diff --git a/examples/side-by-side.js b/examples/side-by-side.js
index 8f9e322664..983c8e1528 100644
--- a/examples/side-by-side.js
+++ b/examples/side-by-side.js
@@ -34,7 +34,7 @@ var domMousePosition = new ol.control.MousePosition({
   undefinedHTML: ' '
 });
 var domMap = new ol.Map({
-  controls: ol.control.defaults({}, domMousePosition),
+  controls: ol.control.defaults({}, [domMousePosition]),
   layers: new ol.Collection([layer]),
   renderer: ol.RendererHint.DOM,
   target: 'domMap',
@@ -48,7 +48,7 @@ var webglMousePosition = new ol.control.MousePosition({
   undefinedHTML: ' '
 });
 var webglMap = new ol.Map({
-  controls: ol.control.defaults({}, webglMousePosition),
+  controls: ol.control.defaults({}, [webglMousePosition]),
   renderer: ol.RendererHint.WEBGL,
   target: 'webglMap'
 });
@@ -65,7 +65,7 @@ var canvasMousePosition = new ol.control.MousePosition({
   undefinedHtml: ' '
 });
 var canvasMap = new ol.Map({
-  controls: ol.control.defaults({}, canvasMousePosition),
+  controls: ol.control.defaults({}, [canvasMousePosition]),
   renderer: ol.RendererHint.CANVAS,
   target: 'canvasMap'
 });
diff --git a/src/ol/control/defaults.js b/src/ol/control/defaults.js
index 983e279be1..6217c59a7a 100644
--- a/src/ol/control/defaults.js
+++ b/src/ol/control/defaults.js
@@ -1,5 +1,6 @@
 goog.provide('ol.control.defaults');
 
+goog.require('goog.array');
 goog.require('ol.control.Attribution');
 goog.require('ol.control.ScaleLine');
 goog.require('ol.control.Zoom');
@@ -7,10 +8,10 @@ goog.require('ol.control.Zoom');
 
 /**
  * @param {ol.control.DefaultsOptions=} opt_options Options.
- * @param {...ol.control.Control} var_args Further controls.
+ * @param {Array.<ol.control.Control>=} opt_controls Additional controls.
  * @return {Array.<ol.control.Control>} Controls.
  */
-ol.control.defaults = function(opt_options, var_args) {
+ol.control.defaults = function(opt_options, opt_controls) {
 
   var options = goog.isDef(opt_options) ? opt_options : {};
 
@@ -41,9 +42,8 @@ ol.control.defaults = function(opt_options, var_args) {
     controls.push(new ol.control.Zoom(zoomControlOptions));
   }
 
-  var i;
-  for (i = 1; i < arguments.length; ++i) {
-    controls.push(arguments[i]);
+  if (goog.isDef(opt_controls)) {
+    goog.array.extend(controls, opt_controls);
   }
 
   return controls;