diff --git a/merge-recursive.c b/merge-recursive.c
index c292a77a81..34e3167caf 100644
--- a/merge-recursive.c
+++ b/merge-recursive.c
@@ -844,8 +844,9 @@ static int read_merge_config(const char *var, const char *value)
 	int namelen;
 
 	if (!strcmp(var, "merge.default")) {
-		if (value)
-			default_ll_merge = strdup(value);
+		if (!value)
+			return config_error_nonbool(var);
+		default_ll_merge = strdup(value);
 		return 0;
 	}
 
@@ -878,14 +879,14 @@ static int read_merge_config(const char *var, const char *value)
 
 	if (!strcmp("name", ep)) {
 		if (!value)
-			return error("%s: lacks value", var);
+			return config_error_nonbool(var);
 		fn->description = strdup(value);
 		return 0;
 	}
 
 	if (!strcmp("driver", ep)) {
 		if (!value)
-			return error("%s: lacks value", var);
+			return config_error_nonbool(var);
 		/*
 		 * merge.<name>.driver specifies the command line:
 		 *
@@ -908,7 +909,7 @@ static int read_merge_config(const char *var, const char *value)
 
 	if (!strcmp("recursive", ep)) {
 		if (!value)
-			return error("%s: lacks value", var);
+			return config_error_nonbool(var);
 		fn->recursive = strdup(value);
 		return 0;
 	}