diff --git a/odoo/addons/base/wizard/base_partner_merge.py b/odoo/addons/base/wizard/base_partner_merge.py
index 424a731492c..85df8df4506 100644
--- a/odoo/addons/base/wizard/base_partner_merge.py
+++ b/odoo/addons/base/wizard/base_partner_merge.py
@@ -66,7 +66,7 @@ class MergePartnerAutomatic(models.TransientModel):
     number_group = fields.Integer('Group of Contacts', readonly=True)
     current_line_id = fields.Many2one('base.partner.merge.line', string='Current Line')
     line_ids = fields.One2many('base.partner.merge.line', 'wizard_id', string='Lines')
-    partner_ids = fields.Many2many('res.partner', string='Contacts')
+    partner_ids = fields.Many2many('res.partner', string='Contacts', context={'active_test': False})
     dst_partner_id = fields.Many2one('res.partner', string='Destination Contact')
 
     exclude_contact = fields.Boolean('A user associated to the contact')
@@ -429,7 +429,7 @@ class MergePartnerAutomatic(models.TransientModel):
             :param partner_ids : list of partner ids to sort
         """
         return self.env['res.partner'].browse(partner_ids).sorted(
-            key=lambda p: (p.active, (p.create_date or datetime.datetime(1970, 1, 1))),
+            key=lambda p: (not p.active, (p.create_date or datetime.datetime(1970, 1, 1))),
             reverse=True,
         )
 
diff --git a/odoo/addons/test_new_api/tests/test_one2many.py b/odoo/addons/test_new_api/tests/test_one2many.py
index 8dfa81c18b6..5b05038eebe 100644
--- a/odoo/addons/test_new_api/tests/test_one2many.py
+++ b/odoo/addons/test_new_api/tests/test_one2many.py
@@ -169,6 +169,25 @@ class One2manyCase(TransactionCase):
         self.assertTrue(model2.exists())
         self.assertEqual(model2.pArTneR_321_id, p1)
 
+    def test_merge_partner_archived(self):
+        partner = self.env['res.partner']
+
+        p1 = partner.create({'name': 'test1'})
+        p2 = partner.create({'name': 'test2'})
+        p3 = partner.create({'name': 'test3', 'active': False})
+        partners_ids = (p1 + p2 + p3)
+
+        wizard = self.env['base.partner.merge.automatic.wizard'].with_context(active_ids=partners_ids.ids, active_model='res.partner').create({})
+
+        self.assertEqual(wizard.partner_ids, partners_ids)
+        self.assertEqual(wizard.dst_partner_id, p2)
+
+        wizard.action_merge()
+
+        self.assertFalse(p1.exists())
+        self.assertTrue(p2.exists())
+        self.assertFalse(p3.exists())
+
     def test_cache_invalidation(self):
         """ Cache invalidation for one2many with integer inverse. """
         record0 = self.env['test_new_api.attachment.host'].create({})