my $class = shift;
my $self = $class->SUPER::new(@_);
- $self->{ELEMENTS} = [] unless UNIVERSAL::isa($self->{ELEMENTS}, 'ARRAY');
+ $self->{ELEMENTS} = []
+ unless exists $self->{ELEMENTS} &&
+ UNIVERSAL::isa($self->{ELEMENTS}, 'ARRAY');
return $self;
}