diff --git a/plugins/git4idea/src/git4idea/history/GitLogRecord.java b/plugins/git4idea/src/git4idea/history/GitLogRecord.java
index f1224cae23e7..dcc91c985a9e 100644
--- a/plugins/git4idea/src/git4idea/history/GitLogRecord.java
+++ b/plugins/git4idea/src/git4idea/history/GitLogRecord.java
@@ -235,7 +235,9 @@ class GitLogRecord {
         break;
       case RENAMED:
         status = FileStatus.MODIFIED;
-        final FilePath filePathAfterRename = GitContentRevision.createPath(vcsRoot, statusInfo.getSecondPath(), false, false, true);
+        String secondPath = statusInfo.getSecondPath();
+        final FilePath filePathAfterRename = GitContentRevision.createPath(vcsRoot, secondPath == null ? path : secondPath,
+                                                                           false, false, true);
         after = GitContentRevision.createMultipleParentsRevision(project, filePathAfterRename, parentRevisions);
         before = GitContentRevision.createRevision(vcsRoot, path, thisRevision, project, true, true, true);
         break;
diff --git a/plugins/git4idea/src/git4idea/history/GitLogStatusInfo.java b/plugins/git4idea/src/git4idea/history/GitLogStatusInfo.java
index 5dd30712ca6e..c9ac235acd80 100644
--- a/plugins/git4idea/src/git4idea/history/GitLogStatusInfo.java
+++ b/plugins/git4idea/src/git4idea/history/GitLogStatusInfo.java
@@ -43,11 +43,11 @@ class GitLogStatusInfo {
    * SecondPath == null iff it the type is rename
    */
   private static void verifyParameters(@NotNull GitChangeType type, @NotNull String path, @Nullable String secondPath) {
-    if (type.requiresSecondPath()) {
-      LOG.assertTrue(secondPath != null, String.format("Rename change should have the second path. type=%s, path1=%s, path2=%s", type, path, secondPath));
-    } else {
+    if (!type.requiresSecondPath()) {
       LOG.assertTrue(secondPath == null, String.format("Second path should be null. type=%s, path1=%s, path2=%s", type, path, secondPath));
     }
+    // rename change doesn't require the second path:
+    // for example, if it is a merge commit when the file was renamed in one and only one of the branches
   }
 
   @NotNull