diff --git a/git-flow b/git-flow
index 5fbbf8c..5be05f4 100755
--- a/git-flow
+++ b/git-flow
@@ -18,6 +18,7 @@
 	set -x
 fi
 
+export GIT_DIR=$(git rev-parse --git-dir)
 export GITFLOW_DIR=$(dirname "$0")
 export MASTER_BRANCH=$(git config --get gitflow.branch.master || echo master)
 export DEVELOP_BRANCH=$(git config --get gitflow.branch.develop || echo develop)
@@ -83,11 +84,23 @@
 	cmd_$SUBACTION "$@"
 }
 
-gitflow_require_clean_working_tree() {
+gitflow_test_clean_working_tree() {
 	if ! git diff --no-ext-diff --ignore-submodules --quiet --exit-code; then
+		return 1
+	elif ! git diff-index --cached --quiet --ignore-submodules HEAD --; then
+		return 2
+	else
+		return 0
+	fi
+}
+
+gitflow_require_clean_working_tree() {
+	gitflow_test_clean_working_tree
+	result=$?
+	if [ $result -eq 1 ]; then
 		die "Working tree contains unstaged changes. Aborting ..."
 	fi
-	if ! git diff-index --cached --quiet --ignore-submodules HEAD --; then
+	if [ $result -eq 2 ]; then
 		die "Index contains uncommited changes. Aborting ..."
 	fi
 }
@@ -162,4 +175,16 @@
 	fi
 }
 
+#
+# gitflow_is_branch_merged_into()
+#
+# Checks whether branch $1 is succesfully merged into $2
+#
+gitflow_is_branch_merged_into() {
+	local SUBJECT=$1
+	local BASE=$2
+	ALL_MERGES=$(git branch --contains $SUBJECT | sed 's/^[* ] //')
+	has $BASE $ALL_MERGES
+}
+
 main "$@"
diff --git a/git-flow-feature b/git-flow-feature
index b9f18b7..482b298 100644
--- a/git-flow-feature
+++ b/git-flow-feature
@@ -102,9 +102,51 @@
 	parse_args "$@"
 
 	# sanity checks
-	gitflow_require_clean_working_tree
 	gitflow_require_branch $BRANCH
 
+	# detect if we're restoring from a merge conflict
+	if [ -f "$GIT_DIR/.gitflow/MERGE_BASE" ]; then
+		#
+		# TODO: detect that we're working on the correct branch here!
+		# The user need not necessarily have given the same $NAME twice here
+		# (although he/she should).
+		# 
+
+		# TODO: gitflow_test_clean_working_tree() should provide an alternative
+		# exit code for "unmerged changes in working tree", which we should
+		# actually be testing for here
+		if gitflow_test_clean_working_tree; then
+			FINISH_BASE="$(cat "$GIT_DIR/.gitflow/MERGE_BASE")"
+
+			# Since the working tree is now clean, either the user did a
+			# succesfull merge manually, or the merge was cancelled.
+			# We detect this using gitflow_is_branch_merged_into()
+			if gitflow_is_branch_merged_into $BRANCH $FINISH_BASE; then
+				rm -f "$GIT_DIR/.gitflow/MERGE_BASE"
+				helper_finish_cleanup
+				exit 0
+			else
+				# If the user cancelled the merge and decided to wait until later,
+				# that's fine. But we have to acknowledge this by removing the
+				# MERGE_BASE file and continuing normal execution of the finish
+				rm -f "$GIT_DIR/.gitflow/MERGE_BASE"
+			fi
+		else
+			echo
+			echo "Merge conflicts not resolved yet, use:"
+			echo "    git mergetool"
+			echo "    git commit"
+			echo 
+			echo "You can then complete the finish by running it again:"
+			echo "    git flow feature finish $NAME"
+			echo
+			exit 1
+		fi
+	fi
+
+	# sanity checks
+	gitflow_require_clean_working_tree
+
 	# update local repo with remote changes first, if asked
 	if [ $FLAG_FETCH -eq 1 ]; then
 		git fetch -q $ORIGIN $BRANCH
@@ -125,8 +167,32 @@
 		git merge --no-ff $BRANCH
 	fi
 
+	if [ $? -ne 0 ]; then
+		# oops.. we have a merge conflict!
+		# write the given $BASE to a temporary file (we need it later)
+		mkdir -p "$GIT_DIR/.gitflow"
+		echo "$BASE" > "$GIT_DIR/.gitflow/MERGE_BASE"
+		echo
+		echo "There were merge conflicts. To resolve the merge conflict manually, use:"
+		echo "    git mergetool"
+		echo "    git commit"
+		echo 
+		echo "You can then complete the finish by running it again:"
+		echo "    git flow feature finish $NAME"
+		echo
+		exit 1
+	fi
+
+	# when no merge conflict is detected, just clean up the feature branch
+	helper_finish_cleanup
+}
+
+helper_finish_cleanup() {
+	# sanity checks
+	gitflow_require_branch $BRANCH
+	gitflow_check_clean_working_tree
+
 	# delete branch
-	# TODO: How do we handle merge conflicts here??
 	git push $ORIGIN :refs/heads/$BRANCH
 	git branch -d $BRANCH