diff --git a/models/behaviors/linkable.php b/models/behaviors/linkable.php
index 4f71156..cb0622b 100644
--- a/models/behaviors/linkable.php
+++ b/models/behaviors/linkable.php
@@ -259,12 +259,17 @@ class LinkableBehavior extends ModelBehavior {
 			// in either/or, but a couple should include BOTH the
 			// options AND the association settings.
 			foreach (array('fields', 'conditions') AS $fld) {
-				if (!empty($options[$fld]) && !is_array($options[$fld]))
+				if (empty($options[$fld]))
+					$options[$fld] = array();
+				elseif (!is_array($options[$fld]))
 					$options[$fld] = array($options[$fld]);
-				if (!empty($association[$fld]) && !is_array($association[$fld]))
+
+				if (empty($association[$fld]))
+					unset($association[$fld]);
+				elseif (!is_array($association[$fld]))
 					$association[$fld] = array($association[$fld]);
 
-				if (!empty($options[$fld]) && !empty($association[$fld]))
+				if (isset($options[$fld]) && isset($association[$fld]))
 					$options[$fld] = array_merge($options[$fld],
 								     $association[$fld]);
 			}