diff --git a/app/Models/Foundation/Summit/Events/SummitEvent.php b/app/Models/Foundation/Summit/Events/SummitEvent.php
index a60ef1ac..67772050 100644
--- a/app/Models/Foundation/Summit/Events/SummitEvent.php
+++ b/app/Models/Foundation/Summit/Events/SummitEvent.php
@@ -504,7 +504,7 @@ class SummitEvent extends SilverstripeBaseModel
     public function getTypeId()
     {
         try {
-            return $this->type->getId();
+            return !is_null($this->type) ? $this->type->getId() : 0;
         }
         catch(\Exception $ex){
             return 0;
diff --git a/app/Services/Model/SpeakerService.php b/app/Services/Model/SpeakerService.php
index 51e2be75..fa8bbbab 100644
--- a/app/Services/Model/SpeakerService.php
+++ b/app/Services/Model/SpeakerService.php
@@ -405,6 +405,9 @@ final class SpeakerService implements ISpeakerService
     public function merge(PresentationSpeaker $speaker_from, PresentationSpeaker $speaker_to, array $data)
     {
         return $this->tx_service->transaction(function () use ($speaker_from, $speaker_to, $data) {
+
+            if($speaker_from->getIdentifier() == $speaker_to->getIdentifier())
+                throw new ValidationException("You can not merge the same speaker!");
             // bio
             if (!isset($data['bio'])) throw new ValidationException("bio field is required");
             $speaker_id = intval($data['bio']);
diff --git a/tests/OAuth2SpeakersApiTest.php b/tests/OAuth2SpeakersApiTest.php
index 67b324db..a5bbda20 100644
--- a/tests/OAuth2SpeakersApiTest.php
+++ b/tests/OAuth2SpeakersApiTest.php
@@ -290,7 +290,7 @@ class OAuth2SpeakersApiTest extends ProtectedApiTest
     public function testGetSpeaker(){
 
         $params = [
-            'speaker_id' => 1
+            'speaker_id' => 2884
         ];
 
         $headers = [
@@ -355,4 +355,45 @@ class OAuth2SpeakersApiTest extends ProtectedApiTest
         $this->assertTrue(!is_null($speaker));
     }
 
+    public function testMergeSpeakersSame(){
+
+        $params = [
+            'speaker_from_id' => 1,
+            'speaker_to_id'   => 1
+        ];
+
+        $headers = [
+            "HTTP_Authorization" => " Bearer " . $this->access_token,
+            "CONTENT_TYPE"        => "application/json"
+        ];
+
+        $data = [
+            'title'                => 1,
+            'bio'                  => 1,
+            'first_name'           => 1,
+            'last_name'            => 1,
+            'irc'                  => 1,
+            'twitter'              => 1,
+            'pic'                  => 1,
+            'registration_request' => 1,
+            'member'               => 1,
+        ];
+
+        $response = $this->action(
+            "PUT",
+            "OAuth2SummitSpeakersApiController@merge",
+            $params,
+            [],
+            [],
+            [],
+            $headers,
+            json_encode($data)
+        );
+
+        $content = $response->getContent();
+        $this->assertResponseStatus(412);
+        $speaker = json_decode($content);
+        $this->assertTrue(!is_null($speaker));
+    }
+
 }
\ No newline at end of file