diff --git a/unmarshaler.go b/unmarshaler.go
index 7383afe..5c19845 100644
--- a/unmarshaler.go
+++ b/unmarshaler.go
@@ -1039,15 +1039,9 @@ func (d *decoder) handleKeyValuePart(key unstable.Iterator, value *unstable.Node
 
 		mv := v.MapIndex(mk)
 		set := false
-		if !mv.IsValid() {
+		if !mv.IsValid() || key.IsLast() {
 			set = true
 			mv = reflect.New(v.Type().Elem()).Elem()
-		} else {
-			if key.IsLast() {
-				var x interface{}
-				mv = reflect.ValueOf(&x).Elem()
-				set = true
-			}
 		}
 
 		nv, err := d.handleKeyValueInner(key, value, mv)
diff --git a/unmarshaler_test.go b/unmarshaler_test.go
index f7ccc59..3c34425 100644
--- a/unmarshaler_test.go
+++ b/unmarshaler_test.go
@@ -2472,6 +2472,21 @@ func TestIssue850(t *testing.T) {
 	require.Error(t, err)
 }
 
+func TestIssue851(t *testing.T) {
+	type Target struct {
+		Params map[string]string `toml:"params"`
+	}
+
+	content := "params = {a=\"1\",b=\"2\"}"
+	var target Target
+	err := toml.Unmarshal([]byte(content), &target)
+	require.NoError(t, err)
+	require.Equal(t, map[string]string{"a": "1", "b": "2"}, target.Params)
+	err = toml.Unmarshal([]byte(content), &target)
+	require.NoError(t, err)
+	require.Equal(t, map[string]string{"a": "1", "b": "2"}, target.Params)
+}
+
 func TestUnmarshalDecodeErrors(t *testing.T) {
 	examples := []struct {
 		desc string