diff --git a/sequencer.c b/sequencer.c
index 84eed9e96b..a1bb39383d 100644
--- a/sequencer.c
+++ b/sequencer.c
@@ -3749,7 +3749,7 @@ static int do_merge(struct repository *r,
 	int run_commit_flags = 0;
 	struct strbuf ref_name = STRBUF_INIT;
 	struct commit *head_commit, *merge_commit, *i;
-	struct commit_list *bases, *j, *reversed = NULL;
+	struct commit_list *bases, *j;
 	struct commit_list *to_merge = NULL, **tail = &to_merge;
 	const char *strategy = !opts->xopts_nr &&
 		(!opts->strategy ||
@@ -3984,9 +3984,7 @@ static int do_merge(struct repository *r,
 		      git_path_merge_head(r), 0);
 	write_message("no-ff", 5, git_path_merge_mode(r), 0);
 
-	for (j = bases; j; j = j->next)
-		commit_list_insert(j->item, &reversed);
-	free_commit_list(bases);
+	bases = reverse_commit_list(bases);
 
 	repo_read_index(r);
 	init_merge_options(&o, r);
@@ -4002,10 +4000,10 @@ static int do_merge(struct repository *r,
 		 * update the index and working copy immediately.
 		 */
 		ret = merge_ort_recursive(&o,
-					  head_commit, merge_commit, reversed,
+					  head_commit, merge_commit, bases,
 					  &i);
 	} else {
-		ret = merge_recursive(&o, head_commit, merge_commit, reversed,
+		ret = merge_recursive(&o, head_commit, merge_commit, bases,
 				      &i);
 	}
 	if (ret <= 0)