diff --git a/README.md b/README.md
index c3278f7e..2e7bf7ef 100644
--- a/README.md
+++ b/README.md
@@ -297,6 +297,10 @@ value})``. Possible options are:
   * `mergeAttrs` (default: `false`): Merge attributes and child elements as
     properties of the parent, instead of keying attributes off a child
     attribute object. This option is ignored if `ignoreAttrs` is `true`.
+  * `mergeAttrsArray` (default: `true`): Ignored if `mergeAttrs` is `false`.
+    While merging attributes as properties of the parent (`mergeAttrs` is `true`),
+    when `mergeAttrsArray` is `false`, the value for an attribute is the raw value
+    rather than an array.
   * `validator` (default `null`): You can specify a callable that validates
     the resulting structure somehow, however you want. See unit tests
     for an example.
diff --git a/lib/defaults.js b/lib/defaults.js
index 0a21da0a..45877571 100644
--- a/lib/defaults.js
+++ b/lib/defaults.js
@@ -11,6 +11,7 @@
       explicitArray: false,
       ignoreAttrs: false,
       mergeAttrs: false,
+      mergeAttrsArray: true,
       explicitRoot: false,
       validator: null,
       xmlns: false,
@@ -36,6 +37,7 @@
       explicitArray: true,
       ignoreAttrs: false,
       mergeAttrs: false,
+      mergeAttrsArray: true,
       explicitRoot: true,
       validator: null,
       xmlns: false,
diff --git a/lib/parser.js b/lib/parser.js
index 9e8261eb..049e24f2 100644
--- a/lib/parser.js
+++ b/lib/parser.js
@@ -152,7 +152,11 @@
               newValue = _this.options.attrValueProcessors ? processItem(_this.options.attrValueProcessors, node.attributes[key], key) : node.attributes[key];
               processedKey = _this.options.attrNameProcessors ? processItem(_this.options.attrNameProcessors, key) : key;
               if (_this.options.mergeAttrs) {
-                _this.assignOrPush(obj, processedKey, newValue);
+                if (_this.options.mergeAttrsArray) {
+                  _this.assignOrPush(obj, processedKey, newValue);
+                } else {
+                  obj[processedKey] = newValue;
+                }
               } else {
                 obj[attrkey][processedKey] = newValue;
               }
diff --git a/package.json b/package.json
index e2425cc5..fb620bae 100644
--- a/package.json
+++ b/package.json
@@ -53,7 +53,8 @@
     "David Wood <david.p.wood@gmail.com> (http://codesleuth.co.uk/)",
     "Nicolas Maquet (https://github.com/nmaquet)",
     "Lovell Fuller (http://lovell.info/)",
-    "d3adc0d3 (https://github.com/d3adc0d3)"
+    "d3adc0d3 (https://github.com/d3adc0d3)",
+    "IRCraziestTaxi (https://github.com/IRCraziestTaxi)"
   ],
   "main": "./lib/xml2js",
   "files": [
diff --git a/src/defaults.coffee b/src/defaults.coffee
index a9bd214b..03f6c143 100644
--- a/src/defaults.coffee
+++ b/src/defaults.coffee
@@ -17,6 +17,10 @@ exports.defaults = {
     # merge attributes and child elements onto parent object.  this may
     # cause collisions.
     mergeAttrs: false
+    # when mergeAttrs and explicitArray are true
+    # and mergeAttrsArray is false (default true),
+    # do not parse attributes into an array.
+    mergeAttrsArray: true
     explicitRoot: false
     validator: null
     xmlns : false
@@ -45,6 +49,10 @@ exports.defaults = {
     explicitArray: true
     ignoreAttrs: false
     mergeAttrs: false
+    # when mergeAttrs and explicitArray are true
+    # and mergeAttrsArray is false (default true),
+    # do not parse attributes into an array.
+    mergeAttrsArray: true
     explicitRoot: true
     validator: null
     xmlns : false
diff --git a/src/parser.coffee b/src/parser.coffee
index 8a375197..d1f0470d 100644
--- a/src/parser.coffee
+++ b/src/parser.coffee
@@ -111,7 +111,10 @@ class exports.Parser extends events.EventEmitter
           newValue = if @options.attrValueProcessors then processItem(@options.attrValueProcessors, node.attributes[key], key) else node.attributes[key]
           processedKey = if @options.attrNameProcessors then processItem(@options.attrNameProcessors, key) else key
           if @options.mergeAttrs
-            @assignOrPush obj, processedKey, newValue
+            if @options.mergeAttrsArray
+              @assignOrPush obj, processedKey, newValue
+            else
+              obj[processedKey] = newValue
           else
             obj[attrkey][processedKey] = newValue
 
diff --git a/test/parser.test.coffee b/test/parser.test.coffee
index 6d531d56..82aad8dd 100644
--- a/test/parser.test.coffee
+++ b/test/parser.test.coffee
@@ -107,6 +107,24 @@ module.exports =
     equ r.sample.listtest[0].single[0], 'Single'
     equ r.sample.listtest[0].attr[0], 'Attribute')
 
+  'test parse with mergeAttrs and not mergeAttrsArray': skeleton(mergeAttrs: true, mergeAttrsArray: false, (r) ->
+    console.log 'Result object: ' + util.inspect r, false, 10
+    equ r.sample.chartest[0].desc, 'Test for CHARs'
+    equ r.sample.chartest[0]._, 'Character data here!'
+    equ r.sample.cdatatest[0].desc, 'Test for CDATA'
+    equ r.sample.cdatatest[0].misc, 'true'
+    equ r.sample.cdatatest[0]._, 'CDATA here!'
+    equ r.sample.nochartest[0].desc, 'No data'
+    equ r.sample.nochartest[0].misc, 'false'
+    equ r.sample.listtest[0].item[0].subitem[0], 'Foo(1)'
+    equ r.sample.listtest[0].item[0].subitem[1], 'Foo(2)'
+    equ r.sample.listtest[0].item[0].subitem[2], 'Foo(3)'
+    equ r.sample.listtest[0].item[0].subitem[3], 'Foo(4)'
+    equ r.sample.listtest[0].item[1], 'Qux.'
+    equ r.sample.listtest[0].item[2], 'Quux.'
+    equ r.sample.listtest[0].single[0], 'Single'
+    equ r.sample.listtest[0].attr, 'Attribute')
+
   'test parse with mergeAttrs and not explicitArray': skeleton(mergeAttrs: true, explicitArray: false, (r) ->
     console.log 'Result object: ' + util.inspect r, false, 10
     equ r.sample.chartest.desc, 'Test for CHARs'