diff --git a/Smarty.class.php b/Smarty.class.php
index 5bdfd0eb..db86dab9 100644
--- a/Smarty.class.php
+++ b/Smarty.class.php
@@ -247,16 +247,12 @@ class Smarty
         if (is_array($tpl_var)) {
             foreach ($tpl_var as $key => $val) {
                 if (!empty($key)) {
-                    if (!is_array($this->_tpl_vars[$key]))
-                        settype($this->_tpl_vars[$key], 'array');
-                    $this->_tpl_vars[$key][] = $val;
+                    (array)$this->_tpl_vars[$key][] = $val;
                 }
             }
         } else {
             if (!empty($tpl_var) && isset($value)) {
-                if (!is_array($this->_tpl_vars[$tpl_var]))
-                    settype($this->_tpl_vars[$tpl_var], 'array');
-                $this->_tpl_vars[$tpl_var][] = $value;
+                (array)$this->_tpl_vars[$tpl_var][] = $value;
             }
         }
         $this->_extract = true;
diff --git a/libs/Smarty.class.php b/libs/Smarty.class.php
index 5bdfd0eb..db86dab9 100644
--- a/libs/Smarty.class.php
+++ b/libs/Smarty.class.php
@@ -247,16 +247,12 @@ class Smarty
         if (is_array($tpl_var)) {
             foreach ($tpl_var as $key => $val) {
                 if (!empty($key)) {
-                    if (!is_array($this->_tpl_vars[$key]))
-                        settype($this->_tpl_vars[$key], 'array');
-                    $this->_tpl_vars[$key][] = $val;
+                    (array)$this->_tpl_vars[$key][] = $val;
                 }
             }
         } else {
             if (!empty($tpl_var) && isset($value)) {
-                if (!is_array($this->_tpl_vars[$tpl_var]))
-                    settype($this->_tpl_vars[$tpl_var], 'array');
-                $this->_tpl_vars[$tpl_var][] = $value;
+                (array)$this->_tpl_vars[$tpl_var][] = $value;
             }
         }
         $this->_extract = true;