diff --git a/java/java-impl-inspections/src/com/intellij/codeInspection/streamMigration/CollectMigration.java b/java/java-impl-inspections/src/com/intellij/codeInspection/streamMigration/CollectMigration.java
index 6eaa30922aa7..8e6a0041be89 100644
--- a/java/java-impl-inspections/src/com/intellij/codeInspection/streamMigration/CollectMigration.java
+++ b/java/java-impl-inspections/src/com/intellij/codeInspection/streamMigration/CollectMigration.java
@@ -850,8 +850,13 @@ class CollectMigration extends BaseStreamApiMigration {
       if (toArrayCandidate == null) return null;
       PsiReferenceExpression methodExpression = toArrayCandidate.getMethodExpression();
       if (!"toArray".equals(methodExpression.getReferenceName())) return null;
-      if (!(PsiUtil.skipParenthesizedExprUp(toArrayCandidate.getParent()) instanceof PsiReturnStatement) &&
-          usages.stream().anyMatch(usage -> !PsiTreeUtil.isAncestor(toArrayCandidate, usage, false))) {
+      /* We want to allow reusing the same empty collection in another branch of code after return.
+       * However, in this case, return should be on the same level as the stream itself.
+       * See beforeToArrayInBranch.java and beforeToArrayReusedCollection.java tests.
+       */
+      if ((!(PsiUtil.skipParenthesizedExprUp(toArrayCandidate.getParent()) instanceof PsiReturnStatement stmt) 
+           || stmt.getParent() != element.getParent()) &&
+          ContainerUtil.exists(usages, usage -> !PsiTreeUtil.isAncestor(toArrayCandidate, usage, false))) {
         return null;
       }
       PsiLocalVariable var = tryCast(PsiUtil.skipParenthesizedExprUp(toArrayCandidate.getParent()), PsiLocalVariable.class);
diff --git a/java/java-tests/testData/codeInsight/daemonCodeAnalyzer/quickFix/fuseStreamOperations/beforeToArrayInBranch.java b/java/java-tests/testData/codeInsight/daemonCodeAnalyzer/quickFix/fuseStreamOperations/beforeToArrayInBranch.java
new file mode 100644
index 000000000000..45c47eb540a6
--- /dev/null
+++ b/java/java-tests/testData/codeInsight/daemonCodeAnalyzer/quickFix/fuseStreamOperations/beforeToArrayInBranch.java
@@ -0,0 +1,17 @@
+// "Fuse 'toArray' into the Stream API chain" "false"
+import java.util.*;
+import java.util.stream.*;
+
+class Test {
+  public Object[] getArray(String[] input, boolean f) {
+    List<String> list = Arrays.stream(input)
+      .filter(Objects::nonNull)
+      .<caret>collect(Collectors.toList());
+    String[] data = new String[] {};
+    if (f) {
+      return list.toArray();
+    }
+    list.add("hello");
+    return list.toArray();
+  }
+}
\ No newline at end of file