diff --git a/src/main/java/com/jsoniter/ReflectionCollectionDecoder.java b/src/main/java/com/jsoniter/ReflectionCollectionDecoder.java
index 2dcb6e9b..b82dfe91 100644
--- a/src/main/java/com/jsoniter/ReflectionCollectionDecoder.java
+++ b/src/main/java/com/jsoniter/ReflectionCollectionDecoder.java
@@ -38,7 +38,11 @@ private Object decode_(JsonIterator iter) throws Exception {
         if (iter.readNull()) {
             return null;
         }
-        col = (Collection) this.ctor.newInstance();
+        if (col == null) {
+            col = (Collection) this.ctor.newInstance();
+        } else {
+            col.clear();
+        }
         while (iter.readArray()) {
             col.add(compTypeDecoder.decode(iter));
         }