diff --git a/CHANGELOG.md b/CHANGELOG.md
index cd48d7a9ff..54f0a2ba34 100644
--- a/CHANGELOG.md
+++ b/CHANGELOG.md
@@ -16,6 +16,7 @@ and this project adheres to [Semantic Versioning](https://semver.org/spec/v2.0.0
 - added scrollbar to revlog [[@ashvin021](https://github.com/ashvin021)] ([#868](https://github.com/extrawurst/gitui/issues/868))
 
 ## Fixed
+- fix merging branch not closing branch window [[@andrewpollack](https://github.com/andrewpollack)] ([#876](https://github.com/extrawurst/gitui/issues/876))
 - fix commit msg being broken inside tag list ([#871](https://github.com/extrawurst/gitui/issues/871))
 - fix filetree file content not showing tabs correctly ([#874](https://github.com/extrawurst/gitui/issues/874))
 
diff --git a/src/components/branchlist.rs b/src/components/branchlist.rs
index 868061afbb..e5fd184e43 100644
--- a/src/components/branchlist.rs
+++ b/src/components/branchlist.rs
@@ -362,12 +362,13 @@ impl BranchListComponent {
 		!self.branches.is_empty()
 	}
 
-	fn merge_branch(&self) -> Result<()> {
+	fn merge_branch(&mut self) -> Result<()> {
 		if let Some(branch) =
 			self.branches.get(usize::from(self.selection))
 		{
 			sync::merge_branch(CWD, &branch.name)?;
 
+			self.hide();
 			self.queue.push(InternalEvent::Update(NeedsUpdate::ALL));
 		}