diff --git a/merge-ort.c b/merge-ort.c
index ffbdb8fc8e..e9d01ac7f7 100644
--- a/merge-ort.c
+++ b/merge-ort.c
@@ -545,17 +545,35 @@ enum conflict_and_info_types {
 	CONFLICT_SUBMODULE_HISTORY_NOT_AVAILABLE,
 	CONFLICT_SUBMODULE_MAY_HAVE_REWINDS,
 	CONFLICT_SUBMODULE_NULL_MERGE_BASE,
-	CONFLICT_SUBMODULE_CORRUPT,
+
+	/* INSERT NEW ENTRIES HERE */
+
+	/*
+	 * Keep this entry after all regular conflict and info types; only
+	 * errors (failures causing immediate abort of the merge) should
+	 * come after this.
+	 */
+	NB_REGULAR_CONFLICT_TYPES,
+
+	/*
+	 * Something is seriously wrong; cannot even perform merge;
+	 * Keep this group _last_ other than NB_TOTAL_TYPES
+	 */
+	ERROR_SUBMODULE_CORRUPT,
+	ERROR_THREEWAY_CONTENT_MERGE_FAILED,
+	ERROR_OBJECT_WRITE_FAILED,
+	ERROR_OBJECT_READ_FAILED,
+	ERROR_OBJECT_NOT_A_BLOB,
 
 	/* Keep this entry _last_ in the list */
-	NB_CONFLICT_TYPES,
+	NB_TOTAL_TYPES,
 };
 
 /*
  * Short description of conflict type, relied upon by external tools.
  *
  * We can add more entries, but DO NOT change any of these strings.  Also,
- * Order MUST match conflict_info_and_types.
+ * please ensure the order matches what is used in conflict_info_and_types.
  */
 static const char *type_short_descriptions[] = {
 	/*** "Simple" conflicts and informational messages ***/
@@ -599,8 +617,18 @@ static const char *type_short_descriptions[] = {
 		"CONFLICT (submodule may have rewinds)",
 	[CONFLICT_SUBMODULE_NULL_MERGE_BASE] =
 		"CONFLICT (submodule lacks merge base)",
-	[CONFLICT_SUBMODULE_CORRUPT] =
-		"CONFLICT (submodule corrupt)"
+
+	/* Something is seriously wrong; cannot even perform merge */
+	[ERROR_SUBMODULE_CORRUPT] =
+		"ERROR (submodule corrupt)",
+	[ERROR_THREEWAY_CONTENT_MERGE_FAILED] =
+		"ERROR (three-way content merge failed)",
+	[ERROR_OBJECT_WRITE_FAILED] =
+		"ERROR (object write failed)",
+	[ERROR_OBJECT_READ_FAILED] =
+		"ERROR (object read failed)",
+	[ERROR_OBJECT_NOT_A_BLOB] =
+		"ERROR (object is not a blob)",
 };
 
 struct logical_conflict_info {
@@ -764,7 +792,8 @@ static void path_msg(struct merge_options *opt,
 
