diff --git a/src/caosdb/apiutils.py b/src/caosdb/apiutils.py
index f86ea010cf7e1e8797bce23c83c22436ebc07de3..0f8a2495b52099f30ed72c7a273f01b078cea56c 100644
--- a/src/caosdb/apiutils.py
+++ b/src/caosdb/apiutils.py
@@ -712,7 +712,7 @@ def copy_entity(entity: Entity):
     return new
 
 
-def merge_entities_in_place(entity_a: Entity, entity_b: Entity):
+def merge_entities(entity_a: Entity, entity_b: Entity):
     """
     Merge entity_b into entity_a such that they have the same parents and properties.
     """