diff --git a/protected/gatk-tools-protected/src/main/java/org/broadinstitute/gatk/tools/walkers/phasing/PhasingUtils.java b/protected/gatk-tools-protected/src/main/java/org/broadinstitute/gatk/tools/walkers/phasing/PhasingUtils.java
index 24060876b..11b80a80f 100644
--- a/protected/gatk-tools-protected/src/main/java/org/broadinstitute/gatk/tools/walkers/phasing/PhasingUtils.java
+++ b/protected/gatk-tools-protected/src/main/java/org/broadinstitute/gatk/tools/walkers/phasing/PhasingUtils.java
@@ -363,7 +363,7 @@ class PhasingUtils {
      *
      * @param gt1 genotype 1
      * @param gt2 genotype 2
-     * @return true if genotypes have the same number of chromosomes, haplotype, phased, number of attributes
+     * @return true if genotypes have the same number of chromosomes, haplotype, number of attributes
      * as chromosomes, and either genotype is homozygous, false otherwise
      */
     static boolean alleleSegregationIsKnown(Genotype gt1, Genotype gt2) {
@@ -371,10 +371,6 @@ class PhasingUtils {
         if (gt1.getPloidy() != gt2.getPloidy())
             return false;
 
-        // If gt1 or gt2 are not phased, then can not be merged.
-        if (!gt1.isPhased() || !gt2.isPhased())
-            return false;
-
         // If gt1 or gt2 are homozygous, then could be merged.
         if (gt1.isHom() || gt2.isHom())
             return true;
diff --git a/protected/gatk-tools-protected/src/main/java/org/broadinstitute/gatk/tools/walkers/phasing/ReadBackedPhasing.java b/protected/gatk-tools-protected/src/main/java/org/broadinstitute/gatk/tools/walkers/phasing/ReadBackedPhasing.java
index a5d4f38f5..3728f5207 100644
--- a/protected/gatk-tools-protected/src/main/java/org/broadinstitute/gatk/tools/walkers/phasing/ReadBackedPhasing.java
+++ b/protected/gatk-tools-protected/src/main/java/org/broadinstitute/gatk/tools/walkers/phasing/ReadBackedPhasing.java
@@ -52,6 +52,7 @@
 package org.broadinstitute.gatk.tools.walkers.phasing;
 
 import org.broadinstitute.gatk.engine.walkers.*;
+import org.broadinstitute.gatk.utils.collections.Pair;
 import org.broadinstitute.gatk.utils.commandline.Argument;
 import org.broadinstitute.gatk.utils.commandline.ArgumentCollection;
 import org.broadinstitute.gatk.utils.commandline.Hidden;
@@ -63,6 +64,7 @@ import org.broadinstitute.gatk.utils.contexts.ReferenceContext;
 import org.broadinstitute.gatk.engine.filters.MappingQualityZeroFilter;
 import org.broadinstitute.gatk.utils.refdata.RefMetaDataTracker;
 import org.broadinstitute.gatk.utils.help.HelpConstants;
+import org.broadinstitute.gatk.utils.sam.GATKSAMRecord;
 import org.broadinstitute.gatk.utils.sam.ReadUtils;
 import org.broadinstitute.gatk.engine.GATKVCFUtils;
 import org.broadinstitute.gatk.utils.variant.GATKVCFConstants;
@@ -338,6 +340,7 @@ public class ReadBackedPhasing extends RodWalker<PhasingStatsAndOutput, PhasingS
     private List<VariantContext> processQueue(PhasingStats phaseStats, boolean processAll) {
         List<VariantContext> oldPhasedList = new LinkedList<VariantContext>();
 
+        VariantAndReads prevVr = null;
         while (!unphasedSiteQueue.isEmpty()) {
             if (!processAll) { // otherwise, phase until the end of unphasedSiteQueue
                 VariantContext nextToPhaseVc = unphasedSiteQueue.peek().variant;
@@ -354,10 +357,35 @@ public class ReadBackedPhasing extends RodWalker<PhasingStatsAndOutput, PhasingS
             oldPhasedList.addAll(discardIrrelevantPhasedSites());
             if (DEBUG) logger.debug("oldPhasedList(1st) = " + toStringVCL(oldPhasedList));
 
