diff --git a/builder/pattern_assembler.js b/builder/pattern_assembler.js
index 65e80eb5b..791f4fe06 100644
--- a/builder/pattern_assembler.js
+++ b/builder/pattern_assembler.js
@@ -167,24 +167,39 @@
       throw 'Could not find pattern with key ' + key;
     }
 
-    
-    var self = this;
-    function mergeData(obj1, obj2) {
-      for (var p in obj2) {
+    /**
+     * Recursively merge properties of two objects.
+     *
+     * @param {Object} obj1 If obj1 has properties obj2 doesn't, add to obj2.
+     * @param {Object} obj2 This object's properties have priority over obj1.
+     * @returns {Object} obj2
+     */
+    function mergeData(obj1, obj2){
+      if(typeof obj2 === 'undefined'){
+        obj2 = {};
+      }
+      for(var p in obj1){
         try {
-          // Property in destination object set; update its value.
-          if ( obj2[p].constructor == Object ) {
-            obj1[p] = self.merge_data(obj1[p], obj2[p]);
-
-          } else {
-            obj1[p] = obj2[p];
+          // Only recurse if obj1[p] is an object.
+          if(obj1[p].constructor === Object){
+            // Requires 2 objects as params; create obj2[p] if undefined.
+            if(typeof obj2[p] === 'undefined'){
+              obj2[p] = {};
+            }
+            obj2[p] = mergeData(obj1[p], obj2[p]);
+          // Pop when recursion meets a non-object. If obj1[p] is a non-object,
+          // only copy to undefined obj2[p]. This way, obj2 maintains priority.
+          } else if(typeof obj2[p] === 'undefined'){
+            obj2[p] = obj1[p];
           }
         } catch(e) {
           // Property in destination object not set; create it and set its value.
-          obj1[p] = obj2[p];
+          if(typeof obj2[p] === 'undefined'){
+            obj2[p] = obj1[p];
+          }
         }
       }
-      return obj1;
+      return obj2;
     }
 
     function buildListItems(patternlab){
diff --git a/builder/pseudopattern_hunter.js b/builder/pseudopattern_hunter.js
index 9f0a33a4e..2ec038bb6 100644
--- a/builder/pseudopattern_hunter.js
+++ b/builder/pseudopattern_hunter.js
@@ -45,7 +45,7 @@
 					var variantFileData = fs.readJSONSync('source/_patterns/' + pseudoPatterns[i]);
 
 					//extend any existing data with variant data
-					variantFileData = pattern_assembler.merge_data(variantFileData, currentPattern.jsonFileData);
+					variantFileData = pattern_assembler.merge_data(currentPattern.jsonFileData, variantFileData);
 
 					var variantName = pseudoPatterns[i].substring(pseudoPatterns[i].indexOf('~') + 1).split('.')[0];
 					var patternVariant = new of.oPattern(currentPattern.subdir, currentPattern.fileName + '-' + variantName + '.mustache', variantFileData);
diff --git a/test/list_item_hunter_tests.js b/test/list_item_hunter_tests.js
index 0da3c9288..7f41cee88 100644
--- a/test/list_item_hunter_tests.js
+++ b/test/list_item_hunter_tests.js
@@ -100,7 +100,7 @@
       test.done();
     },
 
-    'process_list_item_partials overwrites listItem data if local .listitem.json is found' : function(test){
+    'process_list_item_partials overwrites listItem property if that property is in local .listitem.json' : function(test){
       //arrange
       //setup current pattern from what we would have during execution
       var currentPattern = {
@@ -117,7 +117,7 @@
                       "title": "Two"
                    },
                 ]
-          }         
+          }
       };
 
       var patternlab = {
@@ -155,10 +155,134 @@
 
       //act
       list_item_hunter.process_list_item_partials(currentPattern, patternlab);
-      
+
       //assert
       test.equals(currentPattern.extendedTemplate, "OneTwo" );
 
+      test.done();
+    },
+
+    'process_list_item_partials keeps listItem property if that property is not in local .listitem.json' : function(test){
+      //arrange
+      //setup current pattern from what we would have during execution
+      var currentPattern = {
+         "template": "{{#listItems.one}}{{ title }}{{/listItems.one}}",
+         "extendedTemplate" : "{{#listItems.one}}{{> test-simple }}{{/listItems.one}}",
+         "key": "test-patternName",
+         "jsonFileData" : {},
+         "patternSpecificListJson" : {
+            "2": [
+                   {
+                      "title": "One"
+                   },
+                   {
+                      "title": "Two"
+                   },
+                ]
+          }
+      };
+
+      var patternlab = {
+        "listitems": {
+          "1": [
+             {
+                "title": "Foo"
+             }
+          ],
+          "2": [
+             {
+                "title": "Foo"
+             },
+             {
+                "title": "Bar"
+             }
+          ]
+        },
+        "data": {
+          "link": {},
+          "partials": []
+        },
+        "config": {"debug": false},
+        "patterns": [
+          {
+           "template": "{{ title }}",
+           "extendedTemplate" : "{{ title }}",
+           "key": "test-simple",
+           "jsonFileData" : {}
+          }
+        ]
+      };
+
+      var list_item_hunter = new lih();
+
+      //act
+      list_item_hunter.process_list_item_partials(currentPattern, patternlab);
+
+      //assert
+      test.equals(currentPattern.extendedTemplate, "Foo" );
+
+      test.done();
+    },
+
+    'process_list_item_partials uses local listItem property if that property is not set globally' : function(test){
+      //arrange
+      //setup current pattern from what we would have during execution
+      var currentPattern = {
+         "template": "{{#listItems.one}}{{ title }}{{/listItems.one}}",
+         "extendedTemplate" : "{{#listItems.one}}{{> test-simple }}{{/listItems.one}}",
+         "key": "test-patternName",
+         "jsonFileData" : {},
+         "patternSpecificListJson" : {
+            "1": [
+               {
+                  "title": "One"
+               }
+            ],
+            "2": [
+                   {
+                      "title": "One"
+                   },
+                   {
+                      "title": "Two"
+                   },
+                ]
+          }
+      };
+
+      var patternlab = {
+        "listitems": {
+          "2": [
+             {
+                "title": "Foo"
+             },
+             {
+                "title": "Bar"
+             }
+          ]
+        },
+        "data": {
+          "link": {},
+          "partials": []
+        },
+        "config": {"debug": false},
+        "patterns": [
+          {
+           "template": "{{ title }}",
+           "extendedTemplate" : "{{ title }}",
+           "key": "test-simple",
+           "jsonFileData" : {}
+          }
+        ]
+      };
+
+      var list_item_hunter = new lih();
+
+      //act
+      list_item_hunter.process_list_item_partials(currentPattern, patternlab);
+
+      //assert
+      test.equals(currentPattern.extendedTemplate, "One" );
+
       test.done();
     }