diff --git a/app/assets/javascripts/discourse/initializers/localization.js.es6 b/app/assets/javascripts/discourse/initializers/localization.js.es6
index 5d3ce55f98..2603ddaf4b 100644
--- a/app/assets/javascripts/discourse/initializers/localization.js.es6
+++ b/app/assets/javascripts/discourse/initializers/localization.js.es6
@@ -55,7 +55,9 @@ export default {
         node = node[segs[i]];
       }
 
-      node[segs[segs.length-1]] = v;
+      if (typeof node === "object") {
+        node[segs[segs.length-1]] = v;
+      }
 
     });
   }
diff --git a/test/javascripts/initializers/localization-test.js.es6 b/test/javascripts/initializers/localization-test.js.es6
index 0113be6c71..299aab839d 100644
--- a/test/javascripts/initializers/localization-test.js.es6
+++ b/test/javascripts/initializers/localization-test.js.es6
@@ -41,3 +41,10 @@ QUnit.test("translation overrides", function(assert) {
   assert.equal(I18n.t("composer.reply"), "WAT", "overrides existing translation in current locale");
   assert.equal(I18n.t("topic.reply.help"), "foobar", "overrides translation in default locale");
 });
+
+QUnit.test("skip translation override if parent node is not an object", function(assert) {
+  PreloadStore.store('translationOverrides', {"js.composer.reply":"WAT","js.composer.reply.help":"foobar"});
+  LocalizationInitializer.initialize(this.registry);
+
+  assert.equal(I18n.t("composer.reply.help"), "[fr.composer.reply.help]");
+});