diff --git a/src/named_array_partition.jl b/src/named_array_partition.jl
index de8fa91a..5286f1cf 100644
--- a/src/named_array_partition.jl
+++ b/src/named_array_partition.jl
@@ -33,8 +33,12 @@ end
 
 # return ArrayPartition when possible, otherwise next best thing of the correct size
 function Base.similar(A::NamedArrayPartition, dims::NTuple{N, Int}) where {N}
-    NamedArrayPartition(
-        similar(getfield(A, :array_partition), dims), getfield(A, :names_to_indices))
+    similar_array_partition = similar(getfield(A, :array_partition), dims)
+    if similar_array_partition isa ArrayPartition
+        NamedArrayPartition(similar_array_partition, getfield(A, :names_to_indices))
+    else
+        similar_array_partition
+    end
 end
 
 # similar array partition of common type
@@ -45,8 +49,12 @@ end
 
 # return ArrayPartition when possible, otherwise next best thing of the correct size
 function Base.similar(A::NamedArrayPartition, ::Type{T}, dims::NTuple{N, Int}) where {T, N}
-    NamedArrayPartition(
-        similar(getfield(A, :array_partition), T, dims), getfield(A, :names_to_indices))
+    similar_array_partition = similar(getfield(A, :array_partition), T, dims)
+    if similar_array_partition isa ArrayPartition
+        NamedArrayPartition(similar_array_partition, getfield(A, :names_to_indices))
+    else
+        similar_array_partition
+    end
 end
 
 # similar array partition with different types
diff --git a/test/named_array_partition_tests.jl b/test/named_array_partition_tests.jl
index d5647bad..9a765cd0 100644
--- a/test/named_array_partition_tests.jl
+++ b/test/named_array_partition_tests.jl
@@ -6,6 +6,8 @@ using RecursiveArrayTools, Test
     @test typeof(x .^ 2) <: NamedArrayPartition
     @test typeof(similar(x)) <: NamedArrayPartition
     @test typeof(similar(x, Int)) <: NamedArrayPartition
+    @test typeof(similar(x, (5, 5))) <: Matrix
+    @test typeof(similar(x, Int, (5, 5))) <: Matrix
     @test x.a ≈ ones(10)
     @test typeof(x .+ x[1:end]) <: Vector # test broadcast precedence 
     @test all(x .== x[1:end])