diff --git a/radicle-cli/examples/workflow/5-patching-maintainer.md b/radicle-cli/examples/workflow/5-patching-maintainer.md
index 28b52f25..068f5dbb 100644
--- a/radicle-cli/examples/workflow/5-patching-maintainer.md
+++ b/radicle-cli/examples/workflow/5-patching-maintainer.md
@@ -75,9 +75,7 @@ Great, all fixed up, lets merge the code.
 ```
 $ git checkout master
 Your branch is up to date with 'rad/master'.
-$ rad merge 4486280d0dec743d6a1a0c05754f8e40426c681d
-Merging 5f0a547 R2 (f6484e0) by z6Mkt67…v4N1tRk into master (f2de534) via fast-forward...
-Running `git merge --ff-only f6484e0f43e48a8983b9b39bf9bd4cd889f1d520`...
+$ git merge flux-capacitor-power
 Updating f2de534..f6484e0
 Fast-forward
  README.md       | 0
@@ -85,8 +83,7 @@ Fast-forward
  2 files changed, 0 insertions(+), 0 deletions(-)
  create mode 100644 README.md
  create mode 100644 REQUIREMENTS.md
-✓ Updated master f2de534 -> f6484e0 via fast-forward
-✓ Patch state updated, use `git push rad` to publish
+$ git push rad master
 ```
 
