diff --git a/merge-ort.c b/merge-ort.c
index 01f150ef3b5..211f6823e1d 100644
--- a/merge-ort.c
+++ b/merge-ort.c
@@ -3741,6 +3741,7 @@ static void process_entry(struct merge_options *opt,
 			  struct conflict_info *ci,
 			  struct directory_versions *dir_metadata)
 {
+	const char *orig_path = path;
 	int df_file_index = 0;
 
 	VERIFY_CI(ci);
@@ -3787,7 +3788,6 @@ static void process_entry(struct merge_options *opt,
 		 */
 		struct conflict_info *new_ci;
 		const char *branch;
-		const char *old_path = path;
 		int i;
 
 		assert(ci->merged.result.mode == S_IFDIR);
@@ -3838,10 +3838,10 @@ static void process_entry(struct merge_options *opt,
 		strmap_put(&opt->priv->paths, path, new_ci);
 
 		path_msg(opt, CONFLICT_FILE_DIRECTORY, 0,
-			 path, old_path, NULL, NULL,
+			 orig_path, path, NULL, NULL,
 			 _("CONFLICT (file/directory): directory in the way "
 			   "of %s from %s; moving it to %s instead."),
-			 old_path, branch, path);
+			 orig_path, branch, path);
 
 		/*
 		 * Zero out the filemask for the old ci.  At this point, ci
@@ -3921,7 +3921,7 @@ static void process_entry(struct merge_options *opt,
 
 			if (rename_a && rename_b) {
 				path_msg(opt, CONFLICT_DISTINCT_MODES, 0,
-					 path, a_path, b_path, NULL,
+					 orig_path, a_path, b_path, NULL,
 					 _("CONFLICT (distinct types): %s had "
 					   "different types on each side; "
 					   "renamed both of them so each can "
@@ -3929,7 +3929,7 @@ static void process_entry(struct merge_options *opt,
 					 path);
 			} else {
 				path_msg(opt, CONFLICT_DISTINCT_MODES, 0,
-					 path, rename_a ? a_path : b_path,
+					 orig_path, rename_a ? a_path : b_path,
 					 NULL, NULL,
 					 _("CONFLICT (distinct types): %s had "
 					   "different types on each side; "
@@ -4022,7 +4022,7 @@ static void process_entry(struct merge_options *opt,
 			if (S_ISGITLINK(merged_file.mode))
 				reason = _("submodule");
 			path_msg(opt, CONFLICT_CONTENTS, 0,
-				 path, NULL, NULL, NULL,
+				 orig_path, NULL, NULL, NULL,
 				 _("CONFLICT (%s): Merge conflict in %s"),
 				 reason, path);
 		}
@@ -4067,7 +4067,7 @@ static void process_entry(struct merge_options *opt,
 			 */
 		} else {
 			path_msg(opt, CONFLICT_MODIFY_DELETE, 0,
-				 path, NULL, NULL, NULL,
+				 orig_path, path, NULL, NULL,
 				 _("CONFLICT (modify/delete): %s deleted in %s "
 				   "and modified in %s.  Version %s of %s left "
 				   "in tree."),
diff --git a/t/t4069-remerge-diff.sh b/t/t4069-remerge-diff.sh
index 35f94957fce..bc580a242ac 100755
--- a/t/t4069-remerge-diff.sh
+++ b/t/t4069-remerge-diff.sh
@@ -131,11 +131,12 @@ test_expect_success 'setup non-content conflicts' '
 test_expect_success 'remerge-diff with non-content conflicts' '
 	git log -1 --oneline resolution >tmp &&
 	cat <<-EOF >>tmp &&
+	diff --git a/file_or_directory b/file_or_directory
+	remerge CONFLICT (file/directory): directory in the way of file_or_directory from HASH (side1); moving it to file_or_directory~HASH (side1) instead.
 	diff --git a/file_or_directory~HASH (side1) b/wanted_content
 	similarity index 100%
 	rename from file_or_directory~HASH (side1)
 	rename to wanted_content
-	remerge CONFLICT (file/directory): directory in the way of file_or_directory from HASH (side1); moving it to file_or_directory~HASH (side1) instead.
 	diff --git a/letters b/letters
 	remerge CONFLICT (rename/rename): letters renamed to letters_side1 in HASH (side1) and to letters_side2 in HASH (side2).
 	diff --git a/letters_side2 b/letters_side2
@@ -168,7 +169,7 @@ test_expect_success 'remerge-diff with non-content conflicts' '
 test_expect_success 'remerge-diff w/ diff-filter=U: all conflict headers, no diff content' '
 	git log -1 --oneline resolution >tmp &&
 	cat <<-EOF >>tmp &&
-	diff --git a/file_or_directory~HASH (side1) b/file_or_directory~HASH (side1)
+	diff --git a/file_or_directory b/file_or_directory
 	remerge CONFLICT (file/directory): directory in the way of file_or_directory from HASH (side1); moving it to file_or_directory~HASH (side1) instead.
 	diff --git a/letters b/letters
 	remerge CONFLICT (rename/rename): letters renamed to letters_side1 in HASH (side1) and to letters_side2 in HASH (side2).
@@ -184,14 +185,13 @@ test_expect_success 'remerge-diff w/ diff-filter=U: all conflict headers, no dif
 	test_cmp expect actual
 '
 
