diff --git a/rhodecode/lib/vcs/backends/git/repository.py b/rhodecode/lib/vcs/backends/git/repository.py
index 19efa3c7..0eb337c9 100644
--- a/rhodecode/lib/vcs/backends/git/repository.py
+++ b/rhodecode/lib/vcs/backends/git/repository.py
@@ -965,6 +965,7 @@ class GitRepository(BaseRepository):
         log.debug(
             "Executing merge_repo with %s strategy, dry_run mode:%s", "rebase" if use_rebase else "merge", dry_run
         )
+        from rhodecode.model.repo import RepoModel
 
         if target_ref.commit_id != self.branches[target_ref.name]:
             log.warning(
@@ -1056,7 +1057,13 @@ class GitRepository(BaseRepository):
                     rc_scm_data=self.config.get("rhodecode", "RC_SCM_DATA"),
                 )
                 merge_succeeded = True
-                if close_branch and source_ref.name != target_ref.name and not dry_run and source_ref.type == "branch":
+                if (
+                    close_branch
+                    and RepoModel().get_repo(repo_id).landing_ref_name != source_ref.name
+                    and source_ref.name != target_ref.name
+                    and not dry_run
+                    and source_ref.type == "branch"
+                ):
                     self.delete_branch(source_ref.name)
             except RepositoryError:
                 log.exception(
diff --git a/rhodecode/lib/vcs/backends/hg/repository.py b/rhodecode/lib/vcs/backends/hg/repository.py
index e945eb46..3adc80b7 100644
--- a/rhodecode/lib/vcs/backends/hg/repository.py
+++ b/rhodecode/lib/vcs/backends/hg/repository.py
@@ -813,6 +813,7 @@ class MercurialRepository(BaseRepository):
         log.debug(
             "Executing merge_repo with %s strategy, dry_run mode:%s", "rebase" if use_rebase else "merge", dry_run
         )
+        from rhodecode.model.repo import RepoModel
 
         if target_ref.commit_id not in self._heads():
             return MergeResponse(
@@ -868,7 +869,12 @@ class MercurialRepository(BaseRepository):
         close_branch = close_branch and source_ref.name != target_ref.name
 
         needs_push_on_close = False
-        if close_branch and not use_rebase and not dry_run:
+        if (
+            close_branch
+            and RepoModel().get_repo(repo_id).landing_ref_name != source_ref.name
+            and not use_rebase
+            and not dry_run
+        ):
             try:
                 close_commit_id, needs_push_on_close = shadow_repo._local_close(
                     target_ref, merger_name, merger_email, source_ref