diff --git a/lib/i18n/backend/chain.rb b/lib/i18n/backend/chain.rb
index f88da2d0..123f7e3c 100644
--- a/lib/i18n/backend/chain.rb
+++ b/lib/i18n/backend/chain.rb
@@ -96,9 +96,13 @@ def init_translations
           end
 
           def translations
-            backends.first.instance_eval do
-              init_translations unless initialized?
-              translations
+            backends.reverse.each_with_object({}) do |backend, memo|
+              partial_translations = backend.instance_eval do
+                init_translations unless initialized?
+                translations
+              end
+
+              memo.deep_merge!(partial_translations)
             end
           end
 
diff --git a/test/backend/chain_test.rb b/test/backend/chain_test.rb
index 50b16f3c..97e64b8f 100644
--- a/test/backend/chain_test.rb
+++ b/test/backend/chain_test.rb
@@ -107,16 +107,19 @@ def setup
     assert @second.initialized?
   end
 
-  test 'should be able to get all translations of the first backend' do
+  test 'should be able to get all translations of all backends merged together' do
     assert_equal I18n.backend.send(:translations),
                  en: {
                    foo: 'Foo',
+                   bar: 'Bar',
                    formats: {
                      short: 'short',
-                     subformats: { short: 'short' }
+                     long: 'long',
+                     subformats: { short: 'short', long: 'long' }
                    },
                    plural_1: { one: "%{count}" },
-                   dates: { a: 'A' }
+                   plural_2: { one: 'one' },
+                   dates: { a: 'A', b: 'B' }
                  }
   end