 The patch is now merged and closed :).
@@ -99,7 +96,7 @@ $ rad patch show 5f0a547
 │ Author    did:key:z6Mkt67GdsW7715MEfRuP4pSZxJRJh6kj6Y48WRqVv4N1tRk           │
 │ Head      f6484e0f43e48a8983b9b39bf9bd4cd889f1d520                           │
 │ Branches  flux-capacitor-power, master                                       │
-│ Commits   ahead 3, behind 0                                                  │
+│ Commits   up to date                                                         │
 │ Status    merged                                                             │
 │                                                                              │
 │ See details.                                                                 │
diff --git a/radicle-cli/src/commands.rs b/radicle-cli/src/commands.rs
index 309bcffd..2a43feae 100644
--- a/radicle-cli/src/commands.rs
+++ b/radicle-cli/src/commands.rs
@@ -26,8 +26,6 @@ pub mod rad_inspect;
 pub mod rad_issue;
 #[path = "commands/ls.rs"]
 pub mod rad_ls;
-#[path = "commands/merge.rs"]
-pub mod rad_merge;
 #[path = "commands/node.rs"]
 pub mod rad_node;
 #[path = "commands/patch.rs"]
diff --git a/radicle-cli/src/commands/help.rs b/radicle-cli/src/commands/help.rs
index 0f4671e7..cac16096 100644
--- a/radicle-cli/src/commands/help.rs
+++ b/radicle-cli/src/commands/help.rs
@@ -25,7 +25,6 @@ const COMMANDS: &[Help] = &[
     rad_inspect::HELP,
     rad_issue::HELP,
     rad_ls::HELP,
-    rad_merge::HELP,
     rad_node::HELP,
     rad_patch::HELP,
     rad_path::HELP,
diff --git a/radicle-cli/src/commands/merge.rs b/radicle-cli/src/commands/merge.rs
deleted file mode 100644
index 62ef574c..00000000
--- a/radicle-cli/src/commands/merge.rs
+++ /dev/null
@@ -1,402 +0,0 @@
-use std::ffi::OsString;
-use std::fmt;
-use std::fmt::Write;
-
-use anyhow::{anyhow, Context};
-
-use radicle::cob::patch::{Patch, PatchId, Patches};
-use radicle::git;
-use radicle::prelude::*;
-use radicle::rad;
-
-use crate::git::Rev;
-use crate::terminal as term;
-use crate::terminal::args::{string, Args, Error, Help};
-
-pub const HELP: Help = Help {
-    name: "merge",
-    description: "Merge a patch",
-    version: env!("CARGO_PKG_VERSION"),
-    usage: r#"
-Usage
-
-    rad merge [<revision-id>] [<option>...]
-
-    To specify a patch revision to merge, use the fully qualified revision id.
-
-Options
-
-    -f, --force               Force merging an older patch revision
-    -i, --interactive         Ask for confirmations
-        --help                Print help
-"#,
-};
-
-/// Merge commit help message.
-const MERGE_HELP_MSG: &str = r#"
-# Check the commit message for this merge and make sure everything looks good,
-# or make any necessary change.
-#
-# Lines starting with '#' will be ignored, and an empty message aborts the commit.
-#
-# vim: ft=gitcommit
-#
-"#;
-
-/// A patch merge style.
-#[derive(Debug, PartialEq, Eq)]
-pub enum MergeStyle {
-    /// A merge commit is created.
-    Commit,
-    /// The branch is fast-forwarded to the patch's commit.
-    FastForward,
-}
-
-impl fmt::Display for MergeStyle {
-    fn fmt(&self, f: &mut fmt::Formatter<'_>) -> fmt::Result {
-        match self {
-            Self::Commit => {
-                write!(f, "merge-commit")
-            }
-            Self::FastForward => {
-                write!(f, "fast-forward")
-            }
-        }
-    }
-}
-
-#[derive(PartialEq, Eq)]
-pub enum State {
-    Open,
-    Merged,
-}
-
-#[derive(Debug)]
-pub struct Options {
-    pub revision_id: Rev,
-    pub force: bool,
-    pub interactive: bool,
-}
-
-impl Args for Options {
-    fn from_args(args: Vec<OsString>) -> anyhow::Result<(Self, Vec<OsString>)> {
-        use lexopt::prelude::*;
-
-        let mut parser = lexopt::Parser::from_args(args);
-        let mut force = false;
-        let mut revision_id = None;
-        let mut interactive = false;
-
-        while let Some(arg) = parser.next()? {
-            match arg {
-                Long("help") => {
-                    return Err(Error::Help.into());
-                }
-                Long("force") | Short('f') => {
-                    force = true;
-                }
-                Long("interactive") | Short('i') => {
-                    interactive = true;
-                }
-                Value(val) => {
-                    let val = string(&val);
-                    revision_id = Some(Rev::from(val));
-                }
-                _ => return Err(anyhow::anyhow!(arg.unexpected())),
-            }
-        }
-
-        let revision_id =
-            revision_id.ok_or_else(|| anyhow!("a revision to merge must be provided"))?;
-
-        Ok((
-            Options {
-                revision_id,
-                force,
-                interactive,
-            },
-            vec![],
-        ))
-    }
-}
-
-pub fn run(options: Options, ctx: impl term::Context) -> anyhow::Result<()> {
-    //
-    // Setup
-    //
-    let (repo, id) =
-        rad::cwd().map_err(|_| anyhow!("this command must be run in the context of a project"))?;
-    let profile = ctx.profile()?;
-    let signer = term::signer(&profile)?;
-    let repository = profile.storage.repository(id)?;
-    let _project = repository
-        .identity_doc_of(profile.id())
-        .context(format!("couldn't load project {id} from local state"))?;
-    let repository = profile.storage.repository(id)?;
-    let mut patches = Patches::open(&repository)?;
