diff --git a/lib/jsdoc/name.js b/lib/jsdoc/name.js
index 8fc3cd04..afac40ca 100644
--- a/lib/jsdoc/name.js
+++ b/lib/jsdoc/name.js
@@ -337,7 +337,7 @@ exports.longnamesToTree = function longnamesToTree(longnames, doclets) {
 
     longnames.forEach(function(longname) {
         var currentLongname = '';
-        var currentNavItem = tree;
+        var currentParent = tree;
         var nameInfo;
         var processed;
 
@@ -352,14 +352,18 @@ exports.longnamesToTree = function longnamesToTree(longnames, doclets) {
         processed.chunks.forEach(function(chunk) {
             currentLongname += chunk;
 
-            if (!hasOwnProp.call(currentNavItem, chunk)) {
-                currentNavItem[chunk] = nameInfo[currentLongname];
+            if (currentParent !== tree) {
+                currentParent.children = currentParent.children || {};
+                currentParent = currentParent.children;
             }
 
-            if (currentNavItem[chunk]) {
-                currentNavItem[chunk].doclet = doclets ? doclets[currentLongname] : null;
-                currentNavItem[chunk].children = currentNavItem[chunk].children || {};
-                currentNavItem = currentNavItem[chunk].children;
+            if (!hasOwnProp.call(currentParent, chunk)) {
+                currentParent[chunk] = nameInfo[currentLongname];
+            }
+
+            if (currentParent[chunk]) {
+                currentParent[chunk].doclet = doclets ? doclets[currentLongname] : null;
+                currentParent = currentParent[chunk];
             }
         });
     });