diff --git a/keras/engine/topology.py b/keras/engine/topology.py
index 8d91853fc..88075a8ea 100644
--- a/keras/engine/topology.py
+++ b/keras/engine/topology.py
@@ -1143,8 +1143,6 @@ class Merge(Layer):
         self.mode = mode
         self.concat_axis = concat_axis
         self.dot_axes = dot_axes
-        if type(self.dot_axes) == int:
-            self.dot_axes = [self.dot_axes, ] * 2
         self._output_shape = output_shape
         self.node_indices = node_indices
         self._output_mask = output_mask
@@ -1220,16 +1218,16 @@ class Merge(Layer):
             n2 = len(shape2)
             if type(dot_axes) == int:
                 if dot_axes < 0:
-                    dot_axes = [dot_axes % n1, dot_axes % n2]
+                    self.dot_axes = [dot_axes % n1, dot_axes % n2]
                 else:
-                    dot_axes = [n1 - dot_axes, n2 - dot_axes]
-            if type(dot_axes) not in [list, tuple]:
+                    self.dot_axes = [dot_axes, ] * 2
+            if type(self.dot_axes) not in [list, tuple]:
                 raise Exception('Invalid type for dot_axes - should be a list.')
-            if len(dot_axes) != 2:
+            if len(self.dot_axes) != 2:
                 raise Exception('Invalid format for dot_axes - should contain two elements.')
-            if type(dot_axes[0]) is not int or type(dot_axes[1]) is not int:
+            if type(self.dot_axes[0]) is not int or type(self.dot_axes[1]) is not int:
                 raise Exception('Invalid format for dot_axes - list elements should be "int".')
-            if shape1[dot_axes[0]] != shape2[dot_axes[1]]:
+            if shape1[self.dot_axes[0]] != shape2[self.dot_axes[1]]:
                 raise Exception('Dimension incompatibility using dot mode: ' +
                                 '%s != %s. ' % (shape1[dot_axes[0]], shape2[dot_axes[1]]) +
                                 'Layer shapes: %s, %s' % (shape1, shape2))