diff --git a/src/state.js b/src/state.js
index 7076cc0ab..be36c99bc 100644
--- a/src/state.js
+++ b/src/state.js
@@ -41,7 +41,7 @@ function $StateProvider(   $urlRouterProvider,   $urlMatcherFactory) {
     // inherit 'data' from parent and override by own values (if any)
     data: function(state) {
       if (state.parent && state.parent.data) {
-        state.data = state.self.data = extend({}, state.parent.data, state.data);
+        state.data = state.self.data = inherit(state.parent.data, state.data);
       }
       return state.data;
     },
diff --git a/test/stateSpec.js b/test/stateSpec.js
index a8f45ac4a..7249895bf 100644
--- a/test/stateSpec.js
+++ b/test/stateSpec.js
@@ -1338,6 +1338,7 @@ describe('state', function () {
       expect($state.current.name).toEqual('HHH');
       expect($state.current.data.propA).toEqual(HHH.data.propA);
       expect($state.current.data.propB).toEqual(H.data.propB);
+      expect($state.current.data.hasOwnProperty('propB')).toBe(false);
       expect($state.current.data.propB).toEqual(HH.data.propB);
       expect($state.current.data.propC).toEqual(HHH.data.propC);
     }));