diff --git a/builtin/merge-tree.c b/builtin/merge-tree.c
index 5dc94d6f88..06f9eee9f7 100644
--- a/builtin/merge-tree.c
+++ b/builtin/merge-tree.c
@@ -28,7 +28,7 @@ static void add_merge_entry(struct merge_list *entry)
 	merge_result_end = &entry->next;
 }
 
-static void merge_trees(struct tree_desc t[3], const char *base);
+static void trivial_merge_trees(struct tree_desc t[3], const char *base);
 
 static const char *explanation(struct merge_list *entry)
 {
@@ -225,7 +225,7 @@ static void unresolved_directory(const struct traverse_info *info,
 	buf2 = fill_tree_descriptor(r, t + 2, ENTRY_OID(n + 2));
 #undef ENTRY_OID
 
-	merge_trees(t, newbase);
+	trivial_merge_trees(t, newbase);
 
 	free(buf0);
 	free(buf1);
@@ -342,7 +342,7 @@ static int threeway_callback(int n, unsigned long mask, unsigned long dirmask, s
 	return mask;
 }
 
-static void merge_trees(struct tree_desc t[3], const char *base)
+static void trivial_merge_trees(struct tree_desc t[3], const char *base)
 {
 	struct traverse_info info;
 
@@ -378,7 +378,7 @@ int cmd_merge_tree(int argc, const char **argv, const char *prefix)
 	buf1 = get_tree_descriptor(r, t+0, argv[1]);
 	buf2 = get_tree_descriptor(r, t+1, argv[2]);
 	buf3 = get_tree_descriptor(r, t+2, argv[3]);
-	merge_trees(t, "");
+	trivial_merge_trees(t, "");
 	free(buf1);
 	free(buf2);
 	free(buf3);