diff --git a/server/controllers/entities/merge.coffee b/server/controllers/entities/merge.coffee
index 2f296888e..957d58bae 100644
--- a/server/controllers/entities/merge.coffee
+++ b/server/controllers/entities/merge.coffee
@@ -58,6 +58,9 @@ merge = (reqUserId, toPrefix, fromUri, toUri)-> (res)->
   toEntity = entities[toUri] or entities[redirects[toUri]]
   unless toEntity? then throw notFound 'to', toUri
 
+  if fromEntity.uri is toEntity.uri
+    throw error_.new "can't merge an entity into itself", 400, { fromUri, toUri }
+
   unless fromEntity.type is toEntity.type
     # Exception: authors can be organizations and collectives of all kinds
     # which will not get a 'human' type
diff --git a/tests/api/entities/merge.test.coffee b/tests/api/entities/merge.test.coffee
index accfd9b7c..b18d752f1 100644
--- a/tests/api/entities/merge.test.coffee
+++ b/tests/api/entities/merge.test.coffee
@@ -189,17 +189,15 @@ describe 'entities:merge', ->
 
     return
 
-  it 'should reject merge of a redirection to a wd entity', (done)->
-    wdEntityUri = 'wd:Q618719'
+  it 'should reject a circular merge', (done)->
     createWork()
-    .then (workA)->
-      merge workA.uri, wdEntityUri
-      .then -> merge workA.uri, wdEntityUri
+    .then (work)->
+      merge work.uri, work.uri
       .then undesiredRes(done)
       .catch (err)->
         err.statusCode.should.equal 400
         err.body.status_verbose
-        .should.equal 'turnIntoRedirection failed: the entity is a redirection'
+        .should.equal "can't merge an entity into itself"
         done()
     .catch undesiredErr(done)