diff --git a/lib/Cake/Model/Datasource/DboSource.php b/lib/Cake/Model/Datasource/DboSource.php
index ac2d295937a..e3ae1d065d2 100644
--- a/lib/Cake/Model/Datasource/DboSource.php
+++ b/lib/Cake/Model/Datasource/DboSource.php
@@ -1398,7 +1398,7 @@ protected function _mergeAssociation(&$data, &$merge, $association, $type, $self
 			if (isset($merge[$association])) {
 				$data[$association] = $merge[$association][0];
 			} else {
-				if (count($merge[0][$association]) > 1) {
+				if (!empty($merge[0][$association])) {
 					foreach ($merge[0] as $assoc => $data2) {
 						if ($assoc !== $association) {
 							$merge[0][$association][$assoc] = $data2;