diff --git a/lodash.js b/lodash.js
index 43b73d336..2b6bd3e22 100644
--- a/lodash.js
+++ b/lodash.js
@@ -6979,7 +6979,8 @@
      * // => [1, 2]
      */
     function initial(array) {
-      return dropRight(array, 1);
+      var length = array ? array.length : 0;
+      return length ? baseSlice(array, 0, -1) : [];
     }
 
     /**
@@ -7657,7 +7658,8 @@
      * // => [2, 3]
      */
     function tail(array) {
-      return drop(array, 1);
+      var length = array ? array.length : 0;
+      return length ? baseSlice(array, 1, length) : [];
     }
 
     /**