diff --git a/src/core.js b/src/core.js
index 6accbc466..6b497fdcf 100644
--- a/src/core.js
+++ b/src/core.js
@@ -1138,16 +1138,16 @@ jQuery.extend({
 	merge: function( first, second ) {
 		// We have to loop this way because IE & Opera overwrite the length
 		// expando of getElementsByTagName
-
+		var i = 0;
 		// Also, we need to make sure that the correct elements are being returned
 		// (IE returns comment nodes in a '*' query)
 		if ( jQuery.browser.msie ) {
-			for ( var i = 0; second[ i ]; i++ )
+			for ( ; second[ i ]; i++ )
 				if ( second[ i ].nodeType != 8 )
 					first.push( second[ i ] );
 
 		} else
-			for ( var i = 0; second[ i ]; i++ )
+			for ( ; second[ i ]; i++ )
 				first.push( second[ i ] );
 
 		return first;