diff --git a/moto/dynamodb/models/__init__.py b/moto/dynamodb/models/__init__.py
index 9be813030..704f02753 100644
--- a/moto/dynamodb/models/__init__.py
+++ b/moto/dynamodb/models/__init__.py
@@ -301,11 +301,11 @@ class DynamoDBBackend(BaseBackend):
         self,
         table_name: str,
         keys: Dict[str, Any],
-        projection_expression: Optional[str] = None,
+        projection_expressions: Optional[List[List[str]]] = None,
     ) -> Optional[Item]:
         table = self.get_table(table_name)
         hash_key, range_key = self.get_keys_value(table, keys)
-        return table.get_item(hash_key, range_key, projection_expression)
+        return table.get_item(hash_key, range_key, projection_expressions)
 
     def query(
         self,
@@ -316,7 +316,7 @@ class DynamoDBBackend(BaseBackend):
         limit: int,
         exclusive_start_key: Dict[str, Any],
         scan_index_forward: bool,
-        projection_expression: Optional[str],
+        projection_expressions: Optional[List[List[str]]],
         index_name: Optional[str] = None,
         expr_names: Optional[Dict[str, str]] = None,
         expr_values: Optional[Dict[str, str]] = None,
@@ -339,7 +339,7 @@ class DynamoDBBackend(BaseBackend):
             limit,
             exclusive_start_key,
             scan_index_forward,
-            projection_expression,
+            projection_expressions,
             index_name,
             filter_expression_op,
             **filter_kwargs,
@@ -355,7 +355,7 @@ class DynamoDBBackend(BaseBackend):
         expr_names: Dict[str, Any],
         expr_values: Dict[str, Any],
         index_name: str,
-        projection_expression: Optional[str],
+        projection_expression: Optional[List[List[str]]],
     ) -> Tuple[List[Item], int, Optional[Dict[str, Any]]]:
         table = self.get_table(table_name)
 
diff --git a/moto/dynamodb/models/dynamo_type.py b/moto/dynamodb/models/dynamo_type.py
index 0ea58b49d..992100c06 100644
--- a/moto/dynamodb/models/dynamo_type.py
+++ b/moto/dynamodb/models/dynamo_type.py
@@ -418,13 +418,12 @@ class Item(BaseModel):
                     f"{action} action not support for update_with_attribute_updates"
                 )
 
-    def project(self, projection_expression: str) -> "Item":
+    def project(self, projection_expressions: List[List[str]]) -> "Item":
         # Returns a new Item with only the dictionary-keys that match the provided projection_expression
         # Will return an empty Item if the expression does not match anything
         result: Dict[str, Any] = dict()
-        expressions = [x.strip() for x in projection_expression.split(",")]
-        for expr in expressions:
-            x = find_nested_key(expr.split("."), self.to_regular_json())
+        for expr in projection_expressions:
+            x = find_nested_key(expr, self.to_regular_json())
             merge_dicts(result, x)
 
         return Item(
diff --git a/moto/dynamodb/models/table.py b/moto/dynamodb/models/table.py
index 78f18e809..45037afc9 100644
--- a/moto/dynamodb/models/table.py
+++ b/moto/dynamodb/models/table.py
@@ -50,12 +50,18 @@ class SecondaryIndex(BaseModel):
             ]
 
             if projection_type == "KEYS_ONLY":
-                item = item.project(",".join(key_attributes))
+                # 'project' expects lists of lists of strings
+                # project([["attr1"], ["nested", "attr2"]]
+                #
+                # In our case, we need to convert
+                # ["key1", "key2"]
+                # into
+                # [["key1"], ["key2"]]
+                item = item.project([[attr] for attr in key_attributes])
             elif projection_type == "INCLUDE":
-                allowed_attributes = key_attributes + self.projection.get(
-                    "NonKeyAttributes", []
-                )
-                item = item.project(",".join(allowed_attributes))
+                allowed_attributes = key_attributes
+                allowed_attributes.extend(self.projection.get("NonKeyAttributes", []))
+                item = item.project([[attr] for attr in allowed_attributes])
             # ALL is handled implicitly by not filtering
         return item
 
@@ -592,7 +598,7 @@ class Table(CloudFormationModel):
         self,
         hash_key: DynamoType,
         range_key: Optional[DynamoType] = None,
-        projection_expression: Optional[str] = None,
+        projection_expression: Optional[List[List[str]]] = None,
     ) -> Optional[Item]:
         if self.has_range_key and not range_key:
             raise MockValidationException(
@@ -637,7 +643,7 @@ class Table(CloudFormationModel):
         limit: int,
         exclusive_start_key: Dict[str, Any],
         scan_index_forward: bool,
-        projection_expression: Optional[str],
+        projection_expressions: Optional[List[List[str]]],
         index_name: Optional[str] = None,
         filter_expression: Any = None,
         **filter_kwargs: Any,
@@ -754,8 +760,8 @@ class Table(CloudFormationModel):
         if filter_expression is not None:
             results = [item for item in results if filter_expression.expr(item)]
 
