diff --git a/mysql-test/r/merge.result b/mysql-test/r/merge.result
index 9a34d6fba58..568f83b7d6d 100644
--- a/mysql-test/r/merge.result
+++ b/mysql-test/r/merge.result
@@ -776,3 +776,9 @@ insert into t1 values ("Monty"),("WAX"),("Walrus");
 alter table t1 engine=MERGE;
 ERROR HY000: Table storage engine for 't1' doesn't have this option
 drop table t1;
+create table t1 (b bit(1));
+create table t2 (b bit(1));
+create table tm (b bit(1)) engine = merge union = (t1,t2);
+select * from tm;
+b
+drop table tm, t1, t2;
diff --git a/mysql-test/t/merge.test b/mysql-test/t/merge.test
index 7ea14a811ed..400279a826b 100644
--- a/mysql-test/t/merge.test
+++ b/mysql-test/t/merge.test
@@ -390,4 +390,13 @@ insert into t1 values ("Monty"),("WAX"),("Walrus");
 alter table t1 engine=MERGE;
 drop table t1;
 
+#
+# BUG#19648 - Merge table does not work with bit types
+#
+create table t1 (b bit(1));
+create table t2 (b bit(1));
+create table tm (b bit(1)) engine = merge union = (t1,t2);
+select * from tm;
+drop table tm, t1, t2;
+
 # End of 5.0 tests
diff --git a/sql/ha_myisammrg.h b/sql/ha_myisammrg.h
index c762b7c286e..a73f368c51d 100644
--- a/sql/ha_myisammrg.h
+++ b/sql/ha_myisammrg.h
@@ -37,7 +37,8 @@ class ha_myisammrg: public handler
   {
     return (HA_REC_NOT_IN_SEQ | HA_AUTO_PART_KEY | HA_READ_RND_SAME |
 	    HA_NULL_IN_KEY | HA_CAN_INDEX_BLOBS | HA_FILE_BASED |
-            HA_CAN_INSERT_DELAYED | HA_ANY_INDEX_MAY_BE_UNIQUE);
+            HA_CAN_INSERT_DELAYED | HA_ANY_INDEX_MAY_BE_UNIQUE |
+            HA_CAN_BIT_FIELD);
   }
   ulong index_flags(uint inx, uint part, bool all_parts) const
   {