diff --git a/loader/merge.go b/loader/merge.go
index 3c24008d..c6b25f5e 100644
--- a/loader/merge.go
+++ b/loader/merge.go
@@ -130,7 +130,7 @@ func _merge(baseService *types.ServiceConfig, overrideService *types.ServiceConf
 	if overrideService.Command != nil {
 		baseService.Command = overrideService.Command
 	}
-	if overrideService.HealthCheck != nil {
+	if overrideService.HealthCheck != nil && overrideService.HealthCheck.Test != nil {
 		baseService.HealthCheck.Test = overrideService.HealthCheck.Test
 	}
 	if overrideService.Entrypoint != nil {
diff --git a/loader/merge_test.go b/loader/merge_test.go
index d0802803..9b919224 100644
--- a/loader/merge_test.go
+++ b/loader/merge_test.go
@@ -1287,11 +1287,23 @@ func TestMergeHealthCheck(t *testing.T) {
 					},
 				},
 			}},
+			{Filename: "override.yml", Config: map[string]interface{}{
+				"services": map[string]interface{}{
+					"foo": map[string]interface{}{
+						"image": "alpine",
+						"healthcheck": map[string]interface{}{
+							"timeout": "30s",
+						},
+					},
+				},
+			}},
 		},
 	}
 	merged, err := loadTestProject(configDetails)
 	assert.NilError(t, err)
-	assert.DeepEqual(t, merged.Services[0].HealthCheck.Test, types.HealthCheckTest{"CMD", "override"})
+	check := merged.Services[0].HealthCheck
+	assert.DeepEqual(t, check.Test, types.HealthCheckTest{"CMD", "override"})
+	assert.Equal(t, check.Timeout.String(), "30s")
 }
 
 func TestMergeEnvironments(t *testing.T) {