diff --git a/scm-plugins/scm-git-plugin/src/main/java/sonia/scm/repository/spi/AbstractGitCommand.java b/scm-plugins/scm-git-plugin/src/main/java/sonia/scm/repository/spi/AbstractGitCommand.java
index bc4d939e91..396ec525a3 100644
--- a/scm-plugins/scm-git-plugin/src/main/java/sonia/scm/repository/spi/AbstractGitCommand.java
+++ b/scm-plugins/scm-git-plugin/src/main/java/sonia/scm/repository/spi/AbstractGitCommand.java
@@ -214,10 +214,10 @@ class AbstractGitCommand
       }
     }
 
-    Optional<RevCommit> doCommit(String message, Person author) {
+    Optional<RevCommit> doCommit(String message, Person author, boolean isMergeCommit) {
       Person authorToUse = determineAuthor(author);
       try {
-        if (!clone.status().call().isClean()) {
+        if (isMergeCommit || !clone.status().call().isClean()) {
           return of(clone.commit()
             .setAuthor(authorToUse.getName(), authorToUse.getMail())
             .setMessage(message)
diff --git a/scm-plugins/scm-git-plugin/src/main/java/sonia/scm/repository/spi/GitMergeCommand.java b/scm-plugins/scm-git-plugin/src/main/java/sonia/scm/repository/spi/GitMergeCommand.java
index 5643c858b5..6e30239fed 100644
--- a/scm-plugins/scm-git-plugin/src/main/java/sonia/scm/repository/spi/GitMergeCommand.java
+++ b/scm-plugins/scm-git-plugin/src/main/java/sonia/scm/repository/spi/GitMergeCommand.java
@@ -99,7 +99,7 @@ public class GitMergeCommand extends AbstractGitCommand implements MergeCommand
 
     private void doCommit() {
       logger.debug("merged branch {} into {}", toMerge, target);
-      doCommit(MessageFormat.format(determineMessageTemplate(), toMerge, target), author);
+      doCommit(MessageFormat.format(determineMessageTemplate(), toMerge, target), author, true);
     }
 
     private String determineMessageTemplate() {
diff --git a/scm-plugins/scm-git-plugin/src/main/java/sonia/scm/repository/spi/GitModifyCommand.java b/scm-plugins/scm-git-plugin/src/main/java/sonia/scm/repository/spi/GitModifyCommand.java
index a68be0a4da..2c48329e98 100644
--- a/scm-plugins/scm-git-plugin/src/main/java/sonia/scm/repository/spi/GitModifyCommand.java
+++ b/scm-plugins/scm-git-plugin/src/main/java/sonia/scm/repository/spi/GitModifyCommand.java
@@ -62,7 +62,7 @@ public class GitModifyCommand extends AbstractGitCommand implements ModifyComman
         r.execute(this);
       }
       failIfNotChanged(() -> new NoChangesMadeException(repository, ModifyWorker.this.request.getBranch()));
-      Optional<RevCommit> revCommit = doCommit(request.getCommitMessage(), request.getAuthor());
+      Optional<RevCommit> revCommit = doCommit(request.getCommitMessage(), request.getAuthor(), false);
       push();
       return revCommit.orElseThrow(() -> new NoChangesMadeException(repository, ModifyWorker.this.request.getBranch())).name();
     }