diff --git a/janssonxx.h b/janssonxx.h
index 1df424d..0fad7dd 100644
--- a/janssonxx.h
+++ b/janssonxx.h
@@ -149,13 +149,7 @@ public:
 
 	// set an object property (converts value to object is not one already)
 	Value& set_key(const char* key, const Value& value) {
-		if (!is_object()) {
-			json_decref(_value);
-			_value = json_object();
-		}
-
 		json_object_set(_value, key, value.as_json());
-
 		return *this;
 	}
 
@@ -165,16 +159,10 @@ public:
 
 	// set an array index (converts value to object is not one already)
 	Value& set_at(unsigned int index, const Value& value) {
-		if (!is_array()) {
-			json_decref(_value);
-			_value = json_array();
-		}
-
 		if (index == size())
 			json_array_append(_value, value.as_json());
 		else
 			json_array_set(_value, index, value.as_json());
-
 		return *this;
 	}
 
diff --git a/test.cc b/test.cc
index 28a83c8..c6e5362 100644
--- a/test.cc
+++ b/test.cc
@@ -69,8 +69,10 @@ int main() {
 	e3 = jansson::Value::null();
 	ASSERT_TRUE(e3.is_null(), "e3 is not null after assignment");
 
-	e3.set_at(0, jansson::Value::from("foobar"));
+	e3 = jansson::Value::array();
 	ASSERT_TRUE(e3.is_array(), "e3 is not an array after index assignment");
+
+	e3.set_at(0, jansson::Value::from("foobar"));
 	ASSERT_EQ(e3.size(), 1, "e3 has incorrect number of elements after assignment");
 	ASSERT_EQ(e3[0].as_string(), "foobar", "e3[0] has incorrect value after assignment");
 
@@ -91,8 +93,10 @@ int main() {
 	e3.clear();
 	ASSERT_EQ(e3.size(), 0, "e3 has incorrect number of elements after clear");
 
-	e3.set_key("foo", jansson::Value::from("test"));
+	e3 = jansson::Value::object();
 	ASSERT_TRUE(e3.is_object(), "e3 is not an object after property assignment");
+
+	e3.set_key("foo", jansson::Value::from("test"));
 	ASSERT_EQ(e3.size(), 1, "e3 has incorrect number of properties after assignment");
 	ASSERT_EQ(e3["foo"].as_string(), "test", "e3.foo has incorrect value after assignment");