-            VariantAndReads vr = unphasedSiteQueue.remove();
+            final VariantAndReads vr = unphasedSiteQueue.remove();
+
+            // should try to merge variants if they are SNPs that are within the minimum merging distance from each other
+            final boolean shouldTryToMerge = enableMergePhasedSegregatingPolymorphismsToMNP &&
+                    prevVr != null &&
+                    prevVr.variant.isSNP() && vr.variant.isSNP() &&
+                    vr.variant.getStart() - prevVr.variant.getStart() <= maxGenomicDistanceForMNP;
+
+            // if should try to merge, find if there are any reads that contain both SNPs
+            boolean commonReads = false;
+            if ( shouldTryToMerge ) {
+                for ( final String readName : vr.variantReadNames) {
+                    if (prevVr.variantReadNames.contains(readName)) {
+                        commonReads = true;
+                        break;
+                    }
+                }
+                if ( DEBUG && !commonReads )
+                    logger.debug("No common reads with previous variant for " + GATKVariantContextUtils.getLocation(getToolkit().getGenomeLocParser(), vr.variant));
+            }
+
             if (DEBUG)
                 logger.debug("Performing phasing for " + GATKVariantContextUtils.getLocation(getToolkit().getGenomeLocParser(), vr.variant));
-            phaseSite(vr, phaseStats);
+
+            // phase the variant site, cannot phase if trying to merge variants that do not have any common reads
+            phaseSite(vr, phaseStats, !(shouldTryToMerge && !commonReads));
+
+            // save previous variant reads for next iteration
+            prevVr = vr;
         }
 
         // Update partiallyPhasedSites after phaseSite is done:
@@ -399,7 +427,14 @@ public class ReadBackedPhasing extends RodWalker<PhasingStatsAndOutput, PhasingS
        ASSUMES: All VariantContexts in unphasedSiteQueue are in positions downstream of vc (head of queue).
      */
 
-    private void phaseSite(VariantAndReads vr, PhasingStats phaseStats) {
+    /**
+     * Phase the variant site relative to the previous site
+     *
+     * @param vr            A variant and the reads for each sample at that site:
+     * @param phaseStats    Summary statistics about phasing rates for each sample
+     * @param canPhase      Can phase variant site relative to the previous site
+     */
+    private void phaseSite(final VariantAndReads vr, final PhasingStats phaseStats, final boolean canPhase) {
         VariantContext vc = vr.variant;
         logger.debug("Will phase vc = " + GATKVariantContextUtils.getLocation(getToolkit().getGenomeLocParser(), vc));
 
@@ -433,76 +468,78 @@ public class ReadBackedPhasing extends RodWalker<PhasingStatsAndOutput, PhasingS
                     if (DEBUG) logger.debug("Want to phase TOP vs. BOTTOM for: " + "\n" + allelePair);
 
                     boolean phasedCurGenotypeRelativeToPrevious = false;
-                    for (int goBackFromEndOfPrevHets = 0; goBackFromEndOfPrevHets < prevHetGenotypes.size(); goBackFromEndOfPrevHets++) {
-                        PhasingWindow phaseWindow = new PhasingWindow(vr, samp, prevHetGenotypes, goBackFromEndOfPrevHets);
+                    if ( canPhase ) {
+                        for (int goBackFromEndOfPrevHets = 0; goBackFromEndOfPrevHets < prevHetGenotypes.size(); goBackFromEndOfPrevHets++) {
+                            PhasingWindow phaseWindow = new PhasingWindow(vr, samp, prevHetGenotypes, goBackFromEndOfPrevHets);
 
-                        PhaseResult pr = phaseSampleAtSite(phaseWindow);
-                        phasedCurGenotypeRelativeToPrevious = passesPhasingThreshold(pr.phaseQuality);
+                            PhaseResult pr = phaseSampleAtSite(phaseWindow);
+                            phasedCurGenotypeRelativeToPrevious = passesPhasingThreshold(pr.phaseQuality);
 
