diff --git a/WordPress/Sniffs/NamingConventions/ValidVariableNameSniff.php b/WordPress/Sniffs/NamingConventions/ValidVariableNameSniff.php
index 6a6d660058..beeece5916 100644
--- a/WordPress/Sniffs/NamingConventions/ValidVariableNameSniff.php
+++ b/WordPress/Sniffs/NamingConventions/ValidVariableNameSniff.php
@@ -280,15 +280,16 @@ protected function mergeWhiteList( $phpcs_file ) {
 			return;
 		}
 
-		if ( ! empty( $this->customPropertiesWhitelist ) ) {
-			if ( ! is_array( $this->customPropertiesWhitelist ) ) {
-				// Incorrectly set property.
-				$phpcs_file->addWarning(
-					'The customVariablesWhitelist property should be provided with type="array".',
-					0,
-					'WrongFormatCustomVariablesWhitelist'
-				);
-			}
+		if (
+			! empty( $this->customPropertiesWhitelist )
+			&& ! is_array( $this->customPropertiesWhitelist )
+		) {
+			// Incorrectly set property.
+			$phpcs_file->addWarning(
+				'The customVariablesWhitelist property should be provided with type="array".',
+				0,
+				'WrongFormatCustomVariablesWhitelist'
+			);
 
 			// Potentially correct incorrect format.
 			if ( is_string( $this->customPropertiesWhitelist ) ) {