 	/* Sanity checks */
 	assert(omittable_hint ==
-	       !starts_with(type_short_descriptions[type], "CONFLICT") ||
+	       (!starts_with(type_short_descriptions[type], "CONFLICT") &&
+		!starts_with(type_short_descriptions[type], "ERROR")) ||
 	       type == CONFLICT_DIR_RENAME_SUGGESTED);
 	if (opt->record_conflict_msgs_as_headers && omittable_hint)
 		return; /* Do not record mere hints in headers */
@@ -1819,9 +1848,9 @@ static int merge_submodule(struct merge_options *opt,
 	/* check whether both changes are forward */
 	ret2 = repo_in_merge_bases(&subrepo, commit_o, commit_a);
 	if (ret2 < 0) {
-		path_msg(opt, CONFLICT_SUBMODULE_CORRUPT, 0,
+		path_msg(opt, ERROR_SUBMODULE_CORRUPT, 0,
 			 path, NULL, NULL, NULL,
-			 _("Failed to merge submodule %s "
+			 _("error: failed to merge submodule %s "
 			   "(repository corrupt)"),
 			 path);
 		ret = -1;
@@ -1830,9 +1859,9 @@ static int merge_submodule(struct merge_options *opt,
 	if (ret2 > 0)
 		ret2 = repo_in_merge_bases(&subrepo, commit_o, commit_b);
 	if (ret2 < 0) {
-		path_msg(opt, CONFLICT_SUBMODULE_CORRUPT, 0,
+		path_msg(opt, ERROR_SUBMODULE_CORRUPT, 0,
 			 path, NULL, NULL, NULL,
-			 _("Failed to merge submodule %s "
+			 _("error: failed to merge submodule %s "
 			   "(repository corrupt)"),
 			 path);
 		ret = -1;
@@ -1850,9 +1879,9 @@ static int merge_submodule(struct merge_options *opt,
 	/* Case #1: a is contained in b or vice versa */
 	ret2 = repo_in_merge_bases(&subrepo, commit_a, commit_b);
 	if (ret2 < 0) {
-		path_msg(opt, CONFLICT_SUBMODULE_CORRUPT, 0,
+		path_msg(opt, ERROR_SUBMODULE_CORRUPT, 0,
 			 path, NULL, NULL, NULL,
-			 _("Failed to merge submodule %s "
+			 _("error: failed to merge submodule %s "
 			   "(repository corrupt)"),
 			 path);
 		ret = -1;
@@ -1869,9 +1898,9 @@ static int merge_submodule(struct merge_options *opt,
 	}
 	ret2 = repo_in_merge_bases(&subrepo, commit_b, commit_a);
 	if (ret2 < 0) {
-		path_msg(opt, CONFLICT_SUBMODULE_CORRUPT, 0,
+		path_msg(opt, ERROR_SUBMODULE_CORRUPT, 0,
 			 path, NULL, NULL, NULL,
-			 _("Failed to merge submodule %s "
+			 _("error: failed to merge submodule %s "
 			   "(repository corrupt)"),
 			 path);
 		ret = -1;
@@ -1903,9 +1932,9 @@ static int merge_submodule(struct merge_options *opt,
 					 &merges);
 	switch (parent_count) {
 	case -1:
-		path_msg(opt, CONFLICT_SUBMODULE_CORRUPT, 0,
+		path_msg(opt, ERROR_SUBMODULE_CORRUPT, 0,
 			 path, NULL, NULL, NULL,
-			 _("Failed to merge submodule %s "
+			 _("error: failed to merge submodule %s "
 			   "(repository corrupt)"),
 			 path);
 		ret = -1;
@@ -2111,7 +2140,7 @@ static int handle_content_merge(struct merge_options *opt,
 	 * merges, which happens for example with rename/rename(2to1) and
 	 * rename/add conflicts.
 	 */
-	unsigned clean = 1;
+	int clean = 1;
 
 	/*
 	 * handle_content_merge() needs both files to be of the same type, i.e.
@@ -2175,18 +2204,28 @@ static int handle_content_merge(struct merge_options *opt,
 					  pathnames, extra_marker_size,
 					  &result_buf);
 
-		if ((merge_status < 0) || !result_buf.ptr)
-			ret = error(_("failed to execute internal merge"));
+		if ((merge_status < 0) || !result_buf.ptr) {
+			path_msg(opt, ERROR_THREEWAY_CONTENT_MERGE_FAILED, 0,
+				 pathnames[0], pathnames[1], pathnames[2], NULL,
+				 _("error: failed to execute internal merge for %s"),
+				 path);
+			ret = -1;
+		}
 
 		if (!ret &&
 		    write_object_file(result_buf.ptr, result_buf.size,
-				      OBJ_BLOB, &result->oid))
-			ret = error(_("unable to add %s to database"), path);
-
+				      OBJ_BLOB, &result->oid)) {
+			path_msg(opt, ERROR_OBJECT_WRITE_FAILED, 0,
+				 pathnames[0], pathnames[1], pathnames[2], NULL,
+				 _("error: unable to add %s to database"), path);
+			ret = -1;
+		}
 		free(result_buf.ptr);
+
 		if (ret)
 			return -1;
-		clean &= (merge_status == 0);
+		if (merge_status > 0)
+			clean = 0;
 		path_msg(opt, INFO_AUTO_MERGING, 1, path, NULL, NULL, NULL,
 			 _("Auto-merging %s"), path);
 	} else if (S_ISGITLINK(a->mode)) {
@@ -2194,6 +2233,8 @@ static int handle_content_merge(struct merge_options *opt,
 		clean = merge_submodule(opt, pathnames[0],
 					two_way ? null_oid() : &o->oid,
 					&a->oid, &b->oid, &result->oid);
+		if (clean < 0)
+			return -1;
 		if (opt->priv->call_depth && two_way && !clean) {
 			result->mode = o->mode;
 			oidcpy(&result->oid, &o->oid);
@@ -3559,18 +3600,27 @@ static int sort_dirs_next_to_their_children(const char *one, const char *two)
 		return c1 - c2;
 }
 
