diff --git a/lib/utils.js b/lib/utils.js
index cfed4ecd..b9b18cd3 100644
--- a/lib/utils.js
+++ b/lib/utils.js
@@ -76,8 +76,9 @@ var merge = function merge(target, source, options) {
     if (Array.isArray(target) && Array.isArray(source)) {
         source.forEach(function (item, i) {
             if (has.call(target, i)) {
-                if (target[i] && typeof target[i] === 'object' && item && typeof item === 'object') {
-                    target[i] = merge(target[i], item, options);
+                var targetItem = target[i];
+                if (targetItem && typeof targetItem === 'object' && item && typeof item === 'object') {
+                    target[i] = merge(targetItem, item, options);
                 } else {
                     target.push(item);
                 }
diff --git a/test/utils.js b/test/utils.js
index fcd85a01..c3faa704 100644
--- a/test/utils.js
+++ b/test/utils.js
@@ -39,10 +39,10 @@ test('merge()', function (t) {
             });
             utils.merge(observed, [null]);
             st.equal(setCount, 0);
-            st.equal(getCount, 2);
+            st.equal(getCount, 1);
             observed[0] = observed[0]; // eslint-disable-line no-self-assign
             st.equal(setCount, 1);
-            st.equal(getCount, 3);
+            st.equal(getCount, 2);
             st.end();
         }
     );