diff --git a/tests/unit/test_modelsim_interface.py b/tests/unit/test_modelsim_interface.py
index c66f034b6..c239e07b8 100644
--- a/tests/unit/test_modelsim_interface.py
+++ b/tests/unit/test_modelsim_interface.py
@@ -316,6 +316,46 @@ def test_overwrites_modelsim_ini_file_from_user(self):
         with open(modelsim_ini, "r") as fptr:
             self.assertEqual(fptr.read(), "user")
 
+    def test_hierarchical_library_mapping(self):
+        modelsim_ini = str(Path(self.test_path) / "modelsim.ini")
+        sub_modelsim_ini = str(Path(self.test_path) / "sub_modelsim.ini")
+        sub_sub_modelsim_ini = str(Path(self.test_path) / "sub_sub_modelsim.ini")
+
+        with open(modelsim_ini, "w") as fptr:
+            fptr.write("\n".join([
+                "[Library]",
+                "top_lib=top_lib_path",
+                "others=" + sub_modelsim_ini,
+            ]))
+
+        with open(sub_modelsim_ini, "w") as fptr:
+            fptr.write("\n".join([
+                "[Library]",
+                "top_lib=ignore",
+                "sub_lib=sub_lib_path",
+                "others=" + sub_sub_modelsim_ini,
+            ]))
+
+        with open(sub_sub_modelsim_ini, "w") as fptr:
+            fptr.write("\n".join([
+                "[Library]",
+                "top_lib=ignore",
+                "sub_lib=ignore",
+                "sub_sub_lib=sub_sub_lib_path",
+            ]))
+
+        with set_env(VUNIT_MODELSIM_INI=modelsim_ini):
+            simif = ModelSimInterface(prefix=self.prefix_path, output_path=self.output_path, persistent=False)
+
+        project = Project()
+        num_std_libs = len(project._builtin_libraries)
+        simif.compile_project(project)
+
+        self.assertIn("top_lib", project._builtin_libraries)
+        self.assertIn("sub_lib", project._builtin_libraries)
+        self.assertIn("sub_sub_lib", project._builtin_libraries)
+        self.assertEqual(3, len(project._builtin_libraries) - num_std_libs)
+
     def setUp(self):
         self.test_path = str(Path(__file__).parent / "test_modelsim_out")
 
diff --git a/vunit/sim_if/modelsim.py b/vunit/sim_if/modelsim.py
index eef039d91..b8a029f86 100644
--- a/vunit/sim_if/modelsim.py
+++ b/vunit/sim_if/modelsim.py
@@ -218,13 +218,17 @@ def create_library(self, library_name, path, mapped_libraries=None):
         cfg.set("Library", library_name, path)
         write_modelsimini(cfg, self._sim_cfg_file_name)
 
-    def _get_mapped_libraries(self):
+    def _get_mapped_libraries(self, cfg_file_name=None):
         """
         Get mapped libraries from modelsim.ini file
         """
-        cfg = parse_modelsimini(self._sim_cfg_file_name)
+        cfg_file_name = cfg_file_name if cfg_file_name is not None else self._sim_cfg_file_name
+        cfg = parse_modelsimini(cfg_file_name)
         libraries = dict(cfg.items("Library"))
         if "others" in libraries:
+            other_libraries = self._get_mapped_libraries(libraries["others"])
+            # current mappings take precedence over others
+            libraries = {**other_libraries, **libraries}
             del libraries["others"]
         return libraries