diff --git a/db/memtable.cc b/db/memtable.cc
index 2dac88dd3..9099d5e39 100644
--- a/db/memtable.cc
+++ b/db/memtable.cc
@@ -1064,20 +1064,10 @@ static bool SaveValue(void* arg, const char* entry) {
           assert(s->do_merge);
 
           if (s->value || s->columns) {
-            std::string result;
             *(s->status) = MergeHelper::TimedFullMerge(
                 merge_operator, s->key->user_key(), &v,
-                merge_context->GetOperands(), &result, s->logger, s->statistics,
-                s->clock, nullptr /* result_operand */, true);
-
-            if (s->status->ok()) {
-              if (s->value) {
-                *(s->value) = std::move(result);
-              } else {
-                assert(s->columns);
-                s->columns->SetPlainValue(result);
-              }
-            }
+                merge_context->GetOperands(), s->value, s->columns, s->logger,
+                s->statistics, s->clock, nullptr /* result_operand */, true);
           }
         } else if (s->value) {
           s->value->assign(v.data(), v.size());
@@ -1148,10 +1138,10 @@ static bool SaveValue(void* arg, const char* entry) {
       case kTypeSingleDeletion:
       case kTypeRangeDeletion: {
         if (*(s->merge_in_progress)) {
-          if (s->value != nullptr) {
+          if (s->value || s->columns) {
             *(s->status) = MergeHelper::TimedFullMerge(
                 merge_operator, s->key->user_key(), nullptr,
-                merge_context->GetOperands(), s->value, s->logger,
+                merge_context->GetOperands(), s->value, s->columns, s->logger,
                 s->statistics, s->clock, nullptr /* result_operand */, true);
           }
         } else {
@@ -1177,10 +1167,13 @@ static bool SaveValue(void* arg, const char* entry) {
             v, s->inplace_update_support == false /* operand_pinned */);
         if (s->do_merge && merge_operator->ShouldMerge(
                                merge_context->GetOperandsDirectionBackward())) {
-          *(s->status) = MergeHelper::TimedFullMerge(
-              merge_operator, s->key->user_key(), nullptr,
-              merge_context->GetOperands(), s->value, s->logger, s->statistics,
-              s->clock, nullptr /* result_operand */, true);
+          if (s->value || s->columns) {
+            *(s->status) = MergeHelper::TimedFullMerge(
+                merge_operator, s->key->user_key(), nullptr,
+                merge_context->GetOperands(), s->value, s->columns, s->logger,
+                s->statistics, s->clock, nullptr /* result_operand */, true);
+          }
+
           *(s->found_final_value) = true;
           return false;
         }
diff --git a/db/merge_helper.cc b/db/merge_helper.cc
index 5430509eb..680365b98 100644
--- a/db/merge_helper.cc
+++ b/db/merge_helper.cc
@@ -110,6 +110,36 @@ Status MergeHelper::TimedFullMerge(const MergeOperator* merge_operator,
   return Status::OK();
 }
 
+Status MergeHelper::TimedFullMerge(const MergeOperator* merge_operator,
+                                   const Slice& key, const Slice* base_value,
+                                   const std::vector<Slice>& operands,
+                                   std::string* value,
+                                   PinnableWideColumns* columns, Logger* logger,
+                                   Statistics* statistics, SystemClock* clock,
+                                   Slice* result_operand,
+                                   bool update_num_ops_stats) {
+  assert(value || columns);
+  assert(!value || !columns);
+
+  std::string result;
+  const Status s =
+      TimedFullMerge(merge_operator, key, base_value, operands, &result, logger,
+                     statistics, clock, result_operand, update_num_ops_stats);
+  if (!s.ok()) {
+    return s;
+  }
+
+  if (value) {
+    *value = std::move(result);
+    return Status::OK();
+  }
+
+  assert(columns);
+  columns->SetPlainValue(result);
+
+  return Status::OK();
+}
+
 // PRE:  iter points to the first merge type entry
 // POST: iter points to the first entry beyond the merge process (or the end)
 //       keys_, operands_ are updated to reflect the merge result.
diff --git a/db/merge_helper.h b/db/merge_helper.h
index ae4262806..a1af1c002 100644
--- a/db/merge_helper.h
+++ b/db/merge_helper.h
@@ -56,6 +56,15 @@ class MergeHelper {
                                Slice* result_operand = nullptr,
                                bool update_num_ops_stats = false);
 
