diff --git a/merge-ort.c b/merge-ort.c
index e6622343347491..9eb518332188e2 100644
--- a/merge-ort.c
+++ b/merge-ort.c
@@ -557,6 +557,8 @@ enum conflict_and_info_types {
 	 * Keep this group _last_ other than NB_CONFLICT_TYPES
 	 */
 	CONFLICT_SUBMODULE_CORRUPT,
+	CONFLICT_THREEWAY_CONTENT_MERGE_FAILED,
+	CONFLICT_OBJECT_WRITE_FAILED,
 
 	/* Keep this entry _last_ in the list */
 	NB_CONFLICT_TYPES,
@@ -614,6 +616,10 @@ static const char *type_short_descriptions[] = {
 	/* Something is seriously wrong; cannot even perform merge */
 	[CONFLICT_SUBMODULE_CORRUPT] =
 		"CONFLICT (submodule corrupt)",
+	[CONFLICT_THREEWAY_CONTENT_MERGE_FAILED] =
+		"CONFLICT (three-way content merge failed)",
+	[CONFLICT_OBJECT_WRITE_FAILED] =
+		"CONFLICT (object write failed)",
 };
 
 struct logical_conflict_info {
@@ -2188,15 +2194,24 @@ 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, CONFLICT_THREEWAY_CONTENT_MERGE_FAILED, 0,
+				 pathnames[0], pathnames[1], pathnames[2], NULL,
+				 _("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, CONFLICT_OBJECT_WRITE_FAILED, 0,
+				 pathnames[0], pathnames[1], pathnames[2], NULL,
+				 _("unable to add %s to database"), path);
+			ret = -1;
+		}
 		free(result_buf.ptr);
+
 		if (ret)
 			return -1;
 		if (merge_status > 0)