How to reproduce:

1. Import attached package into a project
2. Open scene CopyMaterial Example/Copy Material Scene.unity
- Scene contains a simple cube with an attached script and a material assigned to the script
- Script source:
using UnityEngine;
using System.Collections;

public class CopyMaterialTest : MonoBehaviour {

public Material testMaterial;

void Start () {

GetComponent<Renderer>().material.CopyPropertiesFromMaterial(testMaterial);

}

}
3. Play the scene
- Note how the material is applied to the cube
4. Select the cube
5. Expand the Material component of the cube
- Notice how the cube appears to gain extra details that weren't there before, but should have been applied after step 3.