+  static Status TimedFullMerge(const MergeOperator* merge_operator,
+                               const Slice& key, const Slice* base_value,
+                               const std::vector<Slice>& operands,
+                               std::string* value, PinnableWideColumns* columns,
+                               Logger* logger, Statistics* statistics,
+                               SystemClock* clock,
+                               Slice* result_operand = nullptr,
+                               bool update_num_ops_stats = false);
+
   // Merge entries until we hit
   //     - a corrupted key
   //     - a Put/Delete,
diff --git a/db/version_set.cc b/db/version_set.cc
index 7a4ca3431..0c452e19f 100644
--- a/db/version_set.cc
+++ b/db/version_set.cc
@@ -2403,12 +2403,16 @@ void Version::Get(const ReadOptions& read_options, const LookupKey& k,
     // merge_operands are in saver and we hit the beginning of the key history
     // do a final merge of nullptr and operands;
     std::string* str_value = value != nullptr ? value->GetSelf() : nullptr;
-    *status = MergeHelper::TimedFullMerge(
-        merge_operator_, user_key, nullptr, merge_context->GetOperands(),
-        str_value, info_log_, db_statistics_, clock_,
-        nullptr /* result_operand */, true);
-    if (LIKELY(value != nullptr)) {
-      value->PinSelf();
+    if (str_value || columns) {
+      *status = MergeHelper::TimedFullMerge(
+          merge_operator_, user_key, nullptr, merge_context->GetOperands(),
+          str_value, columns, info_log_, db_statistics_, clock_,
+          nullptr /* result_operand */, true);
+      if (status->ok()) {
+        if (LIKELY(value != nullptr)) {
+          value->PinSelf();
+        }
+      }
     }
   } else {
     if (key_exists != nullptr) {
diff --git a/db/wide/db_wide_basic_test.cc b/db/wide/db_wide_basic_test.cc
index bddc5717f..c18b1bef9 100644
--- a/db/wide/db_wide_basic_test.cc
+++ b/db/wide/db_wide_basic_test.cc
@@ -209,6 +209,148 @@ TEST_F(DBWideBasicTest, PutEntityColumnFamily) {
   ASSERT_OK(db_->Write(WriteOptions(), &batch));
 }
 