-        if projection_expression:
-            results = [r.project(projection_expression) for r in results]
+        if projection_expressions:
+            results = [r.project(projection_expressions) for r in results]
 
         return results, scanned_count, last_evaluated_key
 
@@ -799,7 +805,7 @@ class Table(CloudFormationModel):
         exclusive_start_key: Dict[str, Any],
         filter_expression: Any = None,
         index_name: Optional[str] = None,
-        projection_expression: Optional[str] = None,
+        projection_expression: Optional[List[List[str]]] = None,
     ) -> Tuple[List[Item], int, Optional[Dict[str, Any]]]:
         results = []
         scanned_count = 0
diff --git a/moto/dynamodb/responses.py b/moto/dynamodb/responses.py
index 8f94fcb6f..d64a10e0b 100644
--- a/moto/dynamodb/responses.py
+++ b/moto/dynamodb/responses.py
@@ -556,11 +556,11 @@ class DynamoHandler(BaseResponse):
                 )
 
         expression_attribute_names = expression_attribute_names or {}
-        projection_expression = self._adjust_projection_expression(
+        projection_expressions = self._adjust_projection_expression(
             projection_expression, expression_attribute_names
         )
 
-        item = self.dynamodb_backend.get_item(name, key, projection_expression)
+        item = self.dynamodb_backend.get_item(name, key, projection_expressions)
         if item:
             item_dict = item.describe_attrs(attributes=None)
             return dynamo_json_dump(item_dict)
@@ -608,14 +608,14 @@ class DynamoHandler(BaseResponse):
                 "ExpressionAttributeNames", {}
             )
 
-            projection_expression = self._adjust_projection_expression(
+            projection_expressions = self._adjust_projection_expression(
                 projection_expression, expression_attribute_names
             )
 
             results["Responses"][table_name] = []
             for key in keys:
                 item = self.dynamodb_backend.get_item(
-                    table_name, key, projection_expression
+                    table_name, key, projection_expressions
                 )
                 if item:
                     # A single operation can retrieve up to 16 MB of data [and] returns a partial result if the response size limit is exceeded
@@ -652,7 +652,7 @@ class DynamoHandler(BaseResponse):
         filter_expression = self._get_filter_expression()
         expression_attribute_values = self.body.get("ExpressionAttributeValues", {})
 
-        projection_expression = self._adjust_projection_expression(
+        projection_expressions = self._adjust_projection_expression(
             projection_expression, expression_attribute_names
         )
 
@@ -720,7 +720,7 @@ class DynamoHandler(BaseResponse):
             limit,
             exclusive_start_key,
             scan_index_forward,
-            projection_expression,
+            projection_expressions,
             index_name=index_name,
             expr_names=expression_attribute_names,
             expr_values=expression_attribute_values,
@@ -743,27 +743,24 @@ class DynamoHandler(BaseResponse):
 
     def _adjust_projection_expression(
         self, projection_expression: Optional[str], expr_attr_names: Dict[str, str]
-    ) -> Optional[str]:
+    ) -> List[List[str]]:
+        """
+        lvl1.lvl2.attr1,lvl1.attr2 --> [["lvl1", "lvl2", "attr1"], ["lvl1", "attr2]]
+        """
+
         def _adjust(expression: str) -> str:
-            return (
-                expr_attr_names[expression]
-                if expression in expr_attr_names
-                else expression
-            )
+            return (expr_attr_names or {}).get(expression, expression)
 
         if projection_expression:
             expressions = [x.strip() for x in projection_expression.split(",")]
             for expression in expressions:
                 check_projection_expression(expression)
-            if expr_attr_names:
-                return ",".join(
-                    [
-                        ".".join([_adjust(expr) for expr in nested_expr.split(".")])
-                        for nested_expr in expressions
-                    ]
-                )
+            return [
+                [_adjust(expr) for expr in nested_expr.split(".")]
+                for nested_expr in expressions
+            ]
 
-        return projection_expression
+        return []
 
     @include_consumed_capacity()
     def scan(self) -> str:
@@ -786,7 +783,7 @@ class DynamoHandler(BaseResponse):
         limit = self.body.get("Limit")
         index_name = self.body.get("IndexName")
 
-        projection_expression = self._adjust_projection_expression(
+        projection_expressions = self._adjust_projection_expression(
             projection_expression, expression_attribute_names
         )
 
