diff --git a/package/MDAnalysis/analysis/hbonds/wbridge_analysis.py b/package/MDAnalysis/analysis/hbonds/wbridge_analysis.py
index 8a611364896..3e7453f0edf 100644
--- a/package/MDAnalysis/analysis/hbonds/wbridge_analysis.py
+++ b/package/MDAnalysis/analysis/hbonds/wbridge_analysis.py
@@ -820,6 +820,29 @@ def _log_parameters(self):
         logger.info("WaterBridgeAnalysis: force field %s to guess donor and \
         acceptor names", self.forcefield)
 
+    def _build_residue_dict(self, selection):
+        # Build the residue_dict where the key is the residue name
+        # The content is a dictionary where hydrogen bond donor heavy atom names is the key
+        # The content is the hydrogen bond donor hydrogen atom names
+        atom_group = self.u.select_atoms(selection)
+        for residue in atom_group.residues:
+            if not residue.resname in self._residue_dict:
+                self._residue_dict[residue.resname] = defaultdict(set)
+            for atom in residue.atoms:
+                if atom.name in self.donors:
+                    self._residue_dict[residue.resname][atom.name].update(self._get_bonded_hydrogens(atom).names)
+
+    def _update_donor_h(self, atom_ix, h_donors, donors_h):
+        atom = self.u.atoms[atom_ix]
+        residue = atom.residue
+        hydrogen_names = self._residue_dict[residue.resname][atom.name]
+        if hydrogen_names:
+            hydrogens = residue.atoms.select_atoms('name {0}'.format(
+                ' '.join(hydrogen_names))).ix
+            for atom in hydrogens:
+                h_donors[atom] = atom_ix
+                donors_h[atom_ix].append(atom)
+
     def _update_selection(self):
         self._s1_donors = []
         self._s1_h_donors = {}
@@ -861,11 +884,8 @@ def _update_selection(self):
         if self.selection1_type in ('donor', 'both'):
             self._s1_donors = self.u.atoms[self._s1].select_atoms(
                 'name {0}'.format(' '.join(self.donors))).ix
-            for i, atom_ix in enumerate(self._s1_donors):
-                tmp = self._get_bonded_hydrogens(self.u.atoms[atom_ix]).ix
-                for atom in tmp:
-                    self._s1_h_donors[atom] = atom_ix
-                    self._s1_donors_h[atom_ix].append(atom)
+            for atom_ix in self._s1_donors:
+                self._update_donor_h(atom_ix, self._s1_h_donors, self._s1_donors_h)
             self.logger_debug("Selection 1 donors: {0}".format(len(self._s1_donors)))
             self.logger_debug("Selection 1 donor hydrogens: {0}".format(len(self._s1_h_donors)))
         if self.selection1_type in ('acceptor', 'both'):
@@ -882,11 +902,8 @@ def _update_selection(self):
         if self.selection1_type in ('acceptor', 'both'):
             self._s2_donors = self.u.atoms[self._s2].select_atoms(
                 'name {0}'.format(' '.join(self.donors))).ix
-            for i, atom_ix in enumerate(self._s2_donors):
-                tmp = self._get_bonded_hydrogens(self.u.atoms[atom_ix]).ix
-                for atom in tmp:
-                    self._s2_h_donors[atom] = atom_ix
-                    self._s2_donors_h[atom_ix].append(atom)
+            for atom_ix in self._s2_donors:
+                self._update_donor_h(atom_ix, self._s2_h_donors, self._s2_donors_h)
             self.logger_debug("Selection 2 donors: {0:d}".format(len(self._s2_donors)))
             self.logger_debug("Selection 2 donor hydrogens: {0:d}".format(len(self._s2_h_donors)))
 
@@ -914,11 +931,8 @@ def _update_water_selection(self):
         else:
             self._water_donors = self.u.atoms[self._water].select_atoms(
                 'name {0}'.format(' '.join(self.donors))).ix
-            for i, atom_ix in enumerate(self._water_donors):
-                tmp = self._get_bonded_hydrogens(self.u.atoms[atom_ix]).ix
-                for atom in tmp:
-                    self._water_h_donors[atom] = atom_ix
-                    self._water_donors_h[atom_ix].append(atom)
+            for atom_ix in self._water_donors:
+                self._update_donor_h(atom_ix, self._water_h_donors, self._water_donors_h)
             self.logger_debug("Water donors: {0}".format(len(self._water_donors)))
             self.logger_debug("Water donor hydrogens: {0}".format(len(self._water_h_donors)))
             self._water_acceptors = self.u.atoms[self._water].select_atoms(
@@ -969,11 +983,17 @@ def _prepare(self):
         self.selection_distance = (2 * 2 + self.order * (2 + self.distance))
 
         self.box = self.u.dimensions if self.pbc else None
+        self._residue_dict = {}
+        self._build_residue_dict(self.selection1)
+        self._build_residue_dict(self.selection2)
+        self._build_residue_dict(self.water_selection)
+
         self._update_selection()
 
         self.timesteps = []
         if len(self._s1) and len(self._s2):
             self._update_water_selection()
+        else:
             logger.info("WaterBridgeAnalysis: no atoms found in the selection.")
 
         logger.info("WaterBridgeAnalysis: initial checks passed.")