diff --git a/pkg/utils/utils.go b/pkg/utils/utils.go
index c87a4d8ba..a20f0c047 100644
--- a/pkg/utils/utils.go
+++ b/pkg/utils/utils.go
@@ -176,9 +176,14 @@ func doMerge(src, dest reflect.Value) error {
 
 	case reflect.Map:
 		for _, key := range src.MapKeys() {
-			if err := doMerge(src.MapIndex(key), dest.MapIndex(key)); err != nil {
-				return err
+			srcElem := src.MapIndex(key)
+			if !srcElem.IsValid() || isEmptyValue(srcElem) {
+				continue
+			}
+			if dest.IsNil() {
+				dest.Set(reflect.MakeMap(dest.Type()))
 			}
+			dest.SetMapIndex(key, srcElem)
 		}
 
 	case reflect.Slice:
diff --git a/pkg/utils/utils_test.go b/pkg/utils/utils_test.go
index 12be73d80..43dc3acf3 100644
--- a/pkg/utils/utils_test.go
+++ b/pkg/utils/utils_test.go
@@ -191,9 +191,19 @@ func TestMerge(t *testing.T) {
 			ok:       true,
 		}, {
 			src:      &simple{Sa: 1, Sc: true, Sd: map[string]string{"go": "gogo"}, Se: nestS{Na: 11}, Sf: []string{"foo"}},
-			dest:     &simple{Sa: 2, Sb: "world", Sc: false, Sd: map[string]string{"go": "gogo"}, Se: nestS{Na: 22}, Sf: []string{"foo"}},
+			dest:     &simple{Sa: 2, Sb: "world", Sc: false, Sd: map[string]string{"go": "old"}, Se: nestS{Na: 22}, Sf: []string{"foo"}},
 			expected: &simple{Sa: 1, Sb: "world", Sc: true, Sd: map[string]string{"go": "gogo"}, Se: nestS{Na: 11}, Sf: []string{"foo", "foo"}},
 			ok:       true,
+		}, {
+			src:      &simple{Sd: map[string]string{"go": "gogo", "a": "b"}},
+			dest:     &simple{Sd: map[string]string{"go": "old"}},
+			expected: &simple{Sd: map[string]string{"go": "gogo", "a": "b"}},
+			ok:       true,
+		}, {
+			src:      &simple{Sd: map[string]string{"go": "gogo", "a": "b"}},
+			dest:     &simple{},
+			expected: &simple{Sd: map[string]string{"go": "gogo", "a": "b"}},
+			ok:       true,
 		},
 	} {
 		err := Merge(tm.src, tm.dest)