diff --git a/app/controllers/merge_requests_controller.rb b/app/controllers/merge_requests_controller.rb
index e38d1bdf0..c6687b704 100644
--- a/app/controllers/merge_requests_controller.rb
+++ b/app/controllers/merge_requests_controller.rb
@@ -137,9 +137,9 @@ private
         @merge_request.errors.add(:absorbing_organisation_id, :blank)
       end
     when "merge_date"
-      day = merge_request_params["merge_date(3i)"]
-      month = merge_request_params["merge_date(2i)"]
-      year = merge_request_params["merge_date(1i)"]
+      day = merge_request_params["merge_date"].split("/")[0]
+      month = merge_request_params["merge_date"].split("/")[1]
+      year = merge_request_params["merge_date"].split("/")[2]
 
       return @merge_request.errors.add(:merge_date, :blank) if [day, month, year].all?(&:blank?)
 
diff --git a/app/views/merge_requests/merge_date.html.erb b/app/views/merge_requests/merge_date.html.erb
index 637426446..c4f893892 100644
--- a/app/views/merge_requests/merge_date.html.erb
+++ b/app/views/merge_requests/merge_date.html.erb
@@ -11,11 +11,15 @@
       <h2 class="govuk-heading-l">What is the merge date?</h2>
       <p class="govuk-hint">
         Enter the official merge date. Log and organisation page data will show the new organisation name from this date. <br><br>
-        For example, <%= date_mid_collection_year_formatted(Time.zone.now) %></p>
-      <%= f.govuk_date_field :merge_date,
-        legend: { hidden: true },
-        width: 20 do %>
-      <% end %>
+        For example, <%= date_mid_collection_year_formatted(Time.zone.now).tr(" ", "/") %></p>
+      <%= render partial: "components/date_picker", locals: {
+          resource: @merge_request,
+          question_id: "merge_date",
+          legend: nil,
+          resource_type: "merge_request",
+          hint: "",
+          f:,
+      } %>
       <%= f.hidden_field :page, value: "merge_date" %>
         <div class="govuk-button-group">
           <%= f.govuk_submit submit_merge_request_button_text(request.query_parameters["referrer"]) %>
diff --git a/spec/requests/merge_requests_controller_spec.rb b/spec/requests/merge_requests_controller_spec.rb
index 4c07dbfb7..5545d6ca2 100644
--- a/spec/requests/merge_requests_controller_spec.rb
+++ b/spec/requests/merge_requests_controller_spec.rb
@@ -354,7 +354,7 @@ RSpec.describe MergeRequestsController, type: :request do
         context "when not answering the question" do
           let(:merge_request) { MergeRequest.create!(requesting_organisation: organisation, absorbing_organisation: other_organisation) }
           let(:params) do
-            { merge_request: { page: "merge_date" } }
+            { merge_request: { merge_date: "", page: "merge_date" } }
           end
           let(:request) do
             patch "/merge-request/#{merge_request.id}", headers:, params:
@@ -375,7 +375,7 @@ RSpec.describe MergeRequestsController, type: :request do
         context "when merge date set to an invalid date" do
           let(:merge_request) { MergeRequest.create!(requesting_organisation: organisation) }
           let(:params) do
-            { merge_request: { page: "merge_date", "merge_date(3i)": "10", "merge_date(2i)": "44", "merge_date(1i)": "2022" } }
+            { merge_request: { page: "merge_date", "merge_date": "10/44/2022" } }
           end
 
           let(:request) do
@@ -393,7 +393,7 @@ RSpec.describe MergeRequestsController, type: :request do
         context "when merge date set to a valid date" do
           let(:merