diff --git a/CHANGELOG.md b/CHANGELOG.md
index 39c54b9a1..8e6997e68 100644
--- a/CHANGELOG.md
+++ b/CHANGELOG.md
@@ -20,7 +20,7 @@ dj.FreeTable(dj.conn(), "common_session.session_group").drop()
     #1108
 - Add docstrings to all public methods #1076
 - Update DataJoint to 0.14.2 #1081
-- Allow restriction based on parent keys in `Merge.fetch_nwb()` #1086
+- Allow restriction based on parent keys in `Merge.fetch_nwb()` #1086, #1126
 - Import `datajoint.dependencies.unite_master_parts` -> `topo_sort` #1116
 
 ### Pipelines
diff --git a/src/spyglass/utils/dj_merge_tables.py b/src/spyglass/utils/dj_merge_tables.py
index b2ddbff93..dbe626408 100644
--- a/src/spyglass/utils/dj_merge_tables.py
+++ b/src/spyglass/utils/dj_merge_tables.py
@@ -853,6 +853,9 @@ def extract_merge_id(cls, restriction) -> Union[dict, list]:
         merge_id present in the input, relying on parent func to
         restrict on secondary or part-parent key(s).
 
+        Assumes that a valid set of merge_id keys should have OR logic
+        to allow selection of an entries.
+
         Parameters
         ----------
         restriction : str, dict, or dj.condition.AndList
@@ -878,9 +881,7 @@ def extract_merge_id(cls, restriction) -> Union[dict, list]:
             merge_restr = [x for x in merge_id_list if x is not None]
         elif isinstance(restriction, str):
             parsed = [x.split(")")[0] for x in restriction.split("(") if x]
-            merge_restr = dj.condition.AndList(
-                [x for x in parsed if "merge_id" in x]
-            )
+            merge_restr = [x for x in parsed if "merge_id" in x]
 
         if len(merge_restr) == 0:
             return True