+TEST_F(DBWideBasicTest, MergePlainKeyValue) {
+  Options options = GetDefaultOptions();
+  options.create_if_missing = true;
+  options.merge_operator = MergeOperators::CreateStringAppendOperator();
+  Reopen(options);
+
+  // Put + Merge
+  constexpr char first_key[] = "first";
+  constexpr char first_base_value[] = "hello";
+  constexpr char first_merge_op[] = "world";
+
+  // Delete + Merge
+  constexpr char second_key[] = "second";
+  constexpr char second_merge_op[] = "foo";
+
+  // Merge without any preceding KV
+  constexpr char third_key[] = "third";
+  constexpr char third_merge_op[] = "bar";
+
+  auto write_base = [&]() {
+    // Write "base" KVs: a Put for the 1st key and a Delete for the 2nd one;
+    // note there is no "base" KV for the 3rd
+    ASSERT_OK(db_->Put(WriteOptions(), db_->DefaultColumnFamily(), first_key,
+                       first_base_value));
+    ASSERT_OK(
+        db_->Delete(WriteOptions(), db_->DefaultColumnFamily(), second_key));
+  };
+
+  auto write_merge = [&]() {
+    // Write Merge operands
+    ASSERT_OK(db_->Merge(WriteOptions(), db_->DefaultColumnFamily(), first_key,
+                         first_merge_op));
+    ASSERT_OK(db_->Merge(WriteOptions(), db_->DefaultColumnFamily(), second_key,
+                         second_merge_op));
+    ASSERT_OK(db_->Merge(WriteOptions(), db_->DefaultColumnFamily(), third_key,
+                         third_merge_op));
+  };
+
+  const std::string expected_first_column(std::string(first_base_value) + "," +
+                                          first_merge_op);
+  const WideColumns expected_first_columns{
+      {kDefaultWideColumnName, expected_first_column}};
+  const WideColumns expected_second_columns{
+      {kDefaultWideColumnName, second_merge_op}};
+  const WideColumns expected_third_columns{
+      {kDefaultWideColumnName, third_merge_op}};
+
+  auto verify = [&]() {
+    {
+      PinnableWideColumns result;
+      ASSERT_OK(db_->GetEntity(ReadOptions(), db_->DefaultColumnFamily(),
+                               first_key, &result));
+      ASSERT_EQ(result.columns(), expected_first_columns);
+    }
+
+    {
+      PinnableWideColumns result;
+      ASSERT_OK(db_->GetEntity(ReadOptions(), db_->DefaultColumnFamily(),
+                               second_key, &result));
+      ASSERT_EQ(result.columns(), expected_second_columns);
+    }
+
+    {
+      PinnableWideColumns result;
+      ASSERT_OK(db_->GetEntity(ReadOptions(), db_->DefaultColumnFamily(),
+                               third_key, &result));
+
+      ASSERT_EQ(result.columns(), expected_third_columns);
+    }
+
+    {
+      std::unique_ptr<Iterator> iter(db_->NewIterator(ReadOptions()));
+
+      iter->SeekToFirst();
+      ASSERT_TRUE(iter->Valid());
+      ASSERT_OK(iter->status());
+      ASSERT_EQ(iter->key(), first_key);
+      ASSERT_EQ(iter->value(), expected_first_columns[0].value());
+      ASSERT_EQ(iter->columns(), expected_first_columns);
+
+      iter->Next();
+      ASSERT_TRUE(iter->Valid());
+      ASSERT_OK(iter->status());
+      ASSERT_EQ(iter->key(), second_key);
+      ASSERT_EQ(iter->value(), expected_second_columns[0].value());
+      ASSERT_EQ(iter->columns(), expected_second_columns);
+
+      iter->Next();
+      ASSERT_TRUE(iter->Valid());
+      ASSERT_OK(iter->status());
+      ASSERT_EQ(iter->key(), third_key);
+      ASSERT_EQ(iter->value(), expected_third_columns[0].value());
+      ASSERT_EQ(iter->columns(), expected_third_columns);
+
+      iter->Next();
+      ASSERT_FALSE(iter->Valid());
+      ASSERT_OK(iter->status());
+
+      iter->SeekToLast();
+      ASSERT_TRUE(iter->Valid());
+      ASSERT_OK(iter->status());
+      ASSERT_EQ(iter->key(), third_key);
+      ASSERT_EQ(iter->value(), expected_third_columns[0].value());
+      ASSERT_EQ(iter->columns(), expected_third_columns);
+
+      iter->Prev();
+      ASSERT_TRUE(iter->Valid());
+      ASSERT_OK(iter->status());
+      ASSERT_EQ(iter->key(), second_key);
+      ASSERT_EQ(iter->value(), expected_second_columns[0].value());
+      ASSERT_EQ(iter->columns(), expected_second_columns);
+
+      iter->Prev();
+      ASSERT_TRUE(iter->Valid());
+      ASSERT_OK(iter->status());
+      ASSERT_EQ(iter->key(), first_key);
+      ASSERT_EQ(iter->value(), expected_first_columns[0].value());
+      ASSERT_EQ(iter->columns(), expected_first_columns);
+
+      iter->Prev();
+      ASSERT_FALSE(iter->Valid());
+      ASSERT_OK(iter->status());
+    }
+  };
+
+  // Base KVs (if any) and Merge operands both in memtable
+  write_base();
+  write_merge();
+  verify();
+
+  // Base KVs (if any) and Merge operands both in storage
+  ASSERT_OK(Flush());
+  verify();
+
+  // Base KVs (if any) in storage, Merge operands in memtable
+  DestroyAndReopen(options);
+  write_base();
+  ASSERT_OK(Flush());
+  write_merge();
+  verify();
+}
+
 TEST_F(DBWideBasicTest, PutEntityMergeNotSupported) {
   Options options = GetDefaultOptions();
   options.merge_operator = MergeOperators::CreateStringAppendOperator();
diff --git a/table/get_context.cc b/table/get_context.cc
index fca809cc3..435e3e14f 100644
--- a/table/get_context.cc
+++ b/table/get_context.cc
@@ -407,7 +407,9 @@ bool GetContext::SaveValue(const ParsedInternalKey& parsed_key,
           state_ = kDeleted;
         } else if (kMerge == state_) {
           state_ = kFound;
-          Merge(nullptr);
+          if (do_merge_) {
+            Merge(nullptr);
+          }
           // If do_merge_ = false then the current value shouldn't be part of
           // merge_context_->operand_list
         }
@@ -438,16 +440,20 @@ bool GetContext::SaveValue(const ParsedInternalKey& parsed_key,
 }
 
 void GetContext::Merge(const Slice* value) {
+  assert(do_merge_);
+  assert(!pinnable_val_ || !columns_);
+
+  const Status s = MergeHelper::TimedFullMerge(
+      merge_operator_, user_key_, value, merge_context_->GetOperands(),
+      pinnable_val_ ? pinnable_val_->GetSelf() : nullptr, columns_, logger_,
+      statistics_, clock_);
+  if (!s.ok()) {
+    state_ = kCorrupt;
+    return;
+  }
+
   if (LIKELY(pinnable_val_ != nullptr)) {
-    if (do_merge_) {
-      Status merge_status = MergeHelper::TimedFullMerge(
-          merge_operator_, user_key_, value, merge_context_->GetOperands(),
-          pinnable_val_->GetSelf(), logger_, statistics_, clock_);
-      pinnable_val_->PinSelf();
-      if (!merge_status.ok()) {
-        state_ = kCorrupt;
-      }
-    }
+    pinnable_val_->PinSelf();
   }
 }