diff --git a/include/bitcoin/database/impl/query/merkle.ipp b/include/bitcoin/database/impl/query/merkle.ipp
index bd2e5718d..73c18b627 100644
--- a/include/bitcoin/database/impl/query/merkle.ipp
+++ b/include/bitcoin/database/impl/query/merkle.ipp
@@ -151,19 +151,13 @@ void CLASS::merge_merkle(hashes& path, hashes&& leaves, size_t first,
 
     for (const auto& row: merkle_branch(first, size + lift))
     {
-        hashes subroot{};
-        if (const auto leaf = row.sibling * row.width; leaf < size)
-        {
-            const auto count = std::min(row.width, size - leaf);
-            const auto next = std::next(leaves.begin(), leaf);
-            const auto it = std::make_move_iterator(next);
-            subroot = { it, std::next(it, count) };
-        }
-        else
-        {
-            subroot = { std::move(leaves.back()) };
-        }
-
+        // A sibling above the leaves is the duplicate of the own node.
+        const auto sibling = row.sibling * row.width;
+        const auto leaf = sibling < size ? sibling : sibling - row.width;
+        const auto count = std::min(row.width, size - leaf);
+        const auto next = std::next(leaves.begin(), leaf);
+        const auto it = std::make_move_iterator(next);
+        hashes subroot(it, std::next(it, count));
         path.push_back(partial_subroot(std::move(subroot), row.width));
     }
 }
diff --git a/test/query/merkle.cpp b/test/query/merkle.cpp
index 18a38d8c5..429e93fe1 100644
--- a/test/query/merkle.cpp
+++ b/test/query/merkle.cpp
@@ -416,6 +416,26 @@ BOOST_AUTO_TEST_CASE(query_merkle__merge_merkle__four_leaves_target_three__expec
     BOOST_CHECK_EQUAL(to[1], test::root01);
 }
 
+BOOST_AUTO_TEST_CASE(query_merkle__merge_merkle__six_leaves_target_five__expected)
+{
+    hashes to{};
+    hashes from
+    {
+        test::block0_hash,
+        test::block1_hash,
+        test::block2_hash,
+        test::block3_hash,
+        test::block4_hash,
+        test::block5_hash
+    };
+
+    merkle_accessor::merge_merkle(to, std::move(from), 5, 0);
+    BOOST_CHECK_EQUAL(to.size(), 3u);
+    BOOST_CHECK_EQUAL(to[0], test::block4_hash);
+    BOOST_CHECK_EQUAL(to[1], test::root45);
+    BOOST_CHECK_EQUAL(to[2], test::root03);
+}
+
 // get_merkle_proof
 
 BOOST_AUTO_TEST_CASE(query_merkle__get_merkle_proof__no_confirmed_blocks__error_merkle_proof)