diff --git a/epoch.c b/epoch.c
index 904cc0d4b8..3cbff72b3b 100644
--- a/epoch.c
+++ b/epoch.c
@@ -585,11 +585,9 @@ int sort_list_in_merge_order(struct commit_list *list, emitter_func emitter)
 	for (; list; list = list->next) {
 		struct commit *next = list->item;
 
-		if (!(next->object.flags & UNINTERESTING)) {
-			if (!(next->object.flags & DUPCHECK)) {
-				next->object.flags |= DUPCHECK;
-				commit_list_insert(list->item, &reversed);
-			}
+		if (!(next->object.flags & DUPCHECK)) {
+			next->object.flags |= DUPCHECK;
+			commit_list_insert(list->item, &reversed);
 		}
 	}
 
diff --git a/t/t6001-rev-list-merge-order.sh b/t/t6001-rev-list-merge-order.sh
index 29167e9a77..8ac77d997b 100755
--- a/t/t6001-rev-list-merge-order.sh
+++ b/t/t6001-rev-list-merge-order.sh
@@ -367,33 +367,33 @@ test_output_expect_success "three nodes one head, one internal, one base" 'git-r
 EOF
 
 test_output_expect_success "linear prune l2 ^root" 'git-rev-list --merge-order --show-breaks l2 ^root' <<EOF
-= l2
+^ l2
 | l1
 | l0
 EOF
 
 test_output_expect_success "linear prune l2 ^l0" 'git-rev-list --merge-order --show-breaks l2 ^l0' <<EOF
-= l2
+^ l2
 | l1
 EOF
 
 test_output_expect_success "linear prune l2 ^l1" 'git-rev-list --merge-order --show-breaks l2 ^l1' <<EOF
-= l2
+^ l2
 EOF
 
 test_output_expect_success "linear prune l5 ^a4" 'git-rev-list --merge-order --show-breaks l5 ^a4' <<EOF
-= l5
+^ l5
 | l4
 | l3
 EOF
 
 test_output_expect_success "linear prune l5 ^l3" 'git-rev-list --merge-order --show-breaks l5 ^l3' <<EOF
-= l5
+^ l5
 | l4
 EOF
 
 test_output_expect_success "linear prune l5 ^l4" 'git-rev-list --merge-order --show-breaks l5 ^l4' <<EOF
-= l5
+^ l5
 EOF
 
 test_output_expect_success "max-count 10 - merge order" 'git-rev-list --merge-order --show-breaks --max-count=10 l5' <<EOF