diff --git a/HISTORY.md b/HISTORY.md
index b117bdc..44b8d4a 100644
--- a/HISTORY.md
+++ b/HISTORY.md
@@ -3,6 +3,12 @@
 https://github.com/josdejong/jsoneditor
 
 
+## not yet published, version 8.6.6
+
+- Fix #969: adding a new property to an empty object or array is broken.
+  Regression introduced in `v8.6.5`.
+
+
 ## 2020-04-19, version 8.6.5
 
 - Fix #964: translation of titles of some context menu items not working.
diff --git a/src/js/Node.js b/src/js/Node.js
index 88e84a8..8906861 100644
--- a/src/js/Node.js
+++ b/src/js/Node.js
@@ -3633,15 +3633,6 @@ export class Node {
    */
   showContextMenu (anchor, onClose) {
     const node = this
-
-    // titles with explanation for the different types
-    const titles = {
-      auto: translate('autoType'),
-      object: translate('objectType'),
-      array: translate('arrayType'),
-      string: translate('stringType')
-    }
-
     let items = []
 
     if (this.editable.value) {
@@ -3654,7 +3645,7 @@ export class Node {
             text: translate('auto'),
             className: 'jsoneditor-type-auto' +
                 (this.type === 'auto' ? ' jsoneditor-selected' : ''),
-            title: titles.auto,
+            title: translate('autoType'),
             click: function () {
               node._onChangeType('auto')
             }
@@ -3663,7 +3654,7 @@ export class Node {
             text: translate('array'),
             className: 'jsoneditor-type-array' +
                 (this.type === 'array' ? ' jsoneditor-selected' : ''),
-            title: titles.array,
+            title: translate('arrayType'),
             click: function () {
               node._onChangeType('array')
             }
@@ -3672,7 +3663,7 @@ export class Node {
             text: translate('object'),
             className: 'jsoneditor-type-object' +
                 (this.type === 'object' ? ' jsoneditor-selected' : ''),
-            title: titles.object,
+            title: translate('objectType'),
             click: function () {
               node._onChangeType('object')
             }
@@ -3681,7 +3672,7 @@ export class Node {
             text: translate('string'),
             className: 'jsoneditor-type-string' +
                 (this.type === 'string' ? ' jsoneditor-selected' : ''),
-            title: titles.string,
+            title: translate('stringType'),
             click: function () {
               node._onChangeType('string')
             }
diff --git a/src/js/appendNodeFactory.js b/src/js/appendNodeFactory.js
index a307a06..459d56d 100644
--- a/src/js/appendNodeFactory.js
+++ b/src/js/appendNodeFactory.js
@@ -146,12 +146,12 @@ export function appendNodeFactory (Node) {
    */
   AppendNode.prototype.showContextMenu = function (anchor, onClose) {
     const node = this
-    const titles = Node.TYPE_TITLES
+
     const appendSubmenu = [
       {
         text: translate('auto'),
         className: 'jsoneditor-type-auto',
-        title: titles.auto,
+        title: translate('autoType'),
         click: function () {
           node._onAppend('', '', 'auto')
         }
@@ -159,7 +159,7 @@ export function appendNodeFactory (Node) {
       {
         text: translate('array'),
         className: 'jsoneditor-type-array',
-        title: titles.array,
+        title: translate('arrayType'),
         click: function () {
           node._onAppend('', [])
         }
@@ -167,7 +167,7 @@ export function appendNodeFactory (Node) {
       {
         text: translate('object'),
         className: 'jsoneditor-type-object',
-        title: titles.object,
+        title: translate('objectType'),
         click: function () {
           node._onAppend('', {})
         }
@@ -175,7 +175,7 @@ export function appendNodeFactory (Node) {
       {
         text: translate('string'),
         className: 'jsoneditor-type-string',
-        title: titles.string,
+        title: translate('stringType'),
         click: function () {
           node._onAppend('', '', 'string')
         }