diff -r 77d760ba8dcd -r 4dc5951df1e4 mercurial/filemerge.py
--- a/mercurial/filemerge.py	Mon Nov 23 18:03:25 2015 -0800
+++ b/mercurial/filemerge.py	Tue Nov 24 10:57:01 2015 -0800
@@ -285,6 +285,9 @@
     Rather than attempting to merge files that were modified on both
     branches, it marks them as unresolved. The resolve command must be
     used to resolve these conflicts."""
+    # for change/delete conflicts write out the changed version, then fail
+    if fcd.isabsent():
+        repo.wwrite(fcd.path(), fco.data(), fco.flags())
     return 1, False
 
 def _premerge(repo, fcd, fco, fca, toolconf, files, labels=None):