-static int read_oid_strbuf(const struct object_id *oid,
-			   struct strbuf *dst)
+static int read_oid_strbuf(struct merge_options *opt,
+			   const struct object_id *oid,
+			   struct strbuf *dst,
+			   const char *path)
 {
 	void *buf;
 	enum object_type type;
 	unsigned long size;
 	buf = repo_read_object_file(the_repository, oid, &type, &size);
-	if (!buf)
-		return error(_("cannot read object %s"), oid_to_hex(oid));
+	if (!buf) {
+		path_msg(opt, ERROR_OBJECT_READ_FAILED, 0,
+			 path, NULL, NULL, NULL,
+			 _("error: cannot read object %s"), oid_to_hex(oid));
+		return -1;
+	}
 	if (type != OBJ_BLOB) {
 		free(buf);
-		return error(_("object %s is not a blob"), oid_to_hex(oid));
+		path_msg(opt, ERROR_OBJECT_NOT_A_BLOB, 0,
+			 path, NULL, NULL, NULL,
+			 _("error: object %s is not a blob"), oid_to_hex(oid));
+		return -1;
 	}
 	strbuf_attach(dst, buf, size, size + 1);
 	return 0;
@@ -3594,8 +3644,8 @@ static int blob_unchanged(struct merge_options *opt,
 	if (oideq(&base->oid, &side->oid))
 		return 1;
 
-	if (read_oid_strbuf(&base->oid, &basebuf) ||
-	    read_oid_strbuf(&side->oid, &sidebuf))
+	if (read_oid_strbuf(opt, &base->oid, &basebuf, path) ||
+	    read_oid_strbuf(opt, &side->oid, &sidebuf, path))
 		goto error_return;
 	/*
 	 * Note: binary | is used so that both renormalizations are
@@ -4645,6 +4695,7 @@ void merge_display_update_messages(struct merge_options *opt,
 	struct hashmap_iter iter;
 	struct strmap_entry *e;
 	struct string_list olist = STRING_LIST_INIT_NODUP;
+	FILE *o = stdout;
 
 	if (opt->record_conflict_msgs_as_headers)
 		BUG("Either display conflict messages or record them as headers, not both");
@@ -4661,6 +4712,10 @@ void merge_display_update_messages(struct merge_options *opt,
 	}
 	string_list_sort(&olist);
 
+	/* Print to stderr if we hit errors rather than just conflicts */
+	if (result->clean < 0)
+		o = stderr;
+
 	/* Iterate over the items, printing them */
 	for (int path_nr = 0; path_nr < olist.nr; ++path_nr) {
 		struct string_list *conflicts = olist.items[path_nr].util;
@@ -4668,25 +4723,31 @@ void merge_display_update_messages(struct merge_options *opt,
 			struct logical_conflict_info *info =
 				conflicts->items[i].util;
 
+			/* On failure, ignore regular conflict types */
+			if (result->clean < 0 &&
+			    info->type < NB_REGULAR_CONFLICT_TYPES)
+				continue;
+
 			if (detailed) {
-				printf("%lu", (unsigned long)info->paths.nr);
-				putchar('\0');
+				fprintf(o, "%lu", (unsigned long)info->paths.nr);
+				fputc('\0', o);
 				for (int n = 0; n < info->paths.nr; n++) {
-					fputs(info->paths.v[n], stdout);
-					putchar('\0');
+					fputs(info->paths.v[n], o);
+					fputc('\0', o);
 				}
-				fputs(type_short_descriptions[info->type],
-				      stdout);
-				putchar('\0');
+				fputs(type_short_descriptions[info->type], o);
+				fputc('\0', o);
 			}
-			puts(conflicts->items[i].string);
+			fputs(conflicts->items[i].string, o);
+			fputc('\n', o);
 			if (detailed)
-				putchar('\0');
+				fputc('\0', o);
 		}
 	}
 	string_list_clear(&olist, 0);
 
-	print_submodule_conflict_suggestion(&opti->conflicted_submodules);
+	if (result->clean >= 0)
+		print_submodule_conflict_suggestion(&opti->conflicted_submodules);
 