-
-    if repo.head_detached()? {
-        anyhow::bail!("HEAD is in a detached state; can't merge");
-    }
-
-    //
-    // Get patch information
-    //
-    let revision_id = options.revision_id.resolve(&repository.backend)?;
-    let (patch_id, patch, revision) = patches.find_by_revision(&revision_id)?.ok_or(anyhow!(
-        "no open patch with revision `{}` could be found",
-        &revision_id
-    ))?;
-    if !patch.is_open() {
-        anyhow::bail!(
-            "revision's patch must be open for merging, but it is `{}`",
-            patch.state()
-        );
-    }
-    let (last_revision_id, _) = patch
-        .latest()
-        .ok_or(anyhow!("patch must have atleast one unredacted revision"))?;
-    if !options.force && revision_id != *last_revision_id {
-        anyhow::bail!("refusing to merge old patch revision");
-    }
-
-    let mut patch = patches
-        .get_mut(&patch_id)
-        .map_err(|e| anyhow!("couldn't find patch {} locally: {e}", &id))?;
-
-    let head = repo.head()?;
-    let branch = head
-        .shorthand()
-        .ok_or_else(|| anyhow!("invalid head branch"))?;
-    let head_oid = head
-        .target()
-        .ok_or_else(|| anyhow!("cannot merge into detatched head; aborting"))?;
-
-    //
-    // Analyze merge
-    //
-    let patch_commit = repo
-        .find_annotated_commit(revision.head().into())
-        .or_else(|e| match e.code() {
-            git::raw::ErrorCode::NotFound => {
-                // Avoid using git2 until 'rad://' supports fetching using an Oid as a refspec.
-                crate::git::git(
-                    repo.path(),
-                    [
-                        "fetch",
-                        &git::Url::from(id)
-                            .with_namespace(**patch.author().id())
-                            .to_string(),
-                        &revision.head().to_string(),
-                    ],
-                )?;
-                let c = repo.find_annotated_commit(revision.head().into())?;
-                Ok(c)
-            }
-            _ => Err(anyhow::Error::from(e)),
-        })
-        .context("patch head not found in local repository")?;
-    let (merge, _merge_pref) = repo.merge_analysis(&[&patch_commit])?;
-
-    let merge_style = if merge.is_fast_forward() {
-        // The given merge input is a fast-forward from HEAD and no merge needs to be performed.
-        // Instead, the client can apply the input commits to its HEAD.
-        MergeStyle::FastForward
-    } else if merge.is_normal() {
-        // A “normal” merge; both HEAD and the given merge input have diverged from their common
-        // ancestor. The divergent commits must be merged.
-        //
-        // Let's check if there are potential merge conflicts.
-        let our_commit = head.peel_to_commit()?;
-        let their_commit = repo.find_commit(revision.head().into())?;
-
-        let index = repo
-            .merge_commits(&our_commit, &their_commit, None)
-            .context("failed to perform merge analysis")?;
-
-        if index.has_conflicts() {
-            return Err(Error::WithHint {
-                err: anyhow!("patch conflicts with {}", branch),
-                hint: "Patch must be rebased before it can be merged.",
-            }
-            .into());
-        }
-        MergeStyle::Commit
-    } else if merge.is_up_to_date() {
-        term::success!(
-            "Patch {} is already part of current branch {}",
-            term::format::tertiary(patch_id),
-            term::format::parens(term::format::yellow(branch))
-        );
-        return Ok(());
-    } else if merge.is_unborn() {
-        anyhow::bail!("HEAD does not point to a valid commit");
-    } else {
-        anyhow::bail!(
-            "no merge is possible between {} and {}",
-            head_oid,
-            revision.head()
-        );
-    };
-
-    let merge_style_pretty = match merge_style {
-        MergeStyle::FastForward => term::format::style(merge_style.to_string())
-            .dim()
-            .italic()
-            .to_string(),
-        MergeStyle::Commit => term::format::yellow(merge_style.to_string())
-            .italic()
-            .to_string(),
-    };
-
-    // SAFETY: The patch has already been fetched by its revision_id.
-    let revision_ix = patch
-        .revisions()
-        .position(|(id_, _)| id_ == &revision_id)
-        .unwrap();
-    term::info!(
-        "{} {} {} {} by {} into {} {} via {}...",
-        term::format::bold("Merging"),
-        term::format::tertiary(term::format::cob(&patch_id)),
-        term::format::dim(format!("R{revision_ix}")),
-        term::format::parens(term::format::secondary(term::format::oid(revision.head()))),
-        term::format::tertiary(term::format::node(&patch.author().id)),
-        term::format::highlight(branch),
-        term::format::parens(term::format::secondary(term::format::oid(head_oid))),
-        merge_style_pretty
-    );
-
-    if options.interactive && !term::confirm("Confirm?") {
-        anyhow::bail!("merge aborted by user");
-    }
-
-    //
-    // Perform merge
-    //
-    let head = match merge_style {
-        MergeStyle::Commit => {
-            merge_commit(&repo, patch_id, &patch_commit, &patch, signer.public_key())
-        }
-        MergeStyle::FastForward => fast_forward(&repo, &revision.head()),
-    }?;
-
-    term::success!(
