diff --git a/autoload/fugitive.vim b/autoload/fugitive.vim
index 7f2f602..95d1be5 100644
--- a/autoload/fugitive.vim
+++ b/autoload/fugitive.vim
@@ -2950,7 +2950,7 @@ function! s:StatusRender(stat) abort
       endfor
     else
       try
-        let merge_msg = get(readfile(fugitive#Find('.git/MERGE_MSG', dir)), 0, '')
+        let merge_msg = get(readfile(fugitive#Find('.git/MERGE_MSG', dir), '', 1), 0, '')
       catch
       endtry
     endif