 	/* Also include needed rename limit adjustment now */
 	diff_warn_rename_limit("merge.renamelimit",
@@ -5002,6 +5063,26 @@ static void merge_check_renames_reusable(struct merge_result *result,
 
 /*** Function Grouping: merge_incore_*() and their internal variants ***/
 
+static void move_opt_priv_to_result_priv(struct merge_options *opt,
+					 struct merge_result *result)
+{
+	/*
+	 * opt->priv and result->priv are a bit weird.  opt->priv contains
+	 * information that we can re-use in subsequent merge operations to
+	 * enable our cached renames optimization.  The best way to provide
+	 * that to subsequent merges is putting it in result->priv.
+	 * However, putting it directly there would mean retrofitting lots
+	 * of functions in this file to also take a merge_result pointer,
+	 * which is ugly and annoying.  So, we just make sure at the end of
+	 * the merge (the outer merge if there are internal recursive ones)
+	 * to move it.
+	 */
+	assert(opt->priv && !result->priv);
+	result->priv = opt->priv;
+	result->_properly_initialized = RESULT_INITIALIZED;
+	opt->priv = NULL;
+}
+
 /*
  * Originally from merge_trees_internal(); heavily adapted, though.
  */
@@ -5032,6 +5113,7 @@ redo:
 		    oid_to_hex(&side1->object.oid),
 		    oid_to_hex(&side2->object.oid));
 		result->clean = -1;
+		move_opt_priv_to_result_priv(opt, result);
 		return;
 	}
 	trace2_region_leave("merge", "collect_merge_info", opt->repo);
@@ -5062,11 +5144,8 @@ redo:
 		/* existence of conflicted entries implies unclean */
 		result->clean &= strmap_empty(&opt->priv->conflicted);
 	}
-	if (!opt->priv->call_depth) {
-		result->priv = opt->priv;
-		result->_properly_initialized = RESULT_INITIALIZED;
-		opt->priv = NULL;
-	}
+	if (!opt->priv->call_depth || result->clean < 0)
+		move_opt_priv_to_result_priv(opt, result);
 }
 
 /*
diff --git a/t/t6406-merge-attr.sh b/t/t6406-merge-attr.sh
index 156a1efacf..9bf9524934 100755
--- a/t/t6406-merge-attr.sh
+++ b/t/t6406-merge-attr.sh
@@ -185,7 +185,7 @@ test_expect_success !WINDOWS 'custom merge driver that is killed with a signal'
 
 	>./please-abort &&
 	echo "* merge=custom" >.gitattributes &&
-	test_must_fail git merge main 2>err &&
+	test_expect_code 2 git merge main 2>err &&
 	grep "^error: failed to execute internal merge" err &&
 	git ls-files -u >output &&
 	git diff --name-only HEAD >>output &&
@@ -261,4 +261,44 @@ test_expect_success 'binary files with union attribute' '
 	grep -i "warning.*cannot merge.*HEAD vs. bin-main" output
 '
 
+test_expect_success !WINDOWS 'custom merge driver that is killed with a signal on recursive merge' '
+	test_when_finished "rm -f output please-abort" &&
+	test_when_finished "git checkout side" &&
+
+	git reset --hard anchor &&
+
+	git checkout -b base-a main^ &&
+	echo base-a >text &&
+	git commit -m base-a text &&
+
+	git checkout -b base-b main^ &&
+	echo base-b >text &&
+	git commit -m base-b text &&
+
+	git checkout -b recursive-a base-a &&
+	test_must_fail git merge base-b &&
+	echo recursive-a >text &&
+	git add text &&
+	git commit -m recursive-a &&
+
+	git checkout -b recursive-b base-b &&
+	test_must_fail git merge base-a &&
+	echo recursive-b >text &&
+	git add text &&
+	git commit -m recursive-b &&
+
+	git config --replace-all \
+	merge.custom.driver "./custom-merge %O %A %B 0 %P %S %X %Y" &&
+	git config --replace-all \
+	merge.custom.name "custom merge driver for testing" &&
+
+	>./please-abort &&
+	echo "* merge=custom" >.gitattributes &&
+	test_expect_code 2 git merge recursive-a 2>err &&
+	grep "error: failed to execute internal merge" err &&
+	git ls-files -u >output &&
+	git diff --name-only HEAD >>output &&
+	test_must_be_empty output
+'
+
 test_done