diff --git a/crates/nu-command/tests/commands/assignment/append_assign.rs b/crates/nu-command/tests/commands/assignment/append_assign.rs
index 3a0e8c96bf..97abc8eb6f 100644
--- a/crates/nu-command/tests/commands/assignment/append_assign.rs
+++ b/crates/nu-command/tests/commands/assignment/append_assign.rs
@@ -5,16 +5,10 @@ fn append_assign_int() {
     let actual = nu!(r#"
             mut a = [1 2];
             $a ++= [3 4];
-            $a
+            $a == [1 2 3 4]
         "#);
 
-    let expected = nu!(r#"
-            [1 2 3 4]
-        "#);
-
-    print!("{}", actual.out);
-    print!("{}", expected.out);
-    assert_eq!(actual.out, expected.out);
+    assert_eq!(actual.out, "true")
 }
 
 #[test]
@@ -22,16 +16,10 @@ fn append_assign_string() {
     let actual = nu!(r#"
             mut a = [a b];
             $a ++= [c d];
-            $a
+            $a == [a b c d]
         "#);
 
-    let expected = nu!(r#"
-            [a b c d]
-        "#);
-
-    print!("{}", actual.out);
-    print!("{}", expected.out);
-    assert_eq!(actual.out, expected.out);
+    assert_eq!(actual.out, "true")
 }
 
 #[test]
@@ -39,16 +27,10 @@ fn append_assign_any() {
     let actual = nu!(r#"
             mut a = [1 2 a];
             $a ++= [b 3];
-            $a
+            $a == [1 2 a b 3]
         "#);
 
-    let expected = nu!(r#"
-            [1 2 a b 3]
-        "#);
-
-    print!("{}", actual.out);
-    print!("{}", expected.out);
-    assert_eq!(actual.out, expected.out);
+    assert_eq!(actual.out, "true")
 }
 
 #[test]
@@ -56,16 +38,10 @@ fn append_assign_both_empty() {
     let actual = nu!(r#"
             mut a = [];
             $a ++= [];
-            $a
+            $a == []
         "#);
 
-    let expected = nu!(r#"
-            []
-        "#);
-
-    print!("{}", actual.out);
-    print!("{}", expected.out);
-    assert_eq!(actual.out, expected.out);
+    assert_eq!(actual.out, "true")
 }
 
 #[test]
@@ -73,8 +49,40 @@ fn append_assign_type_mismatch() {
     let actual = nu!(r#"
             mut a = [1 2];
             $a ++= [a];
-            $a | to json -r;
+            $a == [1 2 "a"]
         "#);
 
