diff --git a/src/core/Merger.cpp b/src/core/Merger.cpp
index 4cfe4b5e4e..5e14e8452e 100644
--- a/src/core/Merger.cpp
+++ b/src/core/Merger.cpp
@@ -261,6 +261,7 @@ Merger::ChangeList Merger::resolveEntryConflict_MergeHistories(const MergeContex
     const int comparison = compare(targetEntry->timeInfo().lastModificationTime(),
                                    sourceEntry->timeInfo().lastModificationTime(),
                                    CompareItemIgnoreMilliseconds);
+    const int maxItems = targetEntry->database()->metadata()->historyMaxItems();
     if (comparison < 0) {
         Group* currentGroup = targetEntry->group();
         Entry* clonedEntry = sourceEntry->clone(Entry::CloneIncludeHistory);
@@ -269,15 +270,15 @@ Merger::ChangeList Merger::resolveEntryConflict_MergeHistories(const MergeContex
                qPrintable(sourceEntry->title()),
                qPrintable(currentGroup->name()));
         changes << tr("Synchronizing from newer source %1 [%2]").arg(targetEntry->title(), targetEntry->uuidToHex());
-        moveEntry(clonedEntry, currentGroup);
-        mergeHistory(targetEntry, clonedEntry, mergeMethod);
+        mergeHistory(targetEntry, clonedEntry, mergeMethod, maxItems);
         eraseEntry(targetEntry);
+        moveEntry(clonedEntry, currentGroup);
     } else {
         qDebug("Merge %s/%s with local on top/under %s",
                qPrintable(targetEntry->title()),
                qPrintable(sourceEntry->title()),
                qPrintable(targetEntry->group()->name()));
-        const bool changed = mergeHistory(sourceEntry, targetEntry, mergeMethod);
+        const bool changed = mergeHistory(sourceEntry, targetEntry, mergeMethod, maxItems);
         if (changed) {
             changes
                 << tr("Synchronizing from older source %1 [%2]").arg(targetEntry->title(), targetEntry->uuidToHex());
@@ -297,7 +298,10 @@ Merger::resolveEntryConflict(const MergeContext& context, const Entry* sourceEnt
     return resolveEntryConflict_MergeHistories(context, sourceEntry, targetEntry, mergeMode);
 }
 
-bool Merger::mergeHistory(const Entry* sourceEntry, Entry* targetEntry, Group::MergeMode mergeMethod)
+bool Merger::mergeHistory(const Entry* sourceEntry,
+                          Entry* targetEntry,
+                          Group::MergeMode mergeMethod,
+                          const int maxItems)
 {
     Q_UNUSED(mergeMethod);
     const auto targetHistoryItems = targetEntry->historyItems();
@@ -370,7 +374,6 @@ bool Merger::mergeHistory(const Entry* sourceEntry, Entry* targetEntry, Group::M
     }
 
     bool changed = false;
-    const int maxItems = targetEntry->database()->metadata()->historyMaxItems();
     const auto updatedHistoryItems = merged.values();
     for (int i = 0; i < maxItems; ++i) {
         const Entry* oldEntry = targetHistoryItems.value(targetHistoryItems.count() - i);
diff --git a/src/core/Merger.h b/src/core/Merger.h
index d2d1da4fdb..e98f7a062f 100644
--- a/src/core/Merger.h
+++ b/src/core/Merger.h
@@ -49,7 +49,7 @@ class Merger : public QObject
     ChangeList mergeGroup(const MergeContext& context);
     ChangeList mergeDeletions(const MergeContext& context);
     ChangeList mergeMetadata(const MergeContext& context);
-    bool mergeHistory(const Entry* sourceEntry, Entry* targetEntry, Group::MergeMode mergeMethod);
+    bool mergeHistory(const Entry* sourceEntry, Entry* targetEntry, Group::MergeMode mergeMethod, const int maxItems);
     void moveEntry(Entry* entry, Group* targetGroup);
     void moveGroup(Group* group, Group* targetGroup);
     // remove an entry without a trace in the deletedObjects - needed for elemination cloned entries