diff --git a/merge-ort.c b/merge-ort.c
index c37fc035f1..79d9e18f63 100644
--- a/merge-ort.c
+++ b/merge-ort.c
@@ -4379,9 +4379,11 @@ static int checkout(struct merge_options *opt,
 	unpack_opts.verbose_update = (opt->verbosity > 2);
 	unpack_opts.fn = twoway_merge;
 	unpack_opts.preserve_ignored = 0; /* FIXME: !opts->overwrite_ignore */
-	parse_tree(prev);
+	if (parse_tree(prev) < 0)
+		return -1;
 	init_tree_desc(&trees[0], prev->buffer, prev->size);
-	parse_tree(next);
+	if (parse_tree(next) < 0)
+		return -1;
 	init_tree_desc(&trees[1], next->buffer, next->size);
 
 	ret = unpack_trees(2, trees, &unpack_opts);