diff --git a/CRM/Dedupe/Merger.php b/CRM/Dedupe/Merger.php
index 8de09096c9ac..efd6a5d0e062 100644
--- a/CRM/Dedupe/Merger.php
+++ b/CRM/Dedupe/Merger.php
@@ -866,6 +866,10 @@ public static function getMergeStatsMsg($stats) {
    *   Respect logged in user permissions.
    *
    * @return array|bool
+   *
+   * @throws \API_Exception
+   * @throws \CRM_Core_Exception
+   * @throws \CiviCRM_API3_Exception
    */
   public static function merge($dupePairs = [], $cacheParams = [], $mode = 'safe',
                                $redirectForPerformance = FALSE, $checkPermissions = TRUE
@@ -883,16 +887,17 @@ public static function merge($dupePairs = [], $cacheParams = [], $mode = 'safe',
           unset($dupePairs[$index]);
           continue;
         }
-        CRM_Utils_Hook::merge('flip', $dupes, $dupes['dstID'], $dupes['srcID']);
-        $mainId = $dupes['dstID'];
-        $otherId = $dupes['srcID'];
-
-        if (!$mainId || !$otherId) {
-          // return error
-          return FALSE;
+        if (($result = self::dedupePair($dupes, $mode, $checkPermissions, $cacheKeyString)) === FALSE) {
+          unset($dupePairs[$index]);
+          continue;
+        }
+        if (!empty($result['merged'])) {
+          $deletedContacts[] = $result['merged'][0]['other_id'];
+          $resultStats['merged'][] = ($result['merged'][0]);
+        }
+        else {
+          $resultStats['skipped'][] = ($result['skipped'][0]);
         }
-
-        self::dedupePair($resultStats, $deletedContacts, $mode, $checkPermissions, $mainId, $otherId, $cacheKeyString);
       }
 
       if ($cacheKeyString && !$redirectForPerformance) {
@@ -2111,20 +2116,26 @@ public static function mergeLocations($mainId, $otherId, $migrationInfo) {
   /**
    * Dedupe a pair of contacts.
    *
-   * @param array $resultStats
-   * @param array $deletedContacts
+   * @param array $dupes
    * @param string $mode
    * @param bool $checkPermissions
-   * @param int $mainId
-   * @param int $otherId
    * @param string $cacheKeyString
    *
+   * @return bool|array
    * @throws \CRM_Core_Exception
    * @throws \CiviCRM_API3_Exception
    * @throws \API_Exception
    */
-  protected static function dedupePair(&$resultStats, &$deletedContacts, $mode, $checkPermissions, $mainId, $otherId, $cacheKeyString) {
-
+  protected static function dedupePair($dupes, $mode = 'safe', $checkPermissions = TRUE, $cacheKeyString = NULL) {
+    CRM_Utils_Hook::merge('flip', $dupes, $dupes['dstID'], $dupes['srcID']);
+    $mainId = $dupes['dstID'];
+    $otherId = $dupes['srcID'];
+    $resultStats = [];
+
+    if (!$mainId || !$otherId) {
+      // return error
+      return FALSE;
+    }
     $migrationInfo = [];
     $conflicts = [];
     if (!CRM_Dedupe_Merger::skipMerge($mainId, $otherId, $migrationInfo, $mode, $conflicts)) {
@@ -2133,7 +2144,6 @@ protected static function dedupePair(&$resultStats, &$deletedContacts, $mode, $c
         'main_id' => $mainId,
         'other_id' => $otherId,
       ];
-      $deletedContacts[] = $otherId;
     }
     else {
       $resultStats['skipped'][] = [
@@ -2149,6 +2159,7 @@ protected static function dedupePair(&$resultStats, &$deletedContacts, $mode, $c
     else {
       CRM_Core_BAO_PrevNextCache::deletePair($mainId, $otherId, $cacheKeyString);
     }
+    return $resultStats;
   }
 
   /**