diff --git a/src/main/java/org/jabref/gui/mergeentries/newmergedialog/PersonsNameFieldRowView.java b/src/main/java/org/jabref/gui/mergeentries/newmergedialog/PersonsNameFieldRowView.java
index e42bb91743b..8d707f34b0f 100644
--- a/src/main/java/org/jabref/gui/mergeentries/newmergedialog/PersonsNameFieldRowView.java
+++ b/src/main/java/org/jabref/gui/mergeentries/newmergedialog/PersonsNameFieldRowView.java
@@ -21,7 +21,7 @@ public PersonsNameFieldRowView(Field field, BibEntry leftEntry, BibEntry rightEn
         leftEntryNames = authorsParser.parse(viewModel.getLeftFieldValue());
         rightEntryNames = authorsParser.parse(viewModel.getRightFieldValue());
 
-        if (!leftEntry.equals(rightEntry) && leftEntryNames.equals(rightEntryNames)) {
+        if (!viewModel.hasEqualLeftAndRightValues() && leftEntryNames.equals(rightEntryNames)) {
             showPersonsNamesAreTheSameInfo();
             shouldShowDiffs.set(false);
         }