diff --git a/CRM/Contact/Form/DedupeRules.php b/CRM/Contact/Form/DedupeRules.php
index 9f032958bfe3..ff12c07eb7e7 100644
--- a/CRM/Contact/Form/DedupeRules.php
+++ b/CRM/Contact/Form/DedupeRules.php
@@ -58,10 +58,12 @@ public function preProcess() {
     }
     $this->_options = CRM_Core_SelectValues::getDedupeRuleTypes();
     $this->_rgid = CRM_Utils_Request::retrieve('id', 'Positive', $this, FALSE, 0);
+
+    // check if $contactType is valid
     $contactTypes = civicrm_api3('Contact', 'getOptions', array('field' => "contact_type", 'context' => "validate"));
     $contactType = CRM_Utils_Request::retrieve('contact_type', 'String', $this, FALSE, 0);
     if (CRM_Utils_Array::value($contactType, $contactTypes['values'])) {
-      $this->_contactType = CRM_Utils_Array::value($contactType, $contactTypes['values']);
+      $this->_contactType = $contactType;
     }
     elseif (!empty($contactType)) {
       throw new CRM_Core_Exception('Contact Type is Not valid');