diff --git a/lodash.js b/lodash.js
index 5c777b30c..d4c977e5a 100644
--- a/lodash.js
+++ b/lodash.js
@@ -1138,9 +1138,6 @@
      * @returns {Object} Returns the destination object.
      */
     function baseAssign(object, source, callback) {
-      if (!object) {
-        return object;
-      }
       var index = -1,
           props = keys(source),
           length = props.length;
@@ -1959,9 +1956,6 @@
      * @returns {Object} Returns the destination object.
      */
     function baseMerge(object, source, callback, stackA, stackB) {
-      if (!object) {
-        return object;
-      }
       (isArrayLike(source) ? arrayEach : baseForOwn)(source, function(srcValue, key, source) {
         var isArr = srcValue && isArrayLike(srcValue),
             isObj = srcValue && isPlainObject(srcValue),