diff --git a/packages/block-library/src/navigation-link/index.php b/packages/block-library/src/navigation-link/index.php
index 1dcb2996a8e15d..ef4cb429c62cbd 100644
--- a/packages/block-library/src/navigation-link/index.php
+++ b/packages/block-library/src/navigation-link/index.php
@@ -338,7 +338,7 @@ function block_core_navigation_link_register_variation( $variation ) {
 		return;
 	}
 
-	$navigation_block_type->variations[] = $variation;
+	$navigation_block_type->variations = array_merge( $navigation_block_type->variations, array( $variation ) );
 }
 
 /**
@@ -356,14 +356,15 @@ function block_core_navigation_link_unregister_variation( $name ) {
 		return;
 	}
 	// Search for the variation and remove it from the array.
-	foreach ( $navigation_block_type->variations as $i => $variation ) {
+	$variations = $navigation_block_type->variations;
+	foreach ( $variations as $i => $variation ) {
 		if ( $variation['name'] === $name ) {
-			unset( $navigation_block_type->variations[ $i ] );
+			unset( $variations[ $i ] );
 			break;
 		}
 	}
 	// Reindex array after removing one variation.
-	$navigation_block_type->variations = array_values( $navigation_block_type->variations );
+	$navigation_block_type->variations = array_values( $variations );
 }
 
 /**