diff --git a/builtin/merge.c b/builtin/merge.c
index a94a03384a..b26b4c4515 100644
--- a/builtin/merge.c
+++ b/builtin/merge.c
@@ -845,15 +845,18 @@ static void prepare_to_commit(struct commit_list *remoteheads)
 	struct strbuf msg = STRBUF_INIT;
 	const char *index_file = get_index_file();
 
-	if (!no_verify && run_commit_hook(0 < option_edit, index_file, "pre-merge-commit", NULL))
-		abort_commit(remoteheads, NULL);
-	/*
-	 * Re-read the index as pre-merge-commit hook could have updated it,
-	 * and write it out as a tree.  We must do this before we invoke
-	 * the editor and after we invoke run_status above.
-	 */
-	if (hook_exists("pre-merge-commit"))
-		discard_cache();
+	if (!no_verify) {
+		if (run_commit_hook(0 < option_edit, index_file,
+				    "pre-merge-commit", NULL))
+			abort_commit(remoteheads, NULL);
+		/*
+		 * Re-read the index as pre-merge-commit hook could have updated it,
+		 * and write it out as a tree.  We must do this before we invoke
+		 * the editor and after we invoke run_status above.
+		 */
+		if (hook_exists("pre-merge-commit"))
+			discard_cache();
+	}
 	read_cache_from(index_file);
 	strbuf_addbuf(&msg, &merge_msg);
 	if (squash)