diff --git a/include/git2/merge.h b/include/git2/merge.h
index 491f831f8..21159d832 100644
--- a/include/git2/merge.h
+++ b/include/git2/merge.h
@@ -248,8 +248,8 @@ typedef enum {
 	GIT_MERGE_ANALYSIS_NORMAL = (1 << 0),
 
 	/**
-	 * The repository is already up-to-date and no merge needs to be
-	 * performed.  The given merge input already exists as a parent of HEAD.
+	 * All given merge inputs are reachable from HEAD, meaning the
+	 * repository is up-to-date and no merge needs to be performed.
 	 */
 	GIT_MERGE_ANALYSIS_UP_TO_DATE = (1 << 1),
 
diff --git a/src/merge.c b/src/merge.c
index 852043cd7..1be351577 100644
--- a/src/merge.c
+++ b/src/merge.c
@@ -2531,7 +2531,7 @@ int git_merge_analysis(
 	*out = GIT_MERGE_ANALYSIS_NONE;
 
 	if (git_repository_head_unborn(repo)) {
-		*out = GIT_MERGE_ANALYSIS_UNBORN;
+		*out = GIT_MERGE_ANALYSIS_FASTFORWARD | GIT_MERGE_ANALYSIS_UNBORN;
 		goto done;
 	}
 
diff --git a/tests/merge/workdir/analysis.c b/tests/merge/workdir/analysis.c
index 86b50b718..0e937857f 100644
--- a/tests/merge/workdir/analysis.c
+++ b/tests/merge/workdir/analysis.c
@@ -99,7 +99,8 @@ void test_merge_workdir_analysis__unborn(void)
 	p_unlink(git_buf_cstr(&master));
 
 	analysis = analysis_from_branch(NOFASTFORWARD_BRANCH);
-	cl_assert_equal_i(GIT_MERGE_ANALYSIS_UNBORN, analysis);
+	cl_assert_equal_i(GIT_MERGE_ANALYSIS_FASTFORWARD, (analysis & GIT_MERGE_ANALYSIS_FASTFORWARD));
+	cl_assert_equal_i(GIT_MERGE_ANALYSIS_UNBORN, (analysis & GIT_MERGE_ANALYSIS_UNBORN));
 
 	git_buf_free(&master);
 }