diff --git a/builtin/merge.c b/builtin/merge.c
index 457bb5e48a..0ae480987a 100644
--- a/builtin/merge.c
+++ b/builtin/merge.c
@@ -973,7 +973,7 @@ int cmd_merge(int argc, const char **argv, const char *prefix)
 		reset_hard(remote_head->sha1, 0);
 		return 0;
 	} else {
-		struct strbuf msg = STRBUF_INIT;
+		struct strbuf merge_names = STRBUF_INIT;
 
 		/* We are invoked directly as the first-class UI. */
 		head_arg = "HEAD";
@@ -988,8 +988,8 @@ int cmd_merge(int argc, const char **argv, const char *prefix)
 		 */
 		if (!have_message) {
 			for (i = 0; i < argc; i++)
-				merge_name(argv[i], &msg);
-			fmt_merge_msg(option_log, &msg, &merge_msg);
+				merge_name(argv[i], &merge_names);
+			fmt_merge_msg(option_log, &merge_names, &merge_msg);
 			if (merge_msg.len)
 				strbuf_setlen(&merge_msg, merge_msg.len-1);
 		}