diff --git a/pkg/commands/models/file_change_node.go b/pkg/commands/models/file_change_node.go
index 805a74439..c70db2dfa 100644
--- a/pkg/commands/models/file_change_node.go
+++ b/pkg/commands/models/file_change_node.go
@@ -16,26 +16,30 @@ type FileChangeNode struct {
 }
 
 func (s *FileChangeNode) GetHasUnstagedChanges() bool {
-	if s.IsLeaf() {
-		return s.File.HasUnstagedChanges
-	}
-
-	for _, child := range s.Children {
-		if child.GetHasUnstagedChanges() {
-			return true
-		}
-	}
-
-	return false
+	return s.AnyFile(func(file *File) bool { return file.HasUnstagedChanges })
 }
 
 func (s *FileChangeNode) GetHasStagedChanges() bool {
-	if s.IsLeaf() {
-		return s.File.HasStagedChanges
+	return s.AnyFile(func(file *File) bool { return file.HasStagedChanges })
+}
+
+func (s *FileChangeNode) GetHasInlineMergeConflicts() bool {
+	return s.AnyFile(func(file *File) bool { return file.HasInlineMergeConflicts })
+}
+
+func (s *FileChangeNode) AnyFile(test func(file *File) bool) bool {
+	return s.Any(func(node *FileChangeNode) bool {
+		return node.IsLeaf() && test(node.File)
+	})
+}
+
+func (s *FileChangeNode) Any(test func(node *FileChangeNode) bool) bool {
+	if test(s) {
+		return true
 	}
 
 	for _, child := range s.Children {
-		if child.GetHasStagedChanges() {
+		if test(child) {
 			return true
 		}
 	}
diff --git a/pkg/gui/files_panel.go b/pkg/gui/files_panel.go
index 26c3eee49..f1fbc4325 100644
--- a/pkg/gui/files_panel.go
+++ b/pkg/gui/files_panel.go
@@ -225,8 +225,6 @@ func (gui *Gui) handleFilePress() error {
 		return nil
 	}
 
-	// need to stage or unstage depending on situation. If we have a merge conflict we can't do anything
-
 	if node.IsLeaf() {
 		file := node.File
 
@@ -244,6 +242,12 @@ func (gui *Gui) handleFilePress() error {
 			}
 		}
 	} else {
+		// if any files within have inline merge conflicts we can't stage or unstage,
+		// or it'll end up with those >>>>>> lines actually staged
+		if node.GetHasInlineMergeConflicts() {
+			return gui.createErrorPanel(gui.Tr.ErrStageDirWithInlineMergeConflicts)
+		}
+
 		if node.GetHasUnstagedChanges() {
 			if err := gui.GitCommand.StageFile(node.Path); err != nil {
 				return gui.surfaceError(err)
diff --git a/pkg/i18n/english.go b/pkg/i18n/english.go
index 6d7601144..f2211f8b1 100644
--- a/pkg/i18n/english.go
+++ b/pkg/i18n/english.go
@@ -437,6 +437,7 @@ type TranslationSet struct {
 	CommitMessageCopiedToClipboard      string
 	LcCopiedToClipboard                 string
 	ErrCannotEditDirectory              string
+	ErrStageDirWithInlineMergeConflicts string
 }
 
 const englishReleaseNotes = `## lazygit 0.26 Release Notes
@@ -997,5 +998,6 @@ func englishTranslationSet() TranslationSet {
 		CommitMessageCopiedToClipboard:      "Commit message copied to clipboard",
 		LcCopiedToClipboard:                 "copied to clipboard",
 		ErrCannotEditDirectory:              "Cannot edit directory: you can only edit individual files",
+		ErrStageDirWithInlineMergeConflicts: "Cannot stage/unstage directory containing files with inline merge conflicts. Please fix up the merge conflicts first",
 	}
 }