-test_expect_success 'remerge-diff w/ diff-filter=R: relevant file + conflict header' '
+test_expect_success 'remerge-diff w/ diff-filter=R: relevant file' '
 	git log -1 --oneline resolution >tmp &&
 	cat <<-EOF >>tmp &&
 	diff --git a/file_or_directory~HASH (side1) b/wanted_content
 	similarity index 100%
 	rename from file_or_directory~HASH (side1)
 	rename to wanted_content
-	remerge CONFLICT (file/directory): directory in the way of file_or_directory from HASH (side1); moving it to file_or_directory~HASH (side1) instead.
 	EOF
 	# We still have some sha1 hashes above; rip them out so test works
 	# with sha256
diff --git a/t/t4301-merge-tree-write-tree.sh b/t/t4301-merge-tree-write-tree.sh
index f091259a55e..e0ef9724b2b 100755
--- a/t/t4301-merge-tree-write-tree.sh
+++ b/t/t4301-merge-tree-write-tree.sh
@@ -211,8 +211,8 @@ test_expect_success 'NUL terminated conflicted file "lines"' '
 	q_to_nul <<-EOF >>expect &&
 	1QgreetingQAuto-mergingQAuto-merging greeting
 	Q1QgreetingQCONFLICT (contents)QCONFLICT (content): Merge conflict in greeting
-	Q2Qwhatever~tweak1QwhateverQCONFLICT (file/directory)QCONFLICT (file/directory): directory in the way of whatever from tweak1; moving it to whatever~tweak1 instead.
-	Q1Qwhatever~tweak1QCONFLICT (modify/delete)QCONFLICT (modify/delete): whatever~tweak1 deleted in side2 and modified in tweak1.  Version tweak1 of whatever~tweak1 left in tree.
+	Q2QwhateverQwhatever~tweak1QCONFLICT (file/directory)QCONFLICT (file/directory): directory in the way of whatever from tweak1; moving it to whatever~tweak1 instead.
+	Q2QwhateverQwhatever~tweak1QCONFLICT (modify/delete)QCONFLICT (modify/delete): whatever~tweak1 deleted in side2 and modified in tweak1.  Version tweak1 of whatever~tweak1 left in tree.
 	Q1QΑυτά μου φαίνονται κινέζικαQAuto-mergingQAuto-merging Αυτά μου φαίνονται κινέζικα
 	Q1QΑυτά μου φαίνονται κινέζικαQCONFLICT (contents)QCONFLICT (content): Merge conflict in Αυτά μου φαίνονται κινέζικα
 	Q
