diff --git a/lucene/src/java/org/apache/lucene/index/IndexWriter.java b/lucene/src/java/org/apache/lucene/index/IndexWriter.java
index b286c77a983..62d51819844 100644
--- a/lucene/src/java/org/apache/lucene/index/IndexWriter.java
+++ b/lucene/src/java/org/apache/lucene/index/IndexWriter.java
@@ -3828,6 +3828,7 @@ public class IndexWriter implements Closeable {
       if (infoStream != null)
         message("now flush at merge");
       doFlush(true, false);
+      updatePendingMerges(1, false);
     }
 
     merge.increfDone = true;
@@ -4010,6 +4011,7 @@ public class IndexWriter implements Closeable {
             if (infoStream != null)
               message("now flush at mergeMiddle");
             doFlush(true, false);
+            updatePendingMerges(1, false);
           }
         }