-        "Updated {} {} -> {} via {}",
-        term::format::highlight(branch),
-        term::format::secondary(term::format::oid(head_oid)),
-        term::format::secondary(term::format::oid(head)),
-        merge_style_pretty
-    );
-
-    //
-    // Update patch COB
-    //
-    // TODO: Don't allow merging the same revision twice?
-    patch.merge(revision_id, head, &signer)?;
-
-    term::success!(
-        "Patch state updated, use {} to publish",
-        term::format::secondary("`git push rad`")
-    );
-
-    Ok(())
-}
-
-// Perform git merge.
-//
-// This does not touch the COB state.
-//
-// Nb. Merge can fail even though conflicts were not detected if there are some
-// files in the repo that are not checked in. This is because the merge conflict
-// simulation only operates on the commits, not the checkout.
-fn merge_commit(
-    repo: &git::raw::Repository,
-    patch_id: PatchId,
-    patch_commit: &git::raw::AnnotatedCommit,
-    patch: &Patch,
-    whoami: &PublicKey,
-) -> anyhow::Result<git::Oid> {
-    let description = patch.description().trim();
-    let mut merge_opts = git::raw::MergeOptions::new();
-    let mut merge_msg = format!(
-        "Merge patch '{}' from {}",
-        term::format::cob(&patch_id),
-        patch.author().id()
-    );
-    write!(&mut merge_msg, "\n\n")?;
-
-    if !description.is_empty() {
-        write!(&mut merge_msg, "{description}")?;
-        write!(&mut merge_msg, "\n\n")?;
-    }
-    writeln!(&mut merge_msg, "Rad-Patch: {patch_id}")?;
-    writeln!(&mut merge_msg, "Rad-Author: {}", patch.author().id())?;
-    writeln!(&mut merge_msg, "Rad-Committer: {whoami}")?;
-    writeln!(&mut merge_msg)?;
-    writeln!(&mut merge_msg, "{}", MERGE_HELP_MSG.trim())?;
-
-    // Offer user the chance to edit the message before committing.
-    let merge_msg = match term::Editor::new().extension("git-commit").edit(merge_msg) {
-        Ok(Some(s)) => s
-            .lines()
-            .filter(|l| !l.starts_with('#'))
-            .collect::<Vec<_>>()
-            .join("\n"),
-        _ => anyhow::bail!("user aborted merge"),
-    };
-
-    // Empty message aborts merge.
-    if merge_msg.trim().is_empty() {
-        anyhow::bail!("user aborted merge");
-    }
-
-    // Perform merge (nb. this does not commit).
-    repo.merge(&[patch_commit], Some(merge_opts.patience(true)), None)
-        .context("merge failed")?;
-
-    // Commit staged changes.
-    let commit = repo.find_commit(patch_commit.id())?;
-    let author = commit.author();
-    let committer = repo
-        .signature()
-        .context("git user name or email not configured")?;
-
-    let tree = repo.index()?.write_tree()?;
-    let tree = repo.find_tree(tree)?;
-    let parents = &[&repo.head()?.peel_to_commit()?, &commit];
-
-    let oid = repo
-        .commit(
-            Some("HEAD"),
-            &author,
-            &committer,
-            &merge_msg,
-            &tree,
-            parents,
-        )
-        .context("merge commit failed")?;
-
-    // Cleanup merge state.
-    repo.cleanup_state().context("merge state cleanup failed")?;
-
-    Ok(oid.into())
-}
-
-/// Perform fast-forward merge of patch.
-fn fast_forward(repo: &git::raw::Repository, patch_oid: &git::Oid) -> anyhow::Result<git::Oid> {
-    let oid = patch_oid.to_string();
-    let args = ["merge", "--ff-only", &oid];
-
-    term::subcommand(format!("git {}", args.join(" ")));
-    let output = git::run::<_, _, &str, &str>(
-        repo.workdir()
-            .ok_or_else(|| anyhow!("cannot fast-forward in bare repo"))?,
-        args,
-        [],
-    )
-    .context("fast-forward failed")?;
-
-    term::blob(output);
-
-    Ok(*patch_oid)
-}
diff --git a/radicle-cli/src/main.rs b/radicle-cli/src/main.rs
index d662f326..9fb70fc4 100644
--- a/radicle-cli/src/main.rs
+++ b/radicle-cli/src/main.rs
@@ -219,14 +219,6 @@ fn run_other(exe: &str, args: &[OsString]) -> Result<(), Option<anyhow::Error>>
                 args.to_vec(),
             );
         }
-        "merge" => {
-            term::run_command_args::<rad_merge::Options, _>(
-                rad_merge::HELP,
-                "Merge",
-                rad_merge::run,
-                args.to_vec(),
-            );
-        }
         "node" => {
             term::run_command_args::<rad_node::Options, _>(
                 rad_node::HELP,
diff --git a/radicle-remote-helper/src/push.rs b/radicle-remote-helper/src/push.rs
index 449ff18b..2171c1c9 100644
--- a/radicle-remote-helper/src/push.rs
+++ b/radicle-remote-helper/src/push.rs
@@ -198,7 +198,7 @@ pub fn run(
             let rid = stored.id.to_string();
             let stderr = io::stderr().as_raw_fd();
             // Nb. allow this to fail. The push to local storage was still successful.
-            execute("rad", ["sync", &rid, "--verbose"], unsafe {
+            execute("rad", ["sync", &rid, "--announce", "--verbose"], unsafe {
                 process::Stdio::from_raw_fd(stderr)
             })
             .ok();
diff --git a/radicle/src/cob/patch.rs b/radicle/src/cob/patch.rs
index 26c585f3..7df52b7d 100644
--- a/radicle/src/cob/patch.rs
+++ b/radicle/src/cob/patch.rs
@@ -25,6 +25,7 @@ use crate::cob::{store, ActorId, EntryId, ObjectId, TypeName};
 use crate::crypto::{PublicKey, Signer};
 use crate::git;
 use crate::identity::doc::DocError;
+use crate::identity::PayloadError;
 use crate::prelude::*;
 use crate::storage::git as storage;
 
