diff --git a/app/code/Magento/Email/Block/Adminhtml/Template/Edit/Form.php b/app/code/Magento/Email/Block/Adminhtml/Template/Edit/Form.php
index e8096fa2c25f8..09538094db900 100644
--- a/app/code/Magento/Email/Block/Adminhtml/Template/Edit/Form.php
+++ b/app/code/Magento/Email/Block/Adminhtml/Template/Edit/Form.php
@@ -187,11 +187,11 @@ public function getVariables()
         $variables = $this->_variables->toOptionArray(true);
         $customVariables = $this->_variableFactory->create()->getVariablesOptionArray(true);
         if ($customVariables) {
-            $variables = array_merge_recursive($variables, $customVariables);
+            $variables[] = $customVariables;
         }
         $template = $this->getEmailTemplate();
         if ($template->getId() && ($templateVariables = $template->getVariablesOptionArray(true))) {
-            $variables = array_merge_recursive($variables, $templateVariables);
+            $variables[] = $templateVariables;
         }
         return $variables;
     }