diff --git a/js/jquery.tablesorter.js b/js/jquery.tablesorter.js
index a885a402..e8fa8497 100644
--- a/js/jquery.tablesorter.js
+++ b/js/jquery.tablesorter.js
@@ -1917,7 +1917,7 @@
 				for ( indx = 0; indx < len; indx++ ) {
 					widget = ts.getWidgetById( c.widgets[ indx ] );
 					if ( widget && widget.options ) {
-						c.widgetOptions = $.extend( true, {}, widget.options, c.widgetOptions );
+						c.widgetOptions = $.extend( true, widget.options, c.widgetOptions );
 						// add widgetOptions to defaults for option validator
 						$.extend( true, ts.defaults.widgetOptions, widget.options );
 					}