diff --git a/zuul/cmd/merger.py b/zuul/cmd/merger.py
index f046235d3c..edf8da99de 100644
--- a/zuul/cmd/merger.py
+++ b/zuul/cmd/merger.py
@@ -138,7 +138,7 @@ def main():
     if server.config.has_option('merger', 'pidfile'):
         pid_fn = os.path.expanduser(server.config.get('merger', 'pidfile'))
     else:
-        pid_fn = '/var/run/zuul-merger/merger.pid'
+        pid_fn = '/var/run/zuul-merger/zuul-merger.pid'
     pid = pid_file_module.TimeoutPIDLockFile(pid_fn, 10)
 
     if server.args.nodaemon: