diff --git a/services/pull/merge.go b/services/pull/merge.go
index e8bb3a1cdd..6266f9ab1f 100644
--- a/services/pull/merge.go
+++ b/services/pull/merge.go
@@ -28,6 +28,7 @@ import (
 	user_model "code.gitea.io/gitea/models/user"
 	"code.gitea.io/gitea/modules/cache"
 	"code.gitea.io/gitea/modules/git"
+	"code.gitea.io/gitea/modules/graceful"
 	"code.gitea.io/gitea/modules/log"
 	"code.gitea.io/gitea/modules/notification"
 	"code.gitea.io/gitea/modules/references"
@@ -165,9 +166,10 @@ func Merge(ctx context.Context, pr *issues_model.PullRequest, doer *user_model.U
 		go AddTestPullRequestTask(doer, pr.BaseRepo.ID, pr.BaseBranch, false, "", "")
 	}()
 
-	// TODO: make it able to do this in a database session
-	mergeCtx := context.Background()
-	pr.MergedCommitID, err = rawMerge(mergeCtx, pr, doer, mergeStyle, expectedHeadCommitID, message)
+	// Run the merge in the hammer context to prevent cancellation
+	hammerCtx := graceful.GetManager().HammerContext()
+
+	pr.MergedCommitID, err = rawMerge(hammerCtx, pr, doer, mergeStyle, expectedHeadCommitID, message)
 	if err != nil {
 		return err
 	}
@@ -176,18 +178,18 @@ func Merge(ctx context.Context, pr *issues_model.PullRequest, doer *user_model.U
 	pr.Merger = doer
 	pr.MergerID = doer.ID
 
-	if _, err := pr.SetMerged(ctx); err != nil {
+	if _, err := pr.SetMerged(hammerCtx); err != nil {
 		log.Error("setMerged [%d]: %v", pr.ID, err)
 	}
 
-	if err := pr.LoadIssueCtx(ctx); err != nil {
+	if err := pr.LoadIssueCtx(hammerCtx); err != nil {
 		log.Error("loadIssue [%d]: %v", pr.ID, err)
 	}
 
-	if err := pr.Issue.LoadRepo(ctx); err != nil {
+	if err := pr.Issue.LoadRepo(hammerCtx); err != nil {
 		log.Error("loadRepo for issue [%d]: %v", pr.ID, err)
 	}
-	if err := pr.Issue.Repo.GetOwner(ctx); err != nil {
+	if err := pr.Issue.Repo.GetOwner(hammerCtx); err != nil {
 		log.Error("GetOwner for issue repo [%d]: %v", pr.ID, err)
 	}
 
@@ -197,17 +199,17 @@ func Merge(ctx context.Context, pr *issues_model.PullRequest, doer *user_model.U
 	cache.Remove(pr.Issue.Repo.GetCommitsCountCacheKey(pr.BaseBranch, true))
 
 	// Resolve cross references
-	refs, err := pr.ResolveCrossReferences(ctx)
+	refs, err := pr.ResolveCrossReferences(hammerCtx)
 	if err != nil {
 		log.Error("ResolveCrossReferences: %v", err)
 		return nil
 	}
 
 	for _, ref := range refs {
-		if err = ref.LoadIssueCtx(ctx); err != nil {
+		if err = ref.LoadIssueCtx(hammerCtx); err != nil {
 			return err
 		}
-		if err = ref.Issue.LoadRepo(ctx); err != nil {
+		if err = ref.Issue.LoadRepo(hammerCtx); err != nil {
 			return err
 		}
 		close := ref.RefAction == references.XRefActionCloses