diff --git a/documentation/sphinx/source/release-notes.rst b/documentation/sphinx/source/release-notes.rst
index e48735b015..3f32c76882 100644
--- a/documentation/sphinx/source/release-notes.rst
+++ b/documentation/sphinx/source/release-notes.rst
@@ -27,6 +27,7 @@ Fixes
 * During an upgrade, the multi-version client now persists database default options and transaction options that aren't reset on retry (e.g. transaction timeout). In order for these options to function correctly during an upgrade, a 6.2 or later client should be used as the primary client. `(PR #1767) <https://github.com/apple/foundationdb/pull/1767>`_.
 * If a cluster is upgraded during an ``onError`` call, the cluster could return a ``cluster_version_changed`` error. `(PR #1734) <https://github.com/apple/foundationdb/pull/1734>`_.
 * Do not set doBuildTeams in StorageServerTracker unless a storage server's interface changes, in order to avoid unnecessary work. `(PR #1779) <https://github.com/apple/foundationdb/pull/1779>`_.
+* Data distribution will now pick a random destination when merging shards in the ``\xff`` keyspace. This avoids an issue with backup where the write-heavy mutation log shards could concentrate on a single process that has less data than everybody else. `(PR #1916) <https://github.com/apple/foundationdb/pull/1916>`_.
 
 Status
 ------
diff --git a/fdbserver/DataDistributionQueue.actor.cpp b/fdbserver/DataDistributionQueue.actor.cpp
index 51d287e190..bd05502a41 100644
--- a/fdbserver/DataDistributionQueue.actor.cpp
+++ b/fdbserver/DataDistributionQueue.actor.cpp
@@ -52,7 +52,14 @@ struct RelocateData {
 			rs.priority == PRIORITY_REBALANCE_OVERUTILIZED_TEAM ||
 			rs.priority == PRIORITY_REBALANCE_UNDERUTILIZED_TEAM ||
 			rs.priority == PRIORITY_SPLIT_SHARD ||
-			rs.priority == PRIORITY_TEAM_REDUNDANT ), interval("QueuedRelocation") {}
+			rs.priority == PRIORITY_TEAM_REDUNDANT ||
+			mergeWantsNewServers(rs.keys, rs.priority)), interval("QueuedRelocation") {}
+
+	static bool mergeWantsNewServers(KeyRangeRef keys, int priority) {
+		return priority == PRIORITY_MERGE_SHARD && 
+			(SERVER_KNOBS->MERGE_ONTO_NEW_TEAM == 2 || 
+				(SERVER_KNOBS->MERGE_ONTO_NEW_TEAM == 1 && keys.begin.startsWith(LiteralStringRef("\xff"))));
+	}
 
 	bool operator> (const RelocateData& rhs) const {
 		return priority != rhs.priority ? priority > rhs.priority : ( startTime != rhs.startTime ? startTime < rhs.startTime : randomId > rhs.randomId );
diff --git a/fdbserver/Knobs.cpp b/fdbserver/Knobs.cpp
index 280b1dda58..0171dd8eec 100644
--- a/fdbserver/Knobs.cpp
+++ b/fdbserver/Knobs.cpp
@@ -101,6 +101,7 @@ ServerKnobs::ServerKnobs(bool randomize, ClientKnobs* clientKnobs) {
 	init( INFLIGHT_PENALTY_HEALTHY,                              1.0 );
 	init( INFLIGHT_PENALTY_UNHEALTHY,                           10.0 );
 	init( INFLIGHT_PENALTY_ONE_LEFT,                          1000.0 );
+	init( MERGE_ONTO_NEW_TEAM,                                     1 ); if( randomize && BUGGIFY ) MERGE_ONTO_NEW_TEAM = deterministicRandom()->coinflip() ? 0 : 2;
 
 	// Data distribution
 	init( RETRY_RELOCATESHARD_DELAY,                             0.1 );
diff --git a/fdbserver/Knobs.h b/fdbserver/Knobs.h
index a378a822b5..582b225357 100644
--- a/fdbserver/Knobs.h
+++ b/fdbserver/Knobs.h
@@ -102,6 +102,7 @@ public:
 	double INFLIGHT_PENALTY_REDUNDANT;
 	double INFLIGHT_PENALTY_UNHEALTHY;
 	double INFLIGHT_PENALTY_ONE_LEFT;
+	int MERGE_ONTO_NEW_TEAM; // Merges will request new servers. 0 for off, 1 for \xff only, 2 for all shards.
 
 	// Data distribution
 	double RETRY_RELOCATESHARD_DELAY;