diff --git a/merge-recursive.c b/merge-recursive.c
index 09ce327c17..85d69eb567 100644
--- a/merge-recursive.c
+++ b/merge-recursive.c
@@ -841,17 +841,16 @@ static void conflict_rename_rename_1to2(struct merge_options *o,
 	const char *ren2_dst = pair2->two->path;
 	const char *dst_name1 = ren1_dst;
 	const char *dst_name2 = ren2_dst;
-	if (string_list_has_string(&o->current_directory_set, ren1_dst)) {
+	struct stat st;
+	if (lstat(ren1_dst, &st) == 0 && S_ISDIR(st.st_mode)) {
 		dst_name1 = del[delp++] = unique_path(o, ren1_dst, branch1);
 		output(o, 1, "%s is a directory in %s adding as %s instead",
 		       ren1_dst, branch2, dst_name1);
-		remove_file(o, 0, ren1_dst, 0);
 	}
-	if (string_list_has_string(&o->current_directory_set, ren2_dst)) {
+	if (lstat(ren2_dst, &st) == 0 && S_ISDIR(st.st_mode)) {
 		dst_name2 = del[delp++] = unique_path(o, ren2_dst, branch2);
 		output(o, 1, "%s is a directory in %s adding as %s instead",
 		       ren2_dst, branch1, dst_name2);
-		remove_file(o, 0, ren2_dst, 0);
 	}
 	if (o->call_depth) {
 		remove_file_from_cache(dst_name1);
diff --git a/t/t6022-merge-rename.sh b/t/t6022-merge-rename.sh
index 9bf190e03f..0b6700242c 100755
--- a/t/t6022-merge-rename.sh
+++ b/t/t6022-merge-rename.sh
@@ -692,7 +692,7 @@ test_expect_success 'setup rename one file to two; directories moving out of the
 	git commit -m "Rename to two"
 '
 
-test_expect_failure 'check handling of differently renamed file with D/F conflicts' '
+test_expect_success 'check handling of differently renamed file with D/F conflicts' '
 	git checkout -q first-rename-redo^0 &&
 	test_must_fail git merge --strategy=recursive second-rename-redo &&