diff --git a/gramps/gen/merge/mergepersonquery.py b/gramps/gen/merge/mergepersonquery.py
index f7162819c..93f134945 100644
--- a/gramps/gen/merge/mergepersonquery.py
+++ b/gramps/gen/merge/mergepersonquery.py
@@ -31,8 +31,8 @@ Provide merge capabilities for persons.
 #-------------------------------------------------------------------------
 from ..db import DbTxn
 from ..const import GRAMPS_LOCALE as glocale
-_ = glocale.translation.sgettext
 from ..errors import MergeError
+_ = glocale.translation.sgettext
 
 #-------------------------------------------------------------------------
 #
@@ -49,11 +49,12 @@ class MergePersonQuery:
         self.titanic = titanic
         if self.check_for_spouse(self.phoenix, self.titanic):
             raise MergeError(_("Spouses cannot be merged. To merge these "
-                "people, you must first break the relationship between them."))
+                               "people, you must first break the relationship"
+                               " between them."))
         if self.check_for_child(self.phoenix, self.titanic):
             raise MergeError(_("A parent and child cannot be merged. To merge "
-                "these people, you must first break the relationship between "
-                "them."))
+                               "these people, you must first break the relatio"
+                               "nship between them."))
 
     def check_for_spouse(self, person1, person2):
         """Return if person1 and person2 are spouses of eachother."""
@@ -80,12 +81,12 @@ class MergePersonQuery:
         main_family.merge(family)
         for childref in family.get_child_ref_list():
             child = self.database.get_person_from_handle(
-                    childref.get_reference_handle())
+                childref.get_reference_handle())
             if main_family_handle in child.parent_family_list:
                 child.remove_handle_references('Family', [family_handle])
             else:
                 child.replace_handle_reference('Family', family_handle,
-                    main_family_handle)
+                                               main_family_handle)
             self.database.commit_person(child, trans)
         if self.phoenix:
             self.phoenix.remove_family_handle(family_handle)
@@ -143,7 +144,8 @@ class MergePersonQuery:
         for family_handle in self.phoenix.get_parent_family_handle_list():
             family = self.database.get_family_from_handle(family_handle)
             if family.has_handle_reference('Person', old_handle):
-                family.replace_handle_reference('Person', old_handle,new_handle)
+                family.replace_handle_reference('Person', old_handle,
+                                                new_handle)
                 self.database.commit_family(family, trans)
 
         family_merge_guard = False
@@ -182,7 +184,10 @@ class MergePersonQuery:
                 self.database.commit_family(family, trans)
             parent_list.append(parents)
 
-        if self.database.get_default_handle() == old_handle:
-            self.database.set_default_person_handle(None)
+        hp_hdl = self.database.get_default_handle()
+        if (hp_hdl in (self.phoenix.get_handle(), self.titanic.get_handle())
+                and hp_hdl != self.phoenix.get_handle()):
+            self.database.set_default_person_handle(self.phoenix.get_handle())
+
         self.database.remove_person(old_handle, trans)
         return family_merge_ok