@@ -65,9 +66,15 @@ pub enum ApplyError {
     /// Error loading the identity document committed to by an operation.
     #[error("identity doc failed to load: {0}")]
     Doc(#[from] DocError),
+    /// Error loading the document payload.
+    #[error("payload failed to load: {0}")]
+    Payload(#[from] PayloadError),
     /// The merge operation is invalid.
     #[error("invalid merge operation in {0}")]
     InvalidMerge(EntryId),
+    /// Git error.
+    #[error("git: {0}")]
+    Git(#[from] git::ext::Error),
 }
 
 /// Error updating or creating patches.
@@ -420,9 +427,22 @@ impl store::FromHistory for Patch {
                 }
                 Action::Merge { revision, commit } => {
                     if let Some(Redactable::Present(_)) = self.revisions.get_mut(&revision) {
-                        let doc = repo.identity_doc_at(op.identity)?;
-                        if !doc.is_delegate(&op.author) {
-                            return Err(ApplyError::InvalidMerge(op.id));
+                        let doc = repo.identity_doc_at(op.identity)?.verified()?;
+
+                        match self.target() {
+                            MergeTarget::Delegates => {
+                                if !doc.is_delegate(&op.author) {
+                                    return Err(ApplyError::InvalidMerge(op.id));
+                                }
+                                let proj = doc.project()?;
+                                let branch = git::refs::branch(proj.default_branch());
+                                let Ok(head) = repo.reference_oid(&op.author, &branch) else {
+                                    return Err(ApplyError::InvalidMerge(op.id));
+                                };
+                                if commit != head && !repo.is_ancestor_of(commit, head)? {
+                                    return Err(ApplyError::InvalidMerge(op.id));
+                                }
+                            }
                         }
                         self.merges.insert(
                             op.author,
diff --git a/radicle/src/git.rs b/radicle/src/git.rs
index a2475046..00ca1233 100644
--- a/radicle/src/git.rs
+++ b/radicle/src/git.rs
@@ -151,6 +151,14 @@ pub mod refs {
         Ok((qualified, target.into()))
     }
 
