diff --git a/deb/reflist.go b/deb/reflist.go
index 187475dd..8a795da5 100644
--- a/deb/reflist.go
+++ b/deb/reflist.go
@@ -310,38 +310,41 @@ func (l *PackageRefList) Merge(r *PackageRefList, overrideMatching, ignoreConfli
 			overridenName = nil
 			overriddenArch = nil
 		} else {
-			partsL := bytes.Split(rl, []byte(" "))
-			archL, nameL, versionL := partsL[0][1:], partsL[1], partsL[2]
+			if !ignoreConflicting || overrideMatching {
+				partsL := bytes.Split(rl, []byte(" "))
+				archL, nameL, versionL := partsL[0][1:], partsL[1], partsL[2]
 
-			partsR := bytes.Split(rr, []byte(" "))
-			archR, nameR, versionR := partsR[0][1:], partsR[1], partsR[2]
+				partsR := bytes.Split(rr, []byte(" "))
+				archR, nameR, versionR := partsR[0][1:], partsR[1], partsR[2]
 
-			if !ignoreConflicting && bytes.Equal(archL, archR) && bytes.Equal(nameL, nameR) && bytes.Equal(versionL, versionR) {
-				// conflicting duplicates with same arch, name, version, but different file hash
-				result.Refs = append(result.Refs, r.Refs[ir])
-				il++
-				ir++
-				overridenName = nil
-				overriddenArch = nil
-				continue
-			}
-
-			if overrideMatching {
-				if bytes.Equal(archL, overriddenArch) && bytes.Equal(nameL, overridenName) {
-					// this package has already been overridden on the right
-					il++
-					continue
-				}
-
-				if bytes.Equal(archL, archR) && bytes.Equal(nameL, nameR) {
-					// override with package from the right
+				if !ignoreConflicting && bytes.Equal(archL, archR) &&
+					bytes.Equal(nameL, nameR) && bytes.Equal(versionL, versionR) {
+					// conflicting duplicates with same arch, name, version, but different file hash
 					result.Refs = append(result.Refs, r.Refs[ir])
 					il++
 					ir++
-					overriddenArch = archL
-					overridenName = nameL
+					overridenName = nil
+					overriddenArch = nil
 					continue
 				}
+
+				if overrideMatching {
+					if bytes.Equal(archL, overriddenArch) && bytes.Equal(nameL, overridenName) {
+						// this package has already been overridden on the right
+						il++
+						continue
+					}
+
+					if bytes.Equal(archL, archR) && bytes.Equal(nameL, nameR) {
+						// override with package from the right
+						result.Refs = append(result.Refs, r.Refs[ir])
+						il++
+						ir++
+						overriddenArch = archL
+						overridenName = nameL
+						continue
+					}
+				}
 			}
 
 			// otherwise append smallest of two
diff --git a/deb/reflist_bench_test.go b/deb/reflist_bench_test.go
new file mode 100644
index 00000000..367f3d09
--- /dev/null
+++ b/deb/reflist_bench_test.go
@@ -0,0 +1,30 @@
+package deb
+
+import (
+	"fmt"
+	"sort"
+	"testing"
+)
+
+func BenchmarkReflistSimpleMerge(b *testing.B) {
+	const count = 4096
+
+	l := NewPackageRefList()
+	r := NewPackageRefList()
+
+	for i := 0; i < count; i++ {
+		if i%2 == 0 {
+			l.Refs = append(l.Refs, []byte(fmt.Sprintf("Pamd64 pkg%d %d", i, i)))
+		} else {
+			r.Refs = append(r.Refs, []byte(fmt.Sprintf("Pamd64 pkg%d %d", i, i)))
+		}
+	}
+
+	sort.Sort(l)
+	sort.Sort(r)
+
+	b.ResetTimer()
+	for i := 0; i < b.N; i++ {
+		l.Merge(r, false, true)
+	}
+}