diff --git a/core/shared/src/main/scala/fs2/Stream.scala b/core/shared/src/main/scala/fs2/Stream.scala
index a3642794a8..020934aa9d 100644
--- a/core/shared/src/main/scala/fs2/Stream.scala
+++ b/core/shared/src/main/scala/fs2/Stream.scala
@@ -2005,7 +2005,7 @@ final class Stream[+F[_], +O] private[fs2] (private[fs2] val underlying: Pull[F,
     * This can be used to control how chunks are emitted downstream. See [[mergeAndAwaitDownstream]] for example.
     *
     * @param f The function that combines the output stream and a finalizer for the chunk.
-    *          This way we can controll when to pull pull next chunk from upstream.
+    *          This way we can control when to pull next chunk from upstream.
     */
   private def merge_[F2[x] >: F[x], O2 >: O](
       that: Stream[F2, O2]
@@ -2046,7 +2046,9 @@ final class Stream[+F[_], +O] private[fs2] (private[fs2] val underlying: Pull[F,
             def sendChunk(chk: Chunk[O2]): F2[Unit] =
               output.send(f(Stream.chunk(chk), guard.release)) >> guard.acquire
 
-            (Stream.exec(guard.acquire) ++ s.chunks.foreach(sendChunk))
+            (Stream.exec(guard.acquire) ++ s.chunks
+              .filter(_.nonEmpty)
+              .evalMap(sendChunk))
               // Stop when the other upstream has errored or the downstream has completed.
               // This may also interrupt the initial call to `guard.acquire` as the call is made at the
               // beginning of the stream.
diff --git a/core/shared/src/test/scala/fs2/StreamMergeSuite.scala b/core/shared/src/test/scala/fs2/StreamMergeSuite.scala
index 32af3b77a3..695ed5d559 100644
--- a/core/shared/src/test/scala/fs2/StreamMergeSuite.scala
+++ b/core/shared/src/test/scala/fs2/StreamMergeSuite.scala
@@ -332,4 +332,15 @@ class StreamMergeSuite extends Fs2Suite {
         data.count(_.isInstanceOf[Tick2.type]) == 4
       }
   }
+  test("merge does not hang with Stream.empty.repeat in one branch".ignore) {
+    Stream.empty
+      .covary[IO]
+      .repeat
+      .merge(Stream.emits[IO, Int](List(1, 2, 3)))
+      .interruptAfter(2.seconds)
+      .compile
+      .drain
+      .timeout(5.seconds)
+  }
+
 }