diff --git a/mercurial/merge.py b/mercurial/merge.py
--- a/mercurial/merge.py
+++ b/mercurial/merge.py
@@ -1424,14 +1424,13 @@
                 del actions[f]
         repo.ui.note(_('end of auction\n\n'))
 
-    _resolvetrivial(repo, wctx, mctx, ancestors[0], actions)
-
     if wctx.rev() is None:
         fractions = _forgetremoved(wctx, mctx, branchmerge)
         actions.update(fractions)
 
     prunedactions = sparse.filterupdatesactions(repo, wctx, mctx, branchmerge,
                                                 actions)
+    _resolvetrivial(repo, wctx, mctx, ancestors[0], actions)
 
     return prunedactions, diverge, renamedelete
 
diff --git a/tests/test-sparse-merges.t b/tests/test-sparse-merges.t
--- a/tests/test-sparse-merges.t
+++ b/tests/test-sparse-merges.t
@@ -112,5 +112,9 @@
   a
 
   $ hg merge
-  abort: $ENOENT$: '$TESTTMP/ytest/d'
-  [255]
+  temporarily included 1 file(s) in the sparse checkout for merging
+  local [working copy] changed d which other [merge rev] deleted
+  use (c)hanged version, (d)elete, or leave (u)nresolved? u
+  0 files updated, 0 files merged, 0 files removed, 1 files unresolved
+  use 'hg resolve' to retry unresolved file merges or 'hg merge --abort' to abandon
+  [1]