Allocate slice if needed

internal/imported_tests/unmarshal_imported_test.go

@@ -1827,9 +1827,7 @@ type arrayTooSmallStruct struct {
 func TestUnmarshalSlice(t *testing.T) {
 	var actual sliceStruct
 	err := toml.Unmarshal(sliceTomlDemo, &actual)
-	if err != nil {
-		t.Error("shound not err", err)
-	}
+	require.NoError(t, err)
 	expected := sliceStruct{
 		Slice:          []string{"Howdy", "Hey There"},
 		SlicePtr:       &[]string{"Howdy", "Hey There"},
@@ -1838,10 +1836,7 @@ func TestUnmarshalSlice(t *testing.T) {
 		StructSlice:    []basicMarshalTestSubStruct{{"1"}, {"2"}},
 		StructSlicePtr: &[]basicMarshalTestSubStruct{{"1"}, {"2"}},
 	}
-	if !reflect.DeepEqual(actual, expected) {
-		t.Errorf("Bad unmarshal: expected %v, got %v", expected, actual)
-	}
-
+	assert.Equal(t, expected, actual)
 }
 
 func TestUnmarshalSliceFail(t *testing.T) {

internal/reflectbuild/reflectbuild.go

@@ -380,6 +380,12 @@ func (b *Builder) SliceNewElem() error {
 	v := t.get()
 
 	if v.Kind() == reflect.Ptr {
+		// if the pointer is nil we need to allocate the slice
+		if v.IsNil() {
+			x := reflect.New(v.Type().Elem())
+			v.Set(x)
+		}
+		// target the slice itself
 		v = v.Elem()
 	}