diff --git a/src/test/java/org/codehaus/plexus/util/xml/Xpp3DomTest.java b/src/test/java/org/codehaus/plexus/util/xml/Xpp3DomTest.java
index db390ef3..ec4f4ee3 100644
--- a/src/test/java/org/codehaus/plexus/util/xml/Xpp3DomTest.java
+++ b/src/test/java/org/codehaus/plexus/util/xml/Xpp3DomTest.java
@@ -153,7 +153,7 @@ public void testShouldPerformSelfOverrideAtTopLevel()
      * <p>testShouldMergeValuesAtTopLevelByDefault.</p>
      */
     @Test
-    public void testShouldMergeValuesAtTopLevelByDefault()
+    public void testShouldNotMergeValuesAtTopLevelByDefault()
     {
         // create the dominant DOM
         Xpp3Dom t1 = new Xpp3Dom( "top" );
@@ -172,15 +172,15 @@ public void testShouldMergeValuesAtTopLevelByDefault()
         // this is still 2, since we're not using the merge-control attribute.
         assertEquals( 2, result.getAttributeNames().length );
 
-        assertEquals( result.getValue(), t2.getValue() );
-        assertEquals( "t2top", result.getInputLocation() );
+        assertEquals( result.getValue(), t1.getValue() );
+        assertEquals( "t1top", result.getInputLocation() );
     }
 
     /**
      * <p>testShouldMergeValuesAtTopLevel.</p>
      */
     @Test
-    public void testShouldMergeValuesAtTopLevel()
+    public void testShouldNotMergeValues()
     {
         // create the dominant DOM
         Xpp3Dom t1 = new Xpp3Dom( "top" );
@@ -197,7 +197,7 @@ public void testShouldMergeValuesAtTopLevel()
         Xpp3Dom result = Xpp3Dom.mergeXpp3Dom( t1, t2 );
 
         assertEquals( 3, result.getAttributeNames().length );
-        assertEquals( result.getValue(), t2.getValue() );
+        assertNull( result.getValue(), t1.getValue() );
     }
 
     /**
diff --git a/src/test/java/org/codehaus/plexus/util/xml/Xpp3DomUtilsTest.java b/src/test/java/org/codehaus/plexus/util/xml/Xpp3DomUtilsTest.java
index 9e244f19..74c08baf 100644
--- a/src/test/java/org/codehaus/plexus/util/xml/Xpp3DomUtilsTest.java
+++ b/src/test/java/org/codehaus/plexus/util/xml/Xpp3DomUtilsTest.java
@@ -17,6 +17,7 @@
  */
 
 import static org.junit.Assert.assertEquals;
+import static org.junit.Assert.assertNull;
 
 import java.io.IOException;
 import java.io.StringReader;
@@ -150,6 +151,57 @@ public void testIsNotEmptyNegatesIsEmpty()
         assertEquals( !Xpp3DomUtils.isEmpty( "someValue" ), Xpp3DomUtils.isNotEmpty( "someValue" ) );
     }
 
+    /**
+     * <p>testShouldMergeValuesAtTopLevelByDefault.</p>
+     */
+    @Test
+    public void testShouldNotMergeValuesAtTopLevelByDefault()
+    {
+        // create the dominant DOM
+        Xpp3Dom t1 = new Xpp3Dom( "top" );
+        t1.setAttribute( "attr", "value" );
+        t1.setInputLocation( "t1top" );
+
+        // create the recessive DOM
+        Xpp3Dom t2 = new Xpp3Dom( "top" );
+        t2.setAttribute( "attr2", "value2" );
+        t2.setValue( "t2Value" );
+        t2.setInputLocation( "t2top" );
+
+        // merge and check results.
+        Xpp3Dom result = Xpp3DomUtils.mergeXpp3Dom( t1, t2 );
+
+        // this is still 2, since we're not using the merge-control attribute.
+        assertEquals( 2, result.getAttributeNames().length );
+
+        assertEquals( result.getValue(), t1.getValue() );
+        assertEquals( "t1top", result.getInputLocation() );
+    }
+
+    /**
+     * <p>testShouldMergeValuesAtTopLevel.</p>
+     */
+    @Test
+    public void testShouldNotMergeValues()
+    {
+        // create the dominant DOM
+        Xpp3Dom t1 = new Xpp3Dom( "top" );
+        t1.setAttribute( "attr", "value" );
+
+        t1.setAttribute( Xpp3Dom.SELF_COMBINATION_MODE_ATTRIBUTE, Xpp3Dom.SELF_COMBINATION_MERGE );
+
+        // create the recessive DOM
+        Xpp3Dom t2 = new Xpp3Dom( "top" );
+        t2.setAttribute( "attr2", "value2" );
+        t2.setValue( "t2Value" );
+
+        // merge and check results.
+        Xpp3Dom result = Xpp3DomUtils.mergeXpp3Dom( t1, t2 );
+
+        assertEquals( 3, result.getAttributeNames().length );
+        assertNull( result.getValue(), t1.getValue() );
+    }
+
     private static class FixedInputLocationBuilder
         implements Xpp3DomBuilder.InputLocationBuilder
     {