diff --git a/commands_test.go b/commands_test.go
index 2e4924a4..d88d73a9 100644
--- a/commands_test.go
+++ b/commands_test.go
@@ -775,7 +775,7 @@ func TestWriteCmd_AppendEmptyArray(t *testing.T) {
 	defer removeTempYamlFile(filename)
 
 	cmd := getRootCommand()
-	result := runCmd(cmd, fmt.Sprintf("write %s b[+] v", filename))
+	result := runCmd(cmd, fmt.Sprintf("write -v %s b[+] v", filename))
 	if result.Error != nil {
 		t.Error(result.Error)
 	}
diff --git a/data_navigator.go b/data_navigator.go
index d6f40087..39f03958 100644
--- a/data_navigator.go
+++ b/data_navigator.go
@@ -2,6 +2,7 @@ package main
 
 import (
 	"fmt"
+	"reflect"
 	"strconv"
 
 	yaml "gopkg.in/mikefarah/yaml.v2"
@@ -41,7 +42,7 @@ func getArray(context interface{}) (array []interface{}, ok bool) {
 }
 
 func writeMap(context interface{}, paths []string, value interface{}) yaml.MapSlice {
-	log.Debugf("writeMap for %v for %v with value %v\n", paths, context, value)
+	log.Debugf("writeMap with path %v for %v to set value %v\n", paths, context, value)
 
 	mapSlice := getMapSlice(context)
 
@@ -69,19 +70,25 @@ func updatedChildValue(child interface{}, remainingPaths []string, value interfa
 	if len(remainingPaths) == 0 {
 		return value
 	}
-
+	log.Debugf("updatedChildValue for child %v with path %v to set value %v", child, remainingPaths, value)
+	log.Debugf("type of child is %v", reflect.TypeOf(child))
 	_, nextIndexErr := strconv.ParseInt(remainingPaths[0], 10, 64)
-	if nextIndexErr != nil && remainingPaths[0] != "+" {
-		// must be a map
-		return writeMap(child, remainingPaths, value)
-	}
 
-	// must be an array
-	return writeArray(child, remainingPaths, value)
+	switch child := child.(type) {
+	case nil:
+		if nextIndexErr == nil || remainingPaths[0] == "+" { // || remainingPaths[0] == "*"
+			return writeArray(child, remainingPaths, value)
+		}
+	case []interface{}:
+		if nextIndexErr == nil || remainingPaths[0] == "+" { // || remainingPaths[0] == "*"
+			return writeArray(child, remainingPaths, value)
+		}
+	}
+	return writeMap(child, remainingPaths, value)
 }
 
 func writeArray(context interface{}, paths []string, value interface{}) []interface{} {
-	log.Debugf("writeArray for %v for %v with value %v\n", paths, context, value)
+	log.Debugf("writeArray with path %v for %v to set value %v\n", paths, context, value)
 	array, _ := getArray(context)
 
 	if len(paths) == 0 {
diff --git a/data_navigator_test.go b/data_navigator_test.go
index d592d352..fd41937f 100644
--- a/data_navigator_test.go
+++ b/data_navigator_test.go
@@ -253,11 +253,11 @@ b:
 
 func TestWrite_new_array_deep(t *testing.T) {
 	var data = parseData(`
-b:
-  c: 2
+a: apple
 `)
 
-	var expected = `b:
+	var expected = `a: apple
+b:
 - c: "4"`
 
 	updated := writeMap(data, []string{"b", "0", "c"}, "4")