1 files changed, 10 insertions, 11 deletions
diff --git a/numpy/core/shape_base.py b/numpy/core/shape_base.py
index 22a8ac304..c65849752 100644
--- a/numpy/core/shape_base.py
+++ b/numpy/core/shape_base.py
@@ -399,8 +399,8 @@ def _block_check_depths_match(arrays, parent_index=[]):
             )
         )
     elif type(arrays) is list and len(arrays) > 0:
-        indexes = [_block_check_depths_match(arr, parent_index + [i])
-                   for i, arr in enumerate(arrays)]
+        indexes, arr_ndims = zip(*[_block_check_depths_match(arr, parent_index + [i])
+                                 for i, arr in enumerate(arrays)])
 
         first_index = indexes[0]
         for i, index in enumerate(indexes):
@@ -413,16 +413,16 @@ def _block_check_depths_match(arrays, parent_index=[]):
                         format_index(index)
                     )
                 )
-        return first_index
+        return first_index, max(arr_ndims)
     elif type(arrays) is list and len(arrays) == 0:
         # We've 'bottomed out' on an empty list
-        return parent_index + [None]
+        return parent_index + [None], _nx.ndim(arrays)
     else:
         # We've 'bottomed out' - arrays is either a scalar or an array
-        return parent_index
+        return parent_index, _nx.ndim(arrays)
 
 
-def _block(arrays, max_depth):
+def _block(arrays, max_depth, max_ndim):
     def atleast_nd(a, ndim):
         # Ensures `a` has at least `ndim` dimensions by prepending
         # ones to `a.shape` as necessary
@@ -433,13 +433,11 @@ def _block(arrays, max_depth):
             if len(arrays) == 0:
                 raise ValueError('Lists cannot be empty')
             arrs = [block_recursion(arr, depth+1) for arr in arrays]
-            arr_ndim = max(arr.ndim for arr in arrs)
-            arrs = [atleast_nd(a, arr_ndim) for a in arrs]
             return _nx.concatenate(arrs, axis=-(max_depth-depth))
         else:
             # We've 'bottomed out' - arrays is either a scalar or an array
             # depth == max_depth
-            return atleast_nd(arrays, max_depth)
+            return atleast_nd(arrays, max(max_depth, max_ndim))
 
     return block_recursion(arrays)
 
@@ -592,5 +590,6 @@ def block(arrays):
 
 
     """
-    list_ndim = len(_block_check_depths_match(arrays))
-    return _block(arrays, list_ndim)
+    bottom_index, arr_ndim = _block_check_depths_match(arrays)
+    list_ndim = len(bottom_index)
+    return _block(arrays, list_ndim, arr_ndim)