diff --git a/gitrpc/internal/service/merge.go b/gitrpc/internal/service/merge.go
index 69eaf08b1..57d8c6911 100644
--- a/gitrpc/internal/service/merge.go
+++ b/gitrpc/internal/service/merge.go
@@ -153,7 +153,7 @@ func (s MergeService) Merge(
 		committer = request.GetCommitter()
 	}
 	committerDate := time.Now().UTC()
-	if request.GetAuthorDate() != 0 {
+	if request.GetCommitterDate() != 0 {
 		committerDate = time.Unix(request.GetCommitterDate(), 0)
 	}