-                        if (pr.phasingContainsInconsistencies) {
-                            if (DEBUG)
-                                logger.debug("MORE than " + (MAX_FRACTION_OF_INCONSISTENT_READS * 100) + "% of the reads are inconsistent for phasing of " + GATKVariantContextUtils.getLocation(getToolkit().getGenomeLocParser(), vc));
-                            uvc.setPhasingInconsistent();
-                        }
-
-                        if (phasedCurGenotypeRelativeToPrevious) {
-                            Genotype prevHetGenotype = phaseWindow.phaseRelativeToGenotype();
-                            SNPallelePair prevAllelePair = new SNPallelePair(prevHetGenotype);
-                            if (!prevHetGenotype.hasAnyAttribute(GATKVCFConstants.RBP_HAPLOTYPE_KEY))
-                                throw new ReviewedGATKException("Internal error: missing haplotype markings for previous genotype, even though we put it there...");
-                            String[] prevPairNames = (String[]) prevHetGenotype.getAnyAttribute(GATKVCFConstants.RBP_HAPLOTYPE_KEY);
-
-                            String[] curPairNames = ensurePhasing(allelePair, prevAllelePair, prevPairNames, pr.haplotype);
-                            Genotype phasedGt = new GenotypeBuilder(gt)
-                                    .alleles(allelePair.getAllelesAsList())
-                                    .attribute(VCFConstants.PHASE_QUALITY_KEY, pr.phaseQuality)
-                                    .attribute(GATKVCFConstants.RBP_HAPLOTYPE_KEY, curPairNames)
-                                    .make();
-                            uvc.setGenotype(samp, phasedGt);
-
-                            if (DEBUG) {
-                                logger.debug("PREVIOUS CHROMOSOME NAMES: Top= " + prevPairNames[0] + ", Bot= " + prevPairNames[1]);
-                                logger.debug("PREVIOUS CHROMOSOMES:\n" + prevAllelePair + "\n");
-
-                                logger.debug("CURRENT CHROMOSOME NAMES: Top= " + curPairNames[0] + ", Bot= " + curPairNames[1]);
-                                logger.debug("CURRENT CHROMOSOMES:\n" + allelePair + "\n");
-                                logger.debug("\n");
+                            if (pr.phasingContainsInconsistencies) {
+                                if (DEBUG)
+                                    logger.debug("MORE than " + (MAX_FRACTION_OF_INCONSISTENT_READS * 100) + "% of the reads are inconsistent for phasing of " + GATKVariantContextUtils.getLocation(getToolkit().getGenomeLocParser(), vc));
+                                uvc.setPhasingInconsistent();
                             }
-                        }
 
-                        if (statsWriter != null) {
-                            GenomeLoc prevLoc = null;
-                            int curIndex = 0;
-                            for (GenotypeAndReadBases grb : prevHetGenotypes) {
-                                if (curIndex == prevHetGenotypes.size() - 1 - goBackFromEndOfPrevHets) {
-                                    prevLoc = grb.loc;
-                                    break;
+                            if (phasedCurGenotypeRelativeToPrevious) {
+                                Genotype prevHetGenotype = phaseWindow.phaseRelativeToGenotype();
+                                SNPallelePair prevAllelePair = new SNPallelePair(prevHetGenotype);
+                                if (!prevHetGenotype.hasAnyAttribute(GATKVCFConstants.RBP_HAPLOTYPE_KEY))
+                                    throw new ReviewedGATKException("Internal error: missing haplotype markings for previous genotype, even though we put it there...");
+                                String[] prevPairNames = (String[]) prevHetGenotype.getAnyAttribute(GATKVCFConstants.RBP_HAPLOTYPE_KEY);
+
+                                String[] curPairNames = ensurePhasing(allelePair, prevAllelePair, prevPairNames, pr.haplotype);
+                                Genotype phasedGt = new GenotypeBuilder(gt)
+                                        .alleles(allelePair.getAllelesAsList())
+                                        .attribute(VCFConstants.PHASE_QUALITY_KEY, pr.phaseQuality)
+                                        .attribute(GATKVCFConstants.RBP_HAPLOTYPE_KEY, curPairNames)
+                                        .make();
+                                uvc.setGenotype(samp, phasedGt);
+
+                                if (DEBUG) {
+                                    logger.debug("PREVIOUS CHROMOSOME NAMES: Top= " + prevPairNames[0] + ", Bot= " + prevPairNames[1]);
+                                    logger.debug("PREVIOUS CHROMOSOMES:\n" + prevAllelePair + "\n");
+
+                                    logger.debug("CURRENT CHROMOSOME NAMES: Top= " + curPairNames[0] + ", Bot= " + curPairNames[1]);
+                                    logger.debug("CURRENT CHROMOSOMES:\n" + allelePair + "\n");
+                                    logger.debug("\n");
                                 }
-                                ++curIndex;
                             }
-                            statsWriter.addStat(samp, GATKVariantContextUtils.getLocation(getToolkit().getGenomeLocParser(), vc), startDistance(prevLoc, vc), pr.phaseQuality, phaseWindow.readsAtHetSites.size(), phaseWindow.hetGenotypes.length);
-                        }
 
