diff --git a/src/core_plugins/timelion/server/series_functions/props.js b/src/core_plugins/timelion/server/series_functions/props.js
index 917b58bed42d66..33394577d65793 100644
--- a/src/core_plugins/timelion/server/series_functions/props.js
+++ b/src/core_plugins/timelion/server/series_functions/props.js
@@ -12,7 +12,7 @@ function unflatten(data) {
     let prop = '';
     let m;
     while (m = regex.exec(p)) {
-      cur = cur[prop] || (cur[prop] = (m[2] ? [] : {}));
+      cur = (cur.hasOwnProperty(prop) && cur[prop]) || (cur[prop] = (m[2] ? [] : {}));
       prop = m[2] || m[1];
     }
     cur[prop] = data[p];