@@ -800,7 +797,7 @@ class DynamoHandler(BaseResponse):
                 expression_attribute_names,
                 expression_attribute_values,
                 index_name,
-                projection_expression,
+                projection_expressions,
             )
         except ValueError as err:
             raise MockValidationException(f"Bad Filter Expression: {err}")
diff --git a/tests/test_dynamodb/models/test_item.py b/tests/test_dynamodb/models/test_item.py
index f3ed31097..e26a3375a 100644
--- a/tests/test_dynamodb/models/test_item.py
+++ b/tests/test_dynamodb/models/test_item.py
@@ -34,17 +34,17 @@ class TestFindNestedKeys:
         assert x == y
 
     def test_find_nothing(self):
-        self._project("", result={})
+        self._project([[""]], result={})
 
     def test_find_unknown_key(self):
-        self._project("unknown", result={})
+        self._project([["unknown"]], result={})
 
     def test_project_single_key_string(self):
-        self._project("simplestring", result={"simplestring": "val"})
+        self._project([["simplestring"]], result={"simplestring": "val"})
 
     def test_project_single_key_dict(self):
         self._project(
-            "nesteddict",
+            [["nesteddict"]],
             result={
                 "nesteddict": {
                     "level21": {"ll31": "val", "ll32": "val"},
@@ -59,31 +59,31 @@ class TestFindNestedKeys:
 
     def test_project_nested_key(self):
         self._project(
-            "nesteddict.level21",
+            [["nesteddict", "level21"]],
             result={"nesteddict": {"level21": {"ll31": "val", "ll32": "val"}}},
         )
 
     def test_project_multi_level_nested_key(self):
         self._project(
-            "nesteddict.level21.ll32",
+            [["nesteddict", "level21", "ll32"]],
             result={"nesteddict": {"level21": {"ll32": "val"}}},
         )
 
     def test_project_nested_key__partial_fix(self):
-        self._project("nesteddict.levelunknown", result={})
+        self._project([["nesteddict", "levelunknown"]], result={})
 
     def test_project_nested_key__partial_fix2(self):
-        self._project("nesteddict.unknown.unknown2", result={})
+        self._project([["nesteddict", "unknown", "unknown2"]], result={})
 
     def test_list_index(self):
         self._project(
-            "rootlist[0]",
+            [["rootlist[0]"]],
             result={"rootlist": [{"ll21": {"ll31": "val", "ll32": "val"}}]},
         )
 
     def test_nested_list_index(self):
         self._project(
-            "nesteddict.nestedlist[1]",
+            [["nesteddict", "nestedlist[1]"]],
             result={
                 "nesteddict": {"nestedlist": [{"ll22": {"ll31": "val", "ll32": "val"}}]}
             },
@@ -91,16 +91,16 @@ class TestFindNestedKeys:
 
     def test_nested_obj_in_list(self):
         self._project(
-            "nesteddict.nestedlist[1].ll22.ll31",
+            [["nesteddict", "nestedlist[1]", "ll22", "ll31"]],
             result={"nesteddict": {"nestedlist": [{"ll22": {"ll31": "val"}}]}},
         )
 
     def test_list_unknown_indexes(self):
-        self._project("nesteddict.nestedlist[25]", result={})
+        self._project([["nesteddict", "nestedlist[25]"]], result={})
 
     def test_multiple_projections(self):
         self._project(
-            "nesteddict.nestedlist[1].ll22,rootlist[0]",
+            [["nesteddict", "nestedlist[1]", "ll22"], ["rootlist[0]"]],
             result={
                 "nesteddict": {
                     "nestedlist": [{"ll22": {"ll31": "val", "ll32": "val"}}]
diff --git a/tests/test_dynamodb/test_dynamodb.py b/tests/test_dynamodb/test_dynamodb.py
index e0787bf0a..81e4dc3e6 100644
--- a/tests/test_dynamodb/test_dynamodb.py
+++ b/tests/test_dynamodb/test_dynamodb.py
@@ -886,7 +886,7 @@ def test_nested_projection_expression_using_get_item_with_attr_expression():
             "forum_name": "key1",
             "nested": {
                 "level1": {"id": "id1", "att": "irrelevant"},
-                "level2": {"id": "id2", "include": "all"},
+                "level.2": {"id": "id2", "include": "all"},
                 "level3": {
                     "id": "irrelevant",
                     "children": [{"Name": "child_a"}, {"Name": "child_b"}],
@@ -907,10 +907,10 @@ def test_nested_projection_expression_using_get_item_with_attr_expression():
     result = table.get_item(
         Key={"forum_name": "key1"},
         ProjectionExpression="#nst.level1.id, #nst.#lvl2",
-        ExpressionAttributeNames={"#nst": "nested", "#lvl2": "level2"},
+        ExpressionAttributeNames={"#nst": "nested", "#lvl2": "level.2"},
     )["Item"]
     assert result == {
-        "nested": {"level1": {"id": "id1"}, "level2": {"id": "id2", "include": "all"}}
+        "nested": {"level1": {"id": "id1"}, "level.2": {"id": "id2", "include": "all"}}
     }
     # Assert actual data has not been deleted
     result = table.get_item(Key={"forum_name": "key1"})["Item"]
@@ -919,7 +919,7 @@ def test_nested_projection_expression_using_get_item_with_attr_expression():
         "forum_name": "key1",
         "nested": {
             "level1": {"id": "id1", "att": "irrelevant"},
-            "level2": {"id": "id2", "include": "all"},
+            "level.2": {"id": "id2", "include": "all"},
             "level3": {
                 "id": "irrelevant",
                 "children": [{"Name": "child_a"}, {"Name": "child_b"}],