--- a/tests/test.lua
+++ b/tests/test.lua
@@ -10,6 +10,17 @@
 local json_safe = require "cjson.safe"
 local util = require "cjson.util"
 
+local function json_encode_output_type(value)
+    local text = json.encode(value)
+    if string.match(text, "{.*}") then
+       return "object"
+    elseif string.match(text, "%[.*%]") then
+       return "array"
+    else
+       return "scalar"
+    end
+end
+
 local function gen_raw_octets()
     local chars = {}
     for i = 0, 255 do chars[i + 1] = string.char(i) end
@@ -292,8 +303,8 @@
       json.encode, { { [1] = "one", [4] = "sparse test" } },
       true, { '["one",null,null,"sparse test"]' } },
     { "Encode sparse array as object",
-      json.encode, { { [1] = "one", [5] = "sparse test" } },
-      true, { '{"5":"sparse test","1":"one"}' } },
+      json_encode_output_type, { { [1] = "one", [5] = "sparse test" } },
+      true, { 'object' } },
     { "Encode table with numeric string key as object",
       json.encode, { { ["2"] = "numeric string key test" } },
       true, { '{"2":"numeric string key test"}' } },