diff --git a/mapstructure.go b/mapstructure.go
index c1e9b426..6130c4aa 100644
--- a/mapstructure.go
+++ b/mapstructure.go
@@ -414,18 +414,18 @@ func NewDecoder(config *DecoderConfig) (*Decoder, error) {
 // Decode decodes the given raw interface to the target pointer specified
 // by the configuration.
 func (d *Decoder) Decode(input interface{}) error {
-	return d.decode("", input, reflect.ValueOf(d.config.Result).Elem())
+	return d.decode("", input, reflect.ValueOf(d.config.Result).Elem(), true)
 }
 
 // Decodes an unknown data type into a specific reflection value.
-func (d *Decoder) decode(name string, input interface{}, outVal reflect.Value) error {
+func (d *Decoder) decode(name string, input interface{}, outVal reflect.Value, skipTypedNil bool) error {
 	var inputVal reflect.Value
 	if input != nil {
 		inputVal = reflect.ValueOf(input)
 
 		// We need to check here if input is a typed nil. Typed nils won't
 		// match the "input == nil" below so we check that here.
-		if inputVal.Kind() == reflect.Ptr && inputVal.IsNil() {
+		if skipTypedNil && inputVal.Kind() == reflect.Ptr && inputVal.IsNil() {
 			input = nil
 		}
 	}
@@ -529,7 +529,7 @@ func (d *Decoder) decodeBasic(name string, data interface{}, val reflect.Value)
 
 		// Decode. If we have an error then return. We also return right
 		// away if we're not a copy because that means we decoded directly.
-		if err := d.decode(name, data, elem); err != nil || !copied {
+		if err := d.decode(name, data, elem, true); err != nil || !copied {
 			return err
 		}
 
@@ -842,7 +842,7 @@ func (d *Decoder) decodeMapFromSlice(name string, dataVal reflect.Value, val ref
 	for i := 0; i < dataVal.Len(); i++ {
 		err := d.decode(
 			name+"["+strconv.Itoa(i)+"]",
-			dataVal.Index(i).Interface(), val)
+			dataVal.Index(i).Interface(), val, true)
 		if err != nil {
 			return err
 		}
@@ -878,7 +878,7 @@ func (d *Decoder) decodeMapFromMap(name string, dataVal reflect.Value, val refle
 
 		// First decode the key into the proper type
 		currentKey := reflect.Indirect(reflect.New(valKeyType))
-		if err := d.decode(fieldName, k.Interface(), currentKey); err != nil {
+		if err := d.decode(fieldName, k.Interface(), currentKey, true); err != nil {
 			errors = appendErrors(errors, err)
 			continue
 		}
@@ -886,7 +886,7 @@ func (d *Decoder) decodeMapFromMap(name string, dataVal reflect.Value, val refle
 		// Next decode the data into the proper type
 		v := dataVal.MapIndex(k).Interface()
 		currentVal := reflect.Indirect(reflect.New(valElemType))
-		if err := d.decode(fieldName, v, currentVal); err != nil {
+		if err := d.decode(fieldName, v, currentVal, true); err != nil {
 			errors = appendErrors(errors, err)
 			continue
 		}
@@ -983,7 +983,7 @@ func (d *Decoder) decodeMapFromStruct(name string, dataVal reflect.Value, val re
 			addrVal := reflect.New(vMap.Type())
 			reflect.Indirect(addrVal).Set(vMap)
 
-			err := d.decode(keyName, x.Interface(), reflect.Indirect(addrVal))
+			err := d.decode(keyName, x.Interface(), reflect.Indirect(addrVal), true)
 			if err != nil {
 				return err
 			}
@@ -1002,7 +1002,7 @@ func (d *Decoder) decodeMapFromStruct(name string, dataVal reflect.Value, val re
 
 		default:
 			currentVal := reflect.Indirect(reflect.New(valMap.Type().Elem()))
-			err := d.decode(keyName, v.Interface(), currentVal)
+			err := d.decode(keyName, v.Interface(), currentVal, false)
 			if err != nil {
 				return err
 			}
@@ -1052,13 +1052,13 @@ func (d *Decoder) decodePtr(name string, data interface{}, val reflect.Value) (b
 			realVal = reflect.New(valElemType)
 		}
 
-		if err := d.decode(name, data, reflect.Indirect(realVal)); err != nil {
+		if err := d.decode(name, data, reflect.Indirect(realVal), true); err != nil {
 			return false, err
 		}
 
 		val.Set(realVal)
 	} else {
-		if err := d.decode(name, data, reflect.Indirect(val)); err != nil {
+		if err := d.decode(name, data, reflect.Indirect(val), true); err != nil {
 			return false, err
 		}
 	}
@@ -1141,7 +1141,7 @@ func (d *Decoder) decodeSlice(name string, data interface{}, val reflect.Value)
 		currentField := valSlice.Index(i)
 
 		fieldName := name + "[" + strconv.Itoa(i) + "]"
-		if err := d.decode(fieldName, currentData, currentField); err != nil {
+		if err := d.decode(fieldName, currentData, currentField, true); err != nil {
 			errors = appendErrors(errors, err)
 		}
 	}
@@ -1208,7 +1208,7 @@ func (d *Decoder) decodeArray(name string, data interface{}, val reflect.Value)
 		currentField := valArray.Index(i)
 
 		fieldName := name + "[" + strconv.Itoa(i) + "]"
-		if err := d.decode(fieldName, currentData, currentField); err != nil {
+		if err := d.decode(fieldName, currentData, currentField, true); err != nil {
 			errors = appendErrors(errors, err)
 		}
 	}
@@ -1413,7 +1413,7 @@ func (d *Decoder) decodeStructFromMap(name string, dataVal, val reflect.Value) e
 			fieldName = name + "." + fieldName
 		}
 
-		if err := d.decode(fieldName, rawMapVal.Interface(), fieldValue); err != nil {
+		if err := d.decode(fieldName, rawMapVal.Interface(), fieldValue, true); err != nil {
 			errors = appendErrors(errors, err)
 		}
 	}