diff --git a/WHATS_NEW b/WHATS_NEW
index a99a5956b..199d3da2f 100644
--- a/WHATS_NEW
+++ b/WHATS_NEW
@@ -1,5 +1,6 @@
 Version 2.02.64 -
 =================================
+  Disallow the direct removal of a merging snapshot.
   Set appropriate udev flags for reserved LVs.
   Don't preload the origin when removing a snapshot whose merge is pending.
   Disallow the addition of mirror images while a conversion is happening.
diff --git a/lib/metadata/lv_manip.c b/lib/metadata/lv_manip.c
index f8bed4bb6..de973417b 100644
--- a/lib/metadata/lv_manip.c
+++ b/lib/metadata/lv_manip.c
@@ -2306,16 +2306,25 @@ int lv_remove_single(struct cmd_context *cmd, struct logical_volume *lv,
  * remove LVs with its dependencies - LV leaf nodes should be removed first
  */
 int lv_remove_with_dependencies(struct cmd_context *cmd, struct logical_volume *lv,
-				const force_t force)
+				const force_t force, unsigned level)
 {
 	struct dm_list *snh, *snht;
 
-        if (lv_is_origin(lv)) {
+	if (lv_is_cow(lv)) {
+		/* A merging snapshot cannot be removed directly */
+		if (lv_is_merging_cow(lv) && !level) {
+			log_error("Can't remove merging snapshot logical volume \"%s\"",
+				  lv->name);
+			return 0;
+		}
+	}
+
+	if (lv_is_origin(lv)) {
 		/* remove snapshot LVs first */
 		dm_list_iterate_safe(snh, snht, &lv->snapshot_segs) {
 			if (!lv_remove_with_dependencies(cmd, dm_list_struct_base(snh, struct lv_segment,
-									       origin_list)->cow,
-							 force))
+										  origin_list)->cow,
+							 force, level + 1))
 				return 0;
 		}
 	}
diff --git a/lib/metadata/metadata-exported.h b/lib/metadata/metadata-exported.h
index 46aa3e5ce..3c5f8a36a 100644
--- a/lib/metadata/metadata-exported.h
+++ b/lib/metadata/metadata-exported.h
@@ -534,7 +534,7 @@ int lv_remove_single(struct cmd_context *cmd, struct logical_volume *lv,
 		     force_t force);
 
 int lv_remove_with_dependencies(struct cmd_context *cmd, struct logical_volume *lv,
-				force_t force);
+				force_t force, unsigned level);
 
 int lv_rename(struct cmd_context *cmd, struct logical_volume *lv,
 	      const char *new_name);
diff --git a/lib/metadata/metadata.c b/lib/metadata/metadata.c
index ea7cc2f72..16d80a2e4 100644
--- a/lib/metadata/metadata.c
+++ b/lib/metadata/metadata.c
@@ -484,7 +484,7 @@ int remove_lvs_in_vg(struct cmd_context *cmd,
 
 	while ((lst = dm_list_first(&vg->lvs))) {
 		lvl = dm_list_item(lst, struct lv_list);
-		if (!lv_remove_with_dependencies(cmd, lvl->lv, force))
+		if (!lv_remove_with_dependencies(cmd, lvl->lv, force, 0))
 		    return 0;
 	}
 
diff --git a/test/t-snapshot-merge.sh b/test/t-snapshot-merge.sh
index d7239b9c7..982e06594 100755
--- a/test/t-snapshot-merge.sh
+++ b/test/t-snapshot-merge.sh
@@ -44,17 +44,22 @@ setup_merge() {
 aux prepare_vg 1 100
 
 
-# full merge of a single LV
+# test full merge of a single LV
 setup_merge $vg $lv1
-
 # now that snapshot LV is created: test if snapshot-merge target is available
 $(dmsetup targets | grep -q snapshot-merge) || exit 200
-
 lvs -a
 lvconvert --merge $vg/$(snap_lv_name_ $lv1)
 lvremove -f $vg/$lv1
 
 
+# test that an actively merging snapshot may not be removed
+setup_merge $vg $lv1
+lvconvert -i+100 --merge --background $vg/$(snap_lv_name_ $lv1)
+not lvremove -f $vg/$(snap_lv_name_ $lv1)
+lvremove -f $vg/$lv1
+
+
 # "onactivate merge" test
 setup_merge $vg $lv1
 lvs -a
@@ -99,6 +104,7 @@ lvs -a
 lvconvert --merge $vg/$(snap_lv_name_ $lv1)
 lvremove -f $vg/$lv1
 
+
 # test merging multiple snapshots that share the same tag
 setup_merge $vg $lv1
 setup_merge $vg $lv2
diff --git a/tools/lvremove.c b/tools/lvremove.c
index fd8a677cc..dbf2f1d9f 100644
--- a/tools/lvremove.c
+++ b/tools/lvremove.c
@@ -26,7 +26,7 @@ static int lvremove_single(struct cmd_context *cmd, struct logical_volume *lv,
         if (lv_is_cow(lv) && lv_is_virtual_origin(origin = origin_from_cow(lv)))
                 lv = origin;
 
-	if (!lv_remove_with_dependencies(cmd, lv, arg_count(cmd, force_ARG))) {
+	if (!lv_remove_with_dependencies(cmd, lv, arg_count(cmd, force_ARG), 0)) {
 		stack;
 		return ECMD_FAILED;
 	}