-    assert_eq!(actual.out, r#"[1,2,"a"]"#);
+    assert_eq!(actual.out, "true")
+}
+
+#[test]
+fn append_assign_single_element() {
+    let actual = nu!(r#"
+            mut a = ["list" "and"];
+            $a ++= "a single element";
+	    $a == ["list" "and" "a single element"]
+        "#);
+
+    assert_eq!(actual.out, "true")
+}
+
+#[test]
+fn append_assign_to_single_element() {
+    let actual = nu!(r#"
+            mut a = "string";
+            $a ++= ["and" "the" "list"];
+	    $a == ["string" "and" "the" "list"]
+        "#);
+
+    assert_eq!(actual.out, "true")
+}
+
+#[test]
+fn append_assign_single_to_single() {
+    let actual = nu!(r#"
+            mut a = 1;
+            $a ++= "and a single element";
+        "#);
+
+    assert!(actual.err.contains("nu::parser::unsupported_operation"));
 }
diff --git a/crates/nu-parser/src/type_check.rs b/crates/nu-parser/src/type_check.rs
index 247a2c82ff..be355e087a 100644
--- a/crates/nu-parser/src/type_check.rs
+++ b/crates/nu-parser/src/type_check.rs
@@ -1,6 +1,6 @@
 use nu_protocol::{
     ast::{
-        Bits, Block, Boolean, Comparison, Expr, Expression, Math, Operator, Pipeline,
+        Assignment, Bits, Block, Boolean, Comparison, Expr, Expression, Math, Operator, Pipeline,
         PipelineElement,
     },
     engine::StateWorkingSet,
@@ -130,52 +130,7 @@ pub fn math_result_type(
                     )
                 }
             },
-            Operator::Math(Math::Append) => match (&lhs.ty, &rhs.ty) {
-                (Type::List(a), Type::List(b)) => {
-                    if a == b {
-                        (Type::List(a.clone()), None)
-                    } else {
-                        (Type::List(Box::new(Type::Any)), None)
-                    }
-                }
-                (Type::List(a), b) | (b, Type::List(a)) => {
-                    if a == &Box::new(b.clone()) {
-                        (Type::List(a.clone()), None)
-                    } else {
-                        (Type::List(Box::new(Type::Any)), None)
-                    }
-                }
-                (Type::Table(a), Type::Table(_)) => (Type::Table(a.clone()), None),
-                (Type::String, Type::String) => (Type::String, None),
-                (Type::Binary, Type::Binary) => (Type::Binary, None),
-                (Type::Any, _) | (_, Type::Any) => (Type::Any, None),
-                (Type::Table(_) | Type::String | Type::Binary, _) => {
-                    *op = Expression::garbage(op.span);
-                    (
-                        Type::Any,
-                        Some(ParseError::UnsupportedOperationRHS(
-                            "append".into(),
-                            op.span,
-                            lhs.span,
-                            lhs.ty.clone(),
-                            rhs.span,
-                            rhs.ty.clone(),
-                        )),
-                    )
-                }
-                _ => {
-                    *op = Expression::garbage(op.span);
-                    (
-                        Type::Any,
-                        Some(ParseError::UnsupportedOperationLHS(
-                            "append".into(),
-                            op.span,
-                            lhs.span,
-                            lhs.ty.clone(),
-                        )),
-                    )
-                }
-            },
+            Operator::Math(Math::Append) => check_append(lhs, rhs, op),
             Operator::Math(Math::Minus) => match (&lhs.ty, &rhs.ty) {
                 (Type::Int, Type::Int) => (Type::Int, None),
                 (Type::Float, Type::Int) => (Type::Float, None),
@@ -924,6 +879,7 @@ pub fn math_result_type(
                     )
                 }
             },
+            Operator::Assignment(Assignment::AppendAssign) => check_append(lhs, rhs, op),
             Operator::Assignment(_) => match (&lhs.ty, &rhs.ty) {
                 (x, y) if x == y => (Type::Nothing, None),
                 (Type::Any, _) => (Type::Nothing, None),
@@ -1076,3 +1032,56 @@ pub fn check_block_input_output(working_set: &StateWorkingSet, block: &Block) ->
 
     output_errors
 }
+
+fn check_append(
+    lhs: &Expression,
+    rhs: &Expression,
+    op: &mut Expression,
+) -> (Type, Option<ParseError>) {
+    match (&lhs.ty, &rhs.ty) {
+        (Type::List(a), Type::List(b)) => {
+            if a == b {
+                (Type::List(a.clone()), None)
+            } else {
+                (Type::List(Box::new(Type::Any)), None)
+            }
+        }
+        (Type::List(a), b) | (b, Type::List(a)) => {
+            if a == &Box::new(b.clone()) {
+                (Type::List(a.clone()), None)
+            } else {
+                (Type::List(Box::new(Type::Any)), None)
+            }
+        }
+        (Type::Table(a), Type::Table(_)) => (Type::Table(a.clone()), None),
+        (Type::String, Type::String) => (Type::String, None),
+        (Type::Binary, Type::Binary) => (Type::Binary, None),
+        (Type::Any, _) | (_, Type::Any) => (Type::Any, None),
+        (Type::Table(_) | Type::String | Type::Binary, _) => {
+            *op = Expression::garbage(op.span);
+            (
+                Type::Any,
+                Some(ParseError::UnsupportedOperationRHS(
+                    "append".into(),
+                    op.span,
+                    lhs.span,
+                    lhs.ty.clone(),
+                    rhs.span,
+                    rhs.ty.clone(),
+                )),
+            )
+        }
+        _ => {
+            *op = Expression::garbage(op.span);
+            (
+                Type::Any,
+                Some(ParseError::UnsupportedOperationLHS(
+                    "append".into(),
+                    op.span,
+                    lhs.span,
+                    lhs.ty.clone(),
+                )),
+            )
+        }
+    }
+}