diff --git a/merge-recursive.c b/merge-recursive.c
index 999892e03c..986494e89a 100644
--- a/merge-recursive.c
+++ b/merge-recursive.c
@@ -435,6 +435,7 @@ static struct string_list *get_renames(struct merge_options *o,
 	opts.rename_score = o->rename_score;
 	opts.warn_on_too_large_rename = 1;
 	opts.output_format = DIFF_FORMAT_NO_OUTPUT;
+	opts.break_opt = 0;
 	if (diff_setup_done(&opts) < 0)
 		die("diff setup failed");
 	diff_tree_sha1(o_tree->object.sha1, tree->object.sha1, "", &opts);
diff --git a/t/t3030-merge-recursive.sh b/t/t3030-merge-recursive.sh
index e686f04623..43ff220cfe 100755
--- a/t/t3030-merge-recursive.sh
+++ b/t/t3030-merge-recursive.sh
@@ -631,7 +631,7 @@ test_expect_success 'merge-recursive copy vs. rename' '
 
 if test_have_prereq SYMLINKS
 then
-	test_expect_failure 'merge-recursive rename vs. rename/symlink' '
+	test_expect_success 'merge-recursive rename vs. rename/symlink' '
 
 		git checkout -f rename &&
 		git merge rename-ln &&
diff --git a/t/t6039-merge-break.sh b/t/t6039-merge-break.sh
new file mode 100755
index 0000000000..d3dabf5b85
--- /dev/null
+++ b/t/t6039-merge-break.sh
@@ -0,0 +1,174 @@
+#!/bin/sh
+
+test_description='merging with renames from broken pairs
+
+This is based on a real-world practice of moving a header file to a
+new location, but installing a "replacement" file that points to
+the old one. We need break detection in the merge to find the
+rename.
+'
+. ./test-lib.sh
+
+# A fake header file; it needs a fair bit of content
+# for break detection and inexact rename detection to work.
+mksample() {
+	echo '#ifndef SAMPLE_H'
+	echo '#define SAMPLE_H'
+	for i in 0 1 2 3 4; do
+		for j in 0 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9; do
+			echo "extern fun$i$j();"
+		done
+	done
+	echo '#endif /* SAMPLE_H */'
+}
+
+mvsample() {
+	sed 's/SAMPLE_H/NEW_H/' "$1" >"$2" &&
+	rm "$1"
+}
+
+# A replacement sample header file that references a new one.
+mkreplacement() {
+	echo '#ifndef SAMPLE_H'
+	echo '#define SAMPLE_H'
+	echo "#include \"$1\""
+	echo '#endif /* SAMPLE_H */'
+}
+
+# Tweak the header file in a minor way.
+tweak() {
+	sed 's,42.*,& /* secret of something-or-other */,' "$1" >"$1.tmp" &&
+	mv "$1.tmp" "$1"
+}
+
+reset() {
+	git reset --hard &&
+	git checkout master &&
+	git reset --hard base &&
+	git clean -f &&
+	{ git branch -D topic || true; }
+}
+
+test_expect_success 'setup baseline' '
+	mksample >sample.h &&
+	git add sample.h &&
+	git commit -m "add sample.h" &&
+	git tag base
+'
+
+setup_rename_plus_tweak() {
+	reset &&
+	mvsample sample.h new.h &&
+	mkreplacement new.h >sample.h &&
+	git add sample.h new.h &&
+	git commit -m 'rename sample.h to new.h, with replacement' &&
+	git checkout -b topic base &&
+	tweak sample.h &&
+	git commit -a -m 'tweak sample.h'
+}
+
+check_tweak_result() {
+	mksample >expect.orig &&
+	mvsample expect.orig expect &&
+	tweak expect &&
+	test_cmp expect new.h &&
+	mkreplacement new.h >expect &&
+	test_cmp expect sample.h
+}
+
+test_expect_success 'merge rename to tweak finds rename' '
+	setup_rename_plus_tweak &&
+	git merge master &&
+	check_tweak_result
+'
+
+test_expect_success 'merge tweak to rename finds rename' '
+	setup_rename_plus_tweak &&
+	git checkout master &&
+	git merge topic &&
+	check_tweak_result
+'
+
+setup_double_rename_one_replacement() {
+	setup_rename_plus_tweak &&
+	mvsample sample.h new.h &&
+	git add new.h &&
+	git commit -a -m 'rename sample.h to new.h (no replacement)'
+}
+
+test_expect_success 'merge rename to rename/tweak (one replacement)' '
+	setup_double_rename_one_replacement &&
+	git merge master &&
+	check_tweak_result
+'
+
+test_expect_success 'merge rename/tweak to rename (one replacement)' '
+	setup_double_rename_one_replacement &&
+	git checkout master &&
+	git merge topic &&
+	check_tweak_result
+'
+
+setup_double_rename_two_replacements_same() {
+	setup_rename_plus_tweak &&
+	mvsample sample.h new.h &&
+	mkreplacement new.h >sample.h &&
+	git add sample.h new.h &&
+	git commit -m 'rename sample.h to new.h with replacement (same)'
+}
+
+test_expect_success 'merge rename to rename/tweak (two replacements, same)' '
+	setup_double_rename_two_replacements_same &&
+	git merge master &&
+	check_tweak_result
+'
+
+test_expect_success 'merge rename/tweak to rename (two replacements, same)' '
+	setup_double_rename_two_replacements_same &&
+	git checkout master &&
+	git merge topic &&
+	check_tweak_result
+'
+
+setup_double_rename_two_replacements_diff() {
+	setup_rename_plus_tweak &&
+	mvsample sample.h new.h &&
+	mkreplacement diff.h >sample.h &&
+	git add sample.h new.h &&
+	git commit -m 'rename sample.h to new.h with replacement (diff)'
+}
+
+test_expect_success 'merge rename to rename/tweak (two replacements, diff)' '
+	setup_double_rename_two_replacements_diff &&
+	test_must_fail git merge master &&
+	cat >expect <<-\EOF &&
+	#ifndef SAMPLE_H
+	#define SAMPLE_H
+	<<<<<<< HEAD
+	#include "diff.h"
+	=======
+	#include "new.h"
+	>>>>>>> master
+	#endif /* SAMPLE_H */
+	EOF
+	test_cmp expect sample.h
+'
+
+test_expect_success 'merge rename to rename/tweak (two replacements, diff)' '
+	setup_double_rename_two_replacements_diff &&
+	git checkout master &&
+	test_must_fail git merge topic &&
+	cat >expect <<-\EOF &&
+	#ifndef SAMPLE_H
+	#define SAMPLE_H
+	<<<<<<< HEAD
+	#include "new.h"
+	=======
+	#include "diff.h"
+	>>>>>>> topic
+	#endif /* SAMPLE_H */
+	EOF
+	test_cmp expect sample.h
+'
+
+test_done