diff --git a/src/libs/actions/IOU.ts b/src/libs/actions/IOU.ts
index f4ba63b49370..3adbfcade8bd 100644
--- a/src/libs/actions/IOU.ts
+++ b/src/libs/actions/IOU.ts
@@ -3528,7 +3528,7 @@ function getMoneyRequestInformation(moneyRequestInformation: MoneyRequestInforma
     // data. This is a big can of worms to change it to `Onyx.merge()` as explored in https://expensify.slack.com/archives/C05DWUDHVK7/p1692139468252109.
     // I want to clean this up at some point, but it's possible this will live in the code for a while so I've created https://github.com/Expensify/App/issues/25417
     // to remind me to do this.
-    if (isDistanceRequest) {
+    if ((!!isSplitExpense || isDistanceRequest) && existingTransaction) {
         optimisticTransaction = fastMerge(existingTransaction, optimisticTransaction, false);
     }