diff --git a/lib/schema.js b/lib/schema.js
index cbc1ffb593e..5ed761ad677 100644
--- a/lib/schema.js
+++ b/lib/schema.js
@@ -804,22 +804,17 @@ Schema.prototype.hasMixedParent = function(path) {
  */
 Schema.prototype.setupTimestamp = function(timestamps) {
   if (timestamps) {
-    var paths = ['createdAt', 'updatedAt'].map(handleTimestampOption.bind(null, timestamps));
-    var createdAt = paths[0];
-    var updatedAt = paths[1];
-    var schemaAdditions = paths.reduce(function(cur, path) {
-      if (path != null) {
-        var parts = path.split('.');
-        if (this.pathType(path) === 'adhocOrUndefined') {
-          for (var i = 0; i < parts.length; ++i) {
-            cur[parts[i]] = (i < parts.length - 1 ?
-            cur[parts[i]] || {} :
-              Date);
-          }
-        }
-      }
-      return cur;
-    }.bind(this), {});
+    var createdAt = handleTimestampOption(timestamps, 'createdAt');
+    var updatedAt = handleTimestampOption(timestamps, 'updatedAt');
+    var schemaAdditions = {};
+
+    if (updatedAt && !this.paths[updatedAt]) {
+      schemaAdditions[updatedAt] = Date;
+    }
+
+    if (createdAt && !this.paths[createdAt]) {
+      schemaAdditions[createdAt] = Date;
+    }
 
     this.add(schemaAdditions);
 
diff --git a/test/document.test.js b/test/document.test.js
index f95a96f7774..905bff70e42 100644
--- a/test/document.test.js
+++ b/test/document.test.js
@@ -3801,7 +3801,7 @@ describe('document', function() {
     });
 
     it('timestamps with nested paths (gh-5051)', function(done) {
-      var schema = new Schema({ props: Object }, {
+      var schema = new Schema({ props: {} }, {
         timestamps: {
           createdAt: 'props.createdAt',
           updatedAt: 'props.updatedAt'