diff --git a/lua/lazy/core/util.lua b/lua/lazy/core/util.lua
index e76f0c4..e51e670 100644
--- a/lua/lazy/core/util.lua
+++ b/lua/lazy/core/util.lua
@@ -387,10 +387,6 @@ local function can_merge(v)
   return type(v) == "table" and (vim.tbl_isempty(v) or not M.is_list(v))
 end
 
-local function can_extend(v)
-  return type(v) == "table" and v.__extend
-end
-
 --- Merges the values similar to vim.tbl_deep_extend with the **force** behavior,
 --- but the values can be any type, in which case they override the values on the left.
 --- Values will me merged in-place in the first left-most table. If you want the result to be in
@@ -406,15 +402,7 @@ function M.merge(...)
   end
   for i = 2, select("#", ...) do
     local value = select(i, ...)
-    local are_t = type(ret) == "table" and type(value) == "table"
-    if are_t and (can_extend(ret) or can_extend(value)) then
-      for k, v in pairs(value) do
-        if k ~= "__extend" then
-          table.insert(ret, v)
-        end
-      end
-      ret.__extend = true
-    elseif are_t and can_merge(ret) and can_merge(value) then
+    if can_merge(ret) and can_merge(value) then
       for k, v in pairs(value) do
         ret[k] = M.merge(ret[k], v)
       end
diff --git a/tests/core/util_spec.lua b/tests/core/util_spec.lua
index f76f185..643304d 100644
--- a/tests/core/util_spec.lua
+++ b/tests/core/util_spec.lua
@@ -134,18 +134,6 @@ describe("util", function()
         input = { { a = 1 }, { b = 2, a = vim.NIL } },
         output = { b = 2 },
       },
-      {
-        input = { { 1, 2, __extend = true }, { 3, 4 } },
-        output = { 1, 2, 3, 4, __extend = true },
-      },
-      {
-        input = { { 1, 2, __extend = true }, { __extend = true, 3, 4 } },
-        output = { 1, 2, 3, 4, __extend = true },
-      },
-      {
-        input = { { 1, 2 }, { 3, 4, __extend = true } },
-        output = { 1, 2, 3, 4, __extend = true },
-      },
     }
 
     for _, test in ipairs(tests) do