', through='ModelXY')
+    objects = CustomManagerY()
+
+    class Meta:
+        abstract = True
+
+
+class ModelY(AbstractModelY):
+    pass
diff --git a/modeltranslation/tests/tests.py b/modeltranslation/tests/tests.py
index 678d59f..bf2dc62 100644
--- a/modeltranslation/tests/tests.py
+++ b/modeltranslation/tests/tests.py
@@ -56,7 +56,7 @@ models = translation = None
 request = None
 
 # How many models are registered for tests.
-TEST_MODELS = 29 + (1 if MIGRATIONS else 0)
+TEST_MODELS = 31 + (1 if MIGRATIONS else 0)
 
 
 class reload_override_settings(override_settings):
@@ -3090,3 +3090,31 @@ class TestRequired(ModeltranslationTestBase):
             self.assertEqual(set(('req_reg_en', 'req_en_reg', 'req_en_reg_en')), error_fields)
         else:
             self.fail('ValidationError not raised!')
+
+
+class M2MTest(ModeltranslationTestBase):
+    def test_m2m(self):
+        # Create 1 instance of Y, linked to 2 instance of X, with different
+        # English and German names.
+        x1 = models.ModelX.objects.create(name_en="foo", name_de="bar")
+        x2 = models.ModelX.objects.create(name_en="bar", name_de="baz")
+        y = models.ModelY.objects.create(title='y1')
+        models.ModelXY.objects.create(model_x=x1, model_y=y)
+        models.ModelXY.objects.create(model_x=x2, model_y=y)
+
+        with override("en"):
+            # There's 1 X named "foo" and it's x1
+            y_foo = models.ModelY.objects.filter(xs__name="foo")
+            self.assertEqual(1, y_foo.count())
+
+            # There's 1 X named "bar" and it's x2 (in English)
+            y_bar = models.ModelY.objects.filter(xs__name="bar")
+            self.assertEqual(1, y_bar.count())
+
+            # But in English, there's no X named "baz"
+            y_baz = models.ModelY.objects.filter(xs__name="baz")
+            self.assertEqual(0, y_baz.count())
+
+            # Again: 1 X named "bar" (but through the M2M field)
+            x_bar = y.xs.filter(name="bar")
+            self.assertIn(x2, x_bar)
diff --git a/modeltranslation/tests/translation.py b/modeltranslation/tests/translation.py
index 9b9919e..7f89475 100644
--- a/modeltranslation/tests/translation.py
+++ b/modeltranslation/tests/translation.py
@@ -10,7 +10,7 @@ from modeltranslation.tests.models import (
     RichText, RichTextPage, MultitableModelA, MultitableModelB, MultitableModelC, ManagerTestModel,
     CustomManagerTestModel, CustomManager2TestModel, GroupFieldsetsModel, NameModel,
     ThirdPartyRegisteredModel, ProxyTestModel, UniqueNullableModel, OneToOneFieldModel,
-    RequiredModel, DecoratedModel)
+    RequiredModel, DecoratedModel, ModelX, ModelY)
 
 
 class TestTranslationOptions(TranslationOptions):
@@ -207,6 +207,18 @@ class DecoratedTranslationOptions(TranslationOptions):
     fields = ('title',)
 
 
+# ######### Complex M2M with abstract classes and custom managers
+
+class ModelXOptions(TranslationOptions):
+    fields = ('name',)
+translator.register(ModelX, ModelXOptions)
+
+
+class ModelYOptions(TranslationOptions):
+    fields = ('title',)
+translator.register(ModelY, ModelYOptions)
+
+
 # ######### 3-rd party with custom manager
 
 if VERSION >= (1, 8) and "django.contrib.auth" in settings.INSTALLED_APPS:
diff --git a/modeltranslation/translator.py b/modeltranslation/translator.py
index a773edc..ebe93cc 100644
--- a/modeltranslation/translator.py
+++ b/modeltranslation/translator.py
@@ -214,9 +214,24 @@ def add_manager(model):
 
             manager.__class__ = NewMultilingualManager
 
-    managers = (model._meta.local_managers if NEW_MANAGER_API else
-                (getattr(model, x[1]) for x in
-                 model._meta.concrete_managers + model._meta.abstract_managers))
+    if NEW_MANAGER_API:
+        # Inspired by django.db.models.options.Options.managers (find all
+        # managers by following the normal Python MRO rules), but keeps the
+        # original managers instead of making copies.
+        managers = []
+        seen = set()
+        bases = (b for b in model.mro() if hasattr(b, '_meta'))
+        for base in bases:
+            for manager in base._meta.local_managers:
+                if manager.name in seen:
+                    continue
+                managers.append(manager)
+                seen.add(manager.name)
+
+    else:
+        managers = ((getattr(model, x[1]) for x in
+                     model._meta.concrete_managers + model._meta.abstract_managers))
+
     for current_manager in managers:
         prev_class = current_manager.__class__
         patch_manager_class(current_manager)