diff --git a/data_navigator.go b/data_navigator.go
index 1f1acacc..1dd172d8 100644
--- a/data_navigator.go
+++ b/data_navigator.go
@@ -7,11 +7,15 @@ import (
 )
 
 func write(context map[interface{}]interface{}, head string, tail []string, value interface{}) {
-	// e.g. if updating a.b.c, we need to get the 'b' map...
-	toUpdate := readMap(context, head, tail[0:len(tail)-1]).(map[interface{}]interface{})
-	//  and then set the 'c' key.
-	key := (tail[len(tail)-1])
-	toUpdate[key] = value
+	if len(tail) == 0 {
+		context[head] = value
+	} else {
+		// e.g. if updating a.b.c, we need to get the 'b' map...
+		toUpdate := readMap(context, head, tail[0:len(tail)-1]).(map[interface{}]interface{})
+		//  and then set the 'c' key.
+		key := (tail[len(tail)-1])
+		toUpdate[key] = value
+	}
 }
 
 func readMap(context map[interface{}]interface{}, head string, tail []string) interface{} {
diff --git a/data_navigator_test.go b/data_navigator_test.go
index 4f4de210..82980165 100644
--- a/data_navigator_test.go
+++ b/data_navigator_test.go
@@ -68,6 +68,14 @@ func TestWrite_simple(t *testing.T) {
 	assertResult(t, "4", b["c"].(string))
 }
 
+func TestWrite_with_no_tail(t *testing.T) {
+
+	write(parsedData, "b", []string{}, "4")
+
+	b := parsedData["b"]
+	assertResult(t, "4", fmt.Sprintf("%v", b))
+}
+
 func assertResult(t *testing.T, expectedValue interface{}, actualValue interface{}) {
 	if expectedValue != actualValue {
 		t.Error("Expected <", expectedValue, "> but got <", actualValue, ">", fmt.Sprintf("%T", actualValue))