diff --git a/server/controllers/AuthorController.js b/server/controllers/AuthorController.js
index 8c2e80aec..394b16d2b 100644
--- a/server/controllers/AuthorController.js
+++ b/server/controllers/AuthorController.js
@@ -1,5 +1,4 @@
 const { Request, Response, NextFunction } = require('express')
-const sequelize = require('sequelize')
 const fs = require('../libs/fsExtra')
 const { createNewSortInstance } = require('../libs/fastSort')
 
@@ -113,18 +112,10 @@ class AuthorController {
       payload.lastFirst = Database.authorModel.getLastFirst(payload.name)
     }
 
-    // Check if author name matches another author in the same library and merge the authors
+    // Check if the new author name matches another author in the same library and merge the authors
     let existingAuthor = null
     if (authorNameUpdate) {
-      existingAuthor = await Database.authorModel.findOne({
-        where: {
-          id: {
-            [sequelize.Op.not]: req.author.id
-          },
-          name: payload.name,
-          libraryId: req.author.libraryId
-        }
-      })
+      existingAuthor = await Database.authorModel.getByNameAndLibrary(payload.name, req.author.libraryId, req.author.id)
     }
     if (existingAuthor) {
       Logger.info(`[AuthorController] Merging author "${req.author.name}" with "${existingAuthor.name}"`)
diff --git a/server/models/Author.js b/server/models/Author.js
index 8ca45b63a..7c8958e9e 100644
--- a/server/models/Author.js
+++ b/server/models/Author.js
@@ -1,4 +1,4 @@
-const { DataTypes, Model } = require('sequelize')
+const { DataTypes, Model, Op } = require('sequelize')
 const parseNameString = require('../utils/parsers/parseNameString')
 
 class Author extends Model {
@@ -119,17 +119,24 @@ class Author extends Model {
    * Get author by name and libraryId. name case insensitive
    * @param {string} authorName
    * @param {string} libraryId
+   * @param {string} [excludeAuthorId]
    * @returns {Promise<Author>}
    */
-  static async getByNameAndLibrary(authorName, libraryId) {
+  static async getByNameAndLibrary(authorName, libraryId, excludeAuthorId = null) {
     const searchName = this.normalizeSearchName(authorName)
     if (!searchName) return null
-    return this.findOne({
-      where: {
-        searchName,
-        libraryId
+
+    const where = {
+      searchName,
+      libraryId
+    }
+    if (excludeAuthorId) {
+      where.id = {
+        [Op.not]: excludeAuthorId
       }
-    })
+    }
+
+    return this.findOne({ where })
   }
 
   /**