diff --git a/db/db_impl.cc b/db/db_impl.cc
index a445db805..a4f0c4cc2 100644
--- a/db/db_impl.cc
+++ b/db/db_impl.cc
@@ -1563,10 +1563,15 @@ Status DBImpl::RecoverLogFiles(const std::vector<uint64_t>& log_numbers,
       // insert. We don't want to fail the whole write batch in that case --
       // we just ignore the update.
       // That's why we set ignore missing column families to true
+      // If we pass DB through and options.max_successive_merges is hit
+      // during recovery, Get() will be issued which will try to acquire
+      // DB mutex and cause deadlock, as DB mutex is already held.
+      // The DB pointer is not needed unless 2PC is used.
+      // TODO(sdong) fix the allow_2pc case too.
       status = WriteBatchInternal::InsertInto(
           &batch, column_family_memtables_.get(), &flush_scheduler_, true,
-          log_number, this, false /* concurrent_memtable_writes */,
-          next_sequence);
+          log_number, db_options_.allow_2pc ? this : nullptr,
+          false /* concurrent_memtable_writes */, next_sequence);
       MaybeIgnoreError(&status);
       if (!status.ok()) {
         // We are treating this as a failure while reading since we read valid
diff --git a/db/db_test2.cc b/db/db_test2.cc
index 306099ef8..ccd59a209 100644
--- a/db/db_test2.cc
+++ b/db/db_test2.cc
@@ -1487,6 +1487,23 @@ TEST_F(DBTest2, SyncPointMarker) {
   rocksdb::SyncPoint::GetInstance()->DisableProcessing();
 }
 #endif
+
+TEST_F(DBTest2, MaxSuccessiveMergesInRecovery) {
+  Options options;
+  options = CurrentOptions(options);
+  options.merge_operator = MergeOperators::CreatePutOperator();
+  DestroyAndReopen(options);
+
+  db_->Put(WriteOptions(), "foo", "bar");
+  ASSERT_OK(db_->Merge(WriteOptions(), "foo", "bar"));
+  ASSERT_OK(db_->Merge(WriteOptions(), "foo", "bar"));
+  ASSERT_OK(db_->Merge(WriteOptions(), "foo", "bar"));
+  ASSERT_OK(db_->Merge(WriteOptions(), "foo", "bar"));
+  ASSERT_OK(db_->Merge(WriteOptions(), "foo", "bar"));
+
+  options.max_successive_merges = 3;
+  Reopen(options);
+}
 }  // namespace rocksdb
 
 int main(int argc, char** argv) {