diff --git a/chrome/content/zotero/duplicatesMerge.js b/chrome/content/zotero/duplicatesMerge.js
index 8dc7868f54..232c79f1ee 100644
--- a/chrome/content/zotero/duplicatesMerge.js
+++ b/chrome/content/zotero/duplicatesMerge.js
@@ -147,10 +147,6 @@ var Zotero_Duplicates_Pane = new function () {
 	
 	this.merge = function () {
 		var itembox = document.getElementById('zotero-duplicates-merge-item-box');
-		// Work around item.clone() weirdness -- the cloned item can't safely be
-		// used after it's saved, because it's not the version in memory and
-		// doesn't get reloaded properly in item.save()
-		var item = Zotero.Items.get(itembox.item.id);
-		Zotero.Items.merge(item, _otherItems);
+		Zotero.Items.merge(itembox.item, _otherItems);
 	}
 }
diff --git a/chrome/content/zotero/xpcom/data/items.js b/chrome/content/zotero/xpcom/data/items.js
index a26f814b6c..29c9e29797 100644
--- a/chrome/content/zotero/xpcom/data/items.js
+++ b/chrome/content/zotero/xpcom/data/items.js
@@ -413,13 +413,12 @@ Zotero.Items = new function() {
 			for each(var relatedItemID in relatedItems) {
 				item.addRelatedItem(relatedItemID);
 			}
-			item.save();
 			
 			// Relations
 			Zotero.Relations.copyURIs(
 				item.libraryID,
-				Zotero.URI.getItemURI(item),
-				Zotero.URI.getItemURI(otherItem)
+				Zotero.URI.getItemURI(otherItem),
+				Zotero.URI.getItemURI(item)
 			);
 			
 			// Add relation to track merge
@@ -431,6 +430,8 @@ Zotero.Items = new function() {
 			otherItem.save();
 		}
 		
+		item.save();
+		
 		Zotero.DB.commitTransaction();
 	}