diff --git a/merge-recursive.c b/merge-recursive.c
index 4ceb6aac88..3124144011 100644
--- a/merge-recursive.c
+++ b/merge-recursive.c
@@ -1081,6 +1081,8 @@ static void conflict_rename_rename_2to1(struct merge_options *o,
 	struct diff_filespec *c1 = ci->pair1->two;
 	struct diff_filespec *c2 = ci->pair2->two;
 	char *path = c1->path; /* == c2->path */
+	struct merge_file_info mfi_c1;
+	struct merge_file_info mfi_c2;
 
 	output(o, 1, "CONFLICT (rename/rename): "
 	       "Rename %s->%s in %s. "
@@ -1091,22 +1093,32 @@ static void conflict_rename_rename_2to1(struct merge_options *o,
 	remove_file(o, 1, a->path, would_lose_untracked(a->path));
 	remove_file(o, 1, b->path, would_lose_untracked(b->path));
 
+	mfi_c1 = merge_file_special_markers(o, a, c1, &ci->ren1_other,
+					    o->branch1, c1->path,
+					    o->branch2, ci->ren1_other.path);
+	mfi_c2 = merge_file_special_markers(o, b, &ci->ren2_other, c2,
+					    o->branch1, ci->ren2_other.path,
+					    o->branch2, c2->path);
+
 	if (o->call_depth) {
-		struct merge_file_info mfi;
-		mfi = merge_file(o, path, null_sha1, 0,
-				 c1->sha1, c1->mode,
-				 c2->sha1, c2->mode,
-				 ci->branch1, ci->branch2);
-		output(o, 1, "Adding merged %s", path);
-		update_file(o, 0, mfi.sha, mfi.mode, path);
+		/*
+		 * If mfi_c1.clean && mfi_c2.clean, then it might make
+		 * sense to do a two-way merge of those results.  But, I
+		 * think in all cases, it makes sense to have the virtual
+		 * merge base just undo the renames; they can be detected
+		 * again later for the non-recursive merge.
+		 */
+		remove_file(o, 0, path, 0);
+		update_file(o, 0, mfi_c1.sha, mfi_c1.mode, a->path);
+		update_file(o, 0, mfi_c2.sha, mfi_c2.mode, b->path);
 	} else {
 		char *new_path1 = unique_path(o, path, ci->branch1);
 		char *new_path2 = unique_path(o, path, ci->branch2);
 		output(o, 1, "Renaming %s to %s and %s to %s instead",
 		       a->path, new_path1, b->path, new_path2);
 		remove_file(o, 0, path, 0);
-		update_file(o, 0, c1->sha1, c1->mode, new_path1);
-		update_file(o, 0, c2->sha1, c2->mode, new_path2);
+		update_file(o, 0, mfi_c1.sha, mfi_c1.mode, new_path1);
+		update_file(o, 0, mfi_c2.sha, mfi_c2.mode, new_path2);
 		free(new_path2);
 		free(new_path1);
 	}
diff --git a/t/t6036-recursive-corner-cases.sh b/t/t6036-recursive-corner-cases.sh
index 5a7af0ce91..d8c6bdacc3 100755
--- a/t/t6036-recursive-corner-cases.sh
+++ b/t/t6036-recursive-corner-cases.sh
@@ -57,23 +57,15 @@ test_expect_success 'merge simple rename+criss-cross with no modifications' '
 
 	test_must_fail git merge -s recursive R2^0 &&
 
-	test 5 = $(git ls-files -s | wc -l) &&
-	test 3 = $(git ls-files -u | wc -l) &&
-	test 0 = $(git ls-files -o | wc -l) &&
+	test 2 = $(git ls-files -s | wc -l) &&
+	test 2 = $(git ls-files -u | wc -l) &&
+	test 2 = $(git ls-files -o | wc -l) &&
 
-	test $(git rev-parse :0:one) = $(git rev-parse L2:one) &&
-	test $(git rev-parse :0:two) = $(git rev-parse R2:two) &&
 	test $(git rev-parse :2:three) = $(git rev-parse L2:three) &&
 	test $(git rev-parse :3:three) = $(git rev-parse R2:three) &&
 
-	cp one merged &&
-	>empty &&
-	test_must_fail git merge-file \
-		-L "Temporary merge branch 1" \
-		-L "" \
-		-L "Temporary merge branch 2" \
-		merged empty two &&
-	test $(git rev-parse :1:three) = $(git hash-object merged)
+	test $(git rev-parse L2:three) = $(git hash-object three~HEAD) &&
+	test $(git rev-parse R2:three) = $(git hash-object three~R2^0)
 '
 
 #
@@ -132,25 +124,15 @@ test_expect_success 'merge criss-cross + rename merges with basic modification'
 
 	test_must_fail git merge -s recursive R2^0 &&
 
-	test 5 = $(git ls-files -s | wc -l) &&
-	test 3 = $(git ls-files -u | wc -l) &&
-	test 0 = $(git ls-files -o | wc -l) &&
+	test 2 = $(git ls-files -s | wc -l) &&
+	test 2 = $(git ls-files -u | wc -l) &&
+	test 2 = $(git ls-files -o | wc -l) &&
 
-	test $(git rev-parse :0:one) = $(git rev-parse L2:one) &&
-	test $(git rev-parse :0:two) = $(git rev-parse R2:two) &&
 	test $(git rev-parse :2:three) = $(git rev-parse L2:three) &&
 	test $(git rev-parse :3:three) = $(git rev-parse R2:three) &&
 
-	head -n 10 two >merged &&
-	cp one merge-me &&
-	>empty &&
-	test_must_fail git merge-file \
-		-L "Temporary merge branch 1" \
-		-L "" \
-		-L "Temporary merge branch 2" \
-		merge-me empty merged &&
-
-	test $(git rev-parse :1:three) = $(git hash-object merge-me)
+	test $(git rev-parse L2:three) = $(git hash-object three~HEAD) &&
+	test $(git rev-parse R2:three) = $(git hash-object three~R2^0)
 '
 
 #
diff --git a/t/t6042-merge-rename-corner-cases.sh b/t/t6042-merge-rename-corner-cases.sh
index bfc3179332..3be5059318 100755
--- a/t/t6042-merge-rename-corner-cases.sh
+++ b/t/t6042-merge-rename-corner-cases.sh
@@ -376,7 +376,7 @@ test_expect_success 'setup rename/rename (2to1) + modify/modify' '
 	git commit -m C
 '
 
-test_expect_failure 'handle rename/rename (2to1) conflict correctly' '
+test_expect_success 'handle rename/rename (2to1) conflict correctly' '
 	git checkout B^0 &&
 
 	test_must_fail git merge -s recursive C^0 >out &&