diff --git a/ObjectiveGit/GTRepository+Merging.m b/ObjectiveGit/GTRepository+Merging.m
index aa4169e17..bb0c1fbb5 100644
--- a/ObjectiveGit/GTRepository+Merging.m
+++ b/ObjectiveGit/GTRepository+Merging.m
@@ -139,7 +139,7 @@ - (BOOL)mergeBranchIntoCurrentBranch:(GTBranch *)branch withError:(NSError **)er
 			// Write conflicts
 			git_merge_options merge_opts = GIT_MERGE_OPTIONS_INIT;
 			git_checkout_options checkout_opts = GIT_CHECKOUT_OPTIONS_INIT;
-			checkout_opts.checkout_strategy = GIT_CHECKOUT_ALLOW_CONFLICTS;
+			checkout_opts.checkout_strategy = (GIT_CHECKOUT_SAFE | GIT_CHECKOUT_ALLOW_CONFLICTS);
 
 			git_annotated_commit *annotatedCommit;
 			[self annotatedCommit:&annotatedCommit fromCommit:remoteCommit error:error];