diff --git a/src/scripts/merge_tools/gitmerge.sh b/src/scripts/merge_tools/gitmerge.sh
index 1c2032d58a..4b6a0b987f 100755
--- a/src/scripts/merge_tools/gitmerge.sh
+++ b/src/scripts/merge_tools/gitmerge.sh
@@ -1,16 +1,19 @@
 #!/usr/bin/env sh
 
-# usage: ./gitmerge.sh <clone_dir> <branch-1> <branch-2> <strategy>
+# usage: ./gitmerge.sh <clone_dir> <branch-1> <branch-2> <strategy> [no-git-merge-abort]
 # <clone_dir> must contain a clone of a repository.
 # <strategy> is arguments to `git merge`, including -s and possibly -X.
 # Merges branch2 into branch1, in <clone_dir>, using merge strategy <strategy>.
-# Return code is 0 for merge success, 1 for merge failure.
-# For merge failure, also outputs "Conflict" and aborts the merge.
+# For merge success, return code is 0.
+# For merge failure:
+#  * return code is 1.
+#  * outputs "Conflict".
+#  * aborts the merge, unless a 5th command-line argument is provided.
 
 set -o nounset
 
-if [ "$#" -ne 4 ]; then
-  echo "Usage: $0 CLONE_DIR BRANCH1 BRANCH2 STRATEGY" >&2
+if [ "$#" -ne 4 ] && [ "$#" -ne 5 ]; then
+  echo "Usage: $0 CLONE_DIR BRANCH1 BRANCH2 STRATEGY [no-git-merge-abort]" >&2
   exit 1
 fi
 
@@ -18,6 +21,8 @@ clone_dir=$1
 branch1=$2
 branch2=$3
 strategy=$4
+# If this variable is non-empty, don't run `git merge --abort`.
+no_git_merge_abort=$5
 
 # perform merge
 cd "$clone_dir" || exit 1
@@ -30,7 +35,9 @@ retVal=$?
 # report conflicts
 if [ $retVal -ne 0 ]; then
     echo "Conflict"
-    git merge --abort
+    if [ -z "$no_git_merge_abort" ] ; then
+        git merge --abort
+    fi
 fi
 
 exit $retVal
diff --git a/src/scripts/merge_tools/gitmerge_ort_imports.sh b/src/scripts/merge_tools/gitmerge_ort_imports.sh
index 221280a6e0..44145e89d5 100755
--- a/src/scripts/merge_tools/gitmerge_ort_imports.sh
+++ b/src/scripts/merge_tools/gitmerge_ort_imports.sh
@@ -7,6 +7,16 @@ clone_dir=$1
 branch1=$2
 branch2=$3
 strategy="-s ort"
-"$MERGE_SCRIPTS_DIR"/gitmerge.sh "$clone_dir" "$branch1" "$branch2" "$strategy"
+"$MERGE_SCRIPTS_DIR"/gitmerge.sh "$clone_dir" "$branch1" "$branch2" "$strategy" "no-git-merge-abort"
+status=$?
 
-(cd "$clone_dir" && "$MERGE_SCRIPTS_DIR"/resolve-import-conflicts)
+if ! "$status" ; then
+  (cd "$clone_dir" && "$MERGE_SCRIPTS_DIR"/resolve-import-conflicts)
+
+  # From https://stackoverflow.com/questions/41246415/
+  status=$(git diff --exit-code -S '<<<<<<< HEAD' -S "=======" -S ">>>>>>> $(git name-rev --name-only MERGE_HEAD)" HEAD)
+
+  git merge --abort
+fi
+
+exit "$status"
diff --git a/src/scripts/merge_tools/resolve-import-conflicts b/src/scripts/merge_tools/resolve-import-conflicts
index feaee8b83c..9778647846 100755
--- a/src/scripts/merge_tools/resolve-import-conflicts
+++ b/src/scripts/merge_tools/resolve-import-conflicts
@@ -8,6 +8,9 @@
 # parent 2 files, all without conflict markers.
 # However, this script can be run instead of a git mergetool, or after a git mergetool.
 
+# Exit status is 1 if merging some file halted exceptionally.
+# With an exit status of 0, some conflicts may still exist in the current repository.
+
 if [ "$#" -eq 0 ] ; then
   readarray -t files < <(grep -l -r '^<<<<<<< HEAD' .)
 else
diff --git a/src/scripts/merge_tools/resolve-import-conflicts-in-file.py b/src/scripts/merge_tools/resolve-import-conflicts-in-file.py
index 9c4f7878c0..2398ec4586 100755
--- a/src/scripts/merge_tools/resolve-import-conflicts-in-file.py
+++ b/src/scripts/merge_tools/resolve-import-conflicts-in-file.py
@@ -1,7 +1,11 @@
 #! /usr/bin/env python
 
 """Edits a file in place to remove conflict markers related to Java imports.
-It simplistically leaves all the imports that appear in either parent.
+The merged version contains all the imports that appear in either parent.
+This is simplistic, but is often adequate.
+
+Exit status is 1 only if the program halts exceptionally.
+With an exit status of 0, some conflicts may still exist in the file.
 """