-                        PhaseCounts sampPhaseCounts = samplePhaseStats.get(samp);
-                        if (sampPhaseCounts == null) {
-                            sampPhaseCounts = new PhaseCounts();
-                            samplePhaseStats.put(samp, sampPhaseCounts);
-                        }
-                        sampPhaseCounts.numTestedSites++;
+                            if (statsWriter != null) {
+                                GenomeLoc prevLoc = null;
+                                int curIndex = 0;
+                                for (GenotypeAndReadBases grb : prevHetGenotypes) {
+                                    if (curIndex == prevHetGenotypes.size() - 1 - goBackFromEndOfPrevHets) {
+                                        prevLoc = grb.loc;
+                                        break;
+                                    }
+                                    ++curIndex;
+                                }
+                                statsWriter.addStat(samp, GATKVariantContextUtils.getLocation(getToolkit().getGenomeLocParser(), vc), startDistance(prevLoc, vc), pr.phaseQuality, phaseWindow.readsAtHetSites.size(), phaseWindow.hetGenotypes.length);
+                            }
+
+                            PhaseCounts sampPhaseCounts = samplePhaseStats.get(samp);
+                            if (sampPhaseCounts == null) {
+                                sampPhaseCounts = new PhaseCounts();
+                                samplePhaseStats.put(samp, sampPhaseCounts);
+                            }
+                            sampPhaseCounts.numTestedSites++;
+
+                            if (pr.phasingContainsInconsistencies) {
+                                if (phasedCurGenotypeRelativeToPrevious)
+                                    sampPhaseCounts.numInconsistentSitesPhased++;
+                                else
+                                    sampPhaseCounts.numInconsistentSitesNotPhased++;
+                            }
 
-                        if (pr.phasingContainsInconsistencies) {
                             if (phasedCurGenotypeRelativeToPrevious)
-                                sampPhaseCounts.numInconsistentSitesPhased++;
-                            else
-                                sampPhaseCounts.numInconsistentSitesNotPhased++;
+                                sampPhaseCounts.numPhased++;
+
+                            // Phased current relative to *SOME* previous het genotype, so break out of loop:
+                            if (phasedCurGenotypeRelativeToPrevious)
+                                break;
                         }
-
-                        if (phasedCurGenotypeRelativeToPrevious)
-                            sampPhaseCounts.numPhased++;
-
-                        // Phased current relative to *SOME* previous het genotype, so break out of loop:
-                        if (phasedCurGenotypeRelativeToPrevious)
-                            break;
                     }
 
                     if (!phasedCurGenotypeRelativeToPrevious) { // Either no previous hets, or unable to phase relative to any previous het:
@@ -1206,6 +1243,7 @@ public class ReadBackedPhasing extends RodWalker<PhasingStatsAndOutput, PhasingS
     private class VariantAndReads {
         public VariantContext variant;
         public HashMap<String, ReadBasesAtPosition> sampleReadBases;
+        public Set<String> variantReadNames;
 
