diff --git a/autoload/fugitive.vim b/autoload/fugitive.vim
index 743218e..70ded12 100644
--- a/autoload/fugitive.vim
+++ b/autoload/fugitive.vim
@@ -3676,6 +3676,7 @@ function! s:MergeRebase(cmd, bang, mods, args, ...) abort
     if a:cmd =~# '^merge' && empty(args) &&
           \ (had_merge_msg || isdirectory(fugitive#Find('.git/rebase-apply', dir)) ||
           \  !empty(s:TreeChomp(dir, 'diff-files', '--diff-filter=U')))
+      return 'echohl WarningMsg|echo ":Git merge for loading conflicts is deprecated in favor of :Git mergetool"|echohl NONE|silent Git' . (a:bang ? '!' : '') . ' mergetool'
       let cmd = g:fugitive_git_executable.' diff-files --name-status --diff-filter=U'
     else
       let cmd = s:UserCommand(dir, argv)