+    /// Create a qualified branch reference.
+    ///
+    /// `refs/heads/<branch>`
+    ///
+    pub fn branch<'a>(branch: &RefStr) -> Qualified<'a> {
+        Qualified::from(lit::refs_heads(branch))
+    }
+
     pub mod storage {
         use format::{
             lit,
@@ -180,7 +188,7 @@ pub mod refs {
         ///
         /// `refs/namespaces/<remote>/refs/heads/<branch>`
         ///
-        pub fn branch<'a>(remote: &RemoteId, branch: &RefStr) -> Namespaced<'a> {
+        pub fn branch_of<'a>(remote: &RemoteId, branch: &RefStr) -> Namespaced<'a> {
             Qualified::from(lit::refs_heads(branch)).with_namespace(remote.into())
         }
 
diff --git a/radicle/src/rad.rs b/radicle/src/rad.rs
index 96703ea0..adf0d829 100644
--- a/radicle/src/rad.rs
+++ b/radicle/src/rad.rs
@@ -152,12 +152,12 @@ pub fn fork_remote<G: Signer, S: storage::WriteStorage>(
     let repository = storage.repository_mut(proj)?;
 
     let raw = repository.raw();
-    let remote_head = raw.refname_to_id(&git::refs::storage::branch(
+    let remote_head = raw.refname_to_id(&git::refs::storage::branch_of(
         remote,
         project.default_branch(),
     ))?;
     raw.reference(
-        &git::refs::storage::branch(me, project.default_branch()),
+        &git::refs::storage::branch_of(me, project.default_branch()),
         remote_head,
         false,
         &format!("creating default branch for {me}"),
diff --git a/radicle/src/storage.rs b/radicle/src/storage.rs
index 561a7a13..1f4a93ad 100644
--- a/radicle/src/storage.rs
+++ b/radicle/src/storage.rs
@@ -390,6 +390,9 @@ pub trait ReadRepository {
     /// Perform a revision walk of a commit history starting from the given head.
     fn revwalk(&self, head: Oid) -> Result<git2::Revwalk, git2::Error>;
 
+    /// Check whether the given commit is an ancestor of another commit.
+    fn is_ancestor_of(&self, ancestor: Oid, head: Oid) -> Result<bool, git::ext::Error>;
+
     /// Get the object id of a reference under the given remote.
     fn reference_oid(
         &self,
diff --git a/radicle/src/storage/git.rs b/radicle/src/storage/git.rs
index 29b1da8d..7dfaf881 100644
--- a/radicle/src/storage/git.rs
+++ b/radicle/src/storage/git.rs
@@ -434,6 +434,12 @@ impl ReadRepository for Repository {
         Ok(revwalk)
     }
 
+    fn is_ancestor_of(&self, ancestor: Oid, head: Oid) -> Result<bool, git::Error> {
+        self.backend
+            .graph_descendant_of(head.into(), ancestor.into())
+            .map_err(git::Error::from)
+    }
+
     fn remote(&self, remote: &RemoteId) -> Result<Remote<Verified>, refs::Error> {
         let refs = SignedRefs::load(*remote, self)?;
         Ok(Remote::<Verified>::new(refs))
diff --git a/radicle/src/test/storage.rs b/radicle/src/test/storage.rs
index d3602b09..cb00ebb3 100644
--- a/radicle/src/test/storage.rs
+++ b/radicle/src/test/storage.rs
@@ -174,6 +174,10 @@ impl ReadRepository for MockRepository {
         todo!()
     }
 
+    fn is_ancestor_of(&self, _ancestor: Oid, _head: Oid) -> Result<bool, git_ext::Error> {
+        Ok(true)
+    }
+
     fn blob_at<'a>(
         &'a self,
         _oid: git_ext::Oid,
@@ -195,7 +199,7 @@ impl ReadRepository for MockRepository {
         _remote: &RemoteId,
         _reference: &git::Qualified,
     ) -> Result<git_ext::Oid, git_ext::Error> {
-        todo!()
+        Ok(Oid::from_str("ffffffffffffffffffffffffffffffffffffffff").unwrap())
     }
 
     fn references_of(&self, _remote: &RemoteId) -> Result<crate::storage::refs::Refs, Error> {
@@ -227,7 +231,7 @@ impl ReadRepository for MockRepository {
     }
 
     fn canonical_identity_head(&self) -> Result<Oid, IdentityError> {
-        Ok(Oid::from_str("cb18e95ada2bb38aadd8e6cef0963ce37a87add3").unwrap())
+        Ok(Oid::from_str("cccccccccccccccccccccccccccccccccccccccc").unwrap())
     }
 }