         public VariantAndReads(VariantContext variant, HashMap<String, ReadBasesAtPosition> sampleReadBases) {
             this.variant = variant;
@@ -1232,6 +1270,22 @@ public class ReadBackedPhasing extends RodWalker<PhasingStatsAndOutput, PhasingS
                             sampleReadBases.put(sample, readBases);
                         }
                     }
+
+                    // if merging SNPs, save the read names overlapping the variant
+                    if (enableMergePhasedSegregatingPolymorphismsToMNP && variant.isSNP()) {
+                        variantReadNames = new HashSet<>();
+                        for ( final GATKSAMRecord read : pileup.getReads() ) {
+                            // get the SNP position in the read
+                            Pair<Integer, Boolean> pair = ReadUtils.getReadCoordinateForReferenceCoordinate(read, variant.getStart());
+
+                            // get the reads containing the SNP
+                            for (final Allele altAllele : variant.getAlternateAlleles()) {
+                                if (read.getReadBases()[pair.first] == altAllele.getBases()[0]) {
+                                    variantReadNames.add(read.getReadName());
+                                }
+                            }
+                        }
+                    }
                 }
             }
         }
diff --git a/protected/gatk-tools-protected/src/test/java/org/broadinstitute/gatk/tools/walkers/phasing/PhasingUtilsUnitTest.java b/protected/gatk-tools-protected/src/test/java/org/broadinstitute/gatk/tools/walkers/phasing/PhasingUtilsUnitTest.java
index 08be802f2..89a7e89d7 100644
--- a/protected/gatk-tools-protected/src/test/java/org/broadinstitute/gatk/tools/walkers/phasing/PhasingUtilsUnitTest.java
+++ b/protected/gatk-tools-protected/src/test/java/org/broadinstitute/gatk/tools/walkers/phasing/PhasingUtilsUnitTest.java
@@ -81,7 +81,6 @@ public class PhasingUtilsUnitTest extends BaseTest {
     private ReferenceSequenceFile referenceFile;
     private Genotype genotype1;
     private Genotype genotype2;
-    private Genotype genotype2unphased;
     private String contig;
     private List<Allele> alleleList1;
     private List<Allele> alleleList2;
@@ -94,9 +93,8 @@ public class PhasingUtilsUnitTest extends BaseTest {
         genomeLocParser = new GenomeLocParser(referenceFile);
         alleleList1 = Arrays.asList(Allele.create("T", true), Allele.create("C", false));
         alleleList2 = Arrays.asList(Allele.create("G", true), Allele.create("A", false));
-        genotype1 = new GenotypeBuilder().name("sample").attribute("HP", new String[]{"10-1", "10-2"}).attribute("PQ", 100.0).alleles(alleleList1).phased(true).make();
-        genotype2 = new GenotypeBuilder().name("sample").attribute("HP", new String[]{"10-2", "10-1"}).attribute("PQ", 200.0).alleles(alleleList2).phased(true).make();
-        genotype2unphased = new GenotypeBuilder().name("sample").attribute("HP", new String[]{"10-2", "10-1"}).attribute("PQ", 200.0).alleles(alleleList2).phased(false).make();
+        genotype1 = new GenotypeBuilder().name("sample").attribute("HP", new String[]{"10-1", "10-2"}).attribute("PQ", 100.0).alleles(alleleList1).make();
+        genotype2 = new GenotypeBuilder().name("sample").attribute("HP", new String[]{"10-2", "10-1"}).attribute("PQ", 200.0).alleles(alleleList2).make();
         contig = new String("1");
         vc1 = new VariantContextBuilder().chr(contig).id("id1").source("TC").start(start).stop(start).alleles(alleleList1).genotypes(genotype1).make();
         vc2 = new VariantContextBuilder().chr(contig).id("id2").source("GA").start(start+1).stop(start+1).alleles(alleleList2).genotypes(genotype2).make();
@@ -186,7 +184,6 @@ public class PhasingUtilsUnitTest extends BaseTest {
     @Test
     public void TestAlleleSegregationIsKnown(){
         Assert.assertTrue(PhasingUtils.alleleSegregationIsKnown(genotype1, genotype2));
-        Assert.assertFalse(PhasingUtils.alleleSegregationIsKnown(genotype1, genotype2unphased));
     }
 
     @Test
diff --git a/protected/gatk-tools-protected/src/test/java/org/broadinstitute/gatk/tools/walkers/phasing/ReadBackedPhasingIntegrationTest.java b/protected/gatk-tools-protected/src/test/java/org/broadinstitute/gatk/tools/walkers/phasing/ReadBackedPhasingIntegrationTest.java
index 094163ea7..16a6f5df6 100644
--- a/protected/gatk-tools-protected/src/test/java/org/broadinstitute/gatk/tools/walkers/phasing/ReadBackedPhasingIntegrationTest.java
+++ b/protected/gatk-tools-protected/src/test/java/org/broadinstitute/gatk/tools/walkers/phasing/ReadBackedPhasingIntegrationTest.java
@@ -152,7 +152,22 @@ public class ReadBackedPhasingIntegrationTest extends WalkerTest {
                 " -o %s" +
                 " --no_cmdline_in_header",
                 1,
-                Arrays.asList("d7797171d9ca4e173fab6b5af1e6d539"));
+                Arrays.asList("b251b4378fda9784f2175c7e3d80f032"));
         executeTest("Do not merge unphased SNPs", spec);
     }
+
+    @Test
+    public void testMergeSNPsIfSameRead() {
+        WalkerTestSpec spec = new WalkerTestSpec(
+                "-T ReadBackedPhasing" +
+                        " -R " + b37KGReferenceWithDecoy +
+                        " -I " + privateTestDir + "readBackedPhasing.bam" +
+                        " --variant " + privateTestDir + "readBackedPhasing.vcf.gz" +
+                        " -enableMergeToMNP -maxDistMNP 2 -L 1:1875000-1877000" +
+                        " -o %s" +
+                        " --no_cmdline_in_header",
+                1,
+                Arrays.asList("630816da701b9ea8674c23c91fa61bec"));
+        executeTest("Merge SNPs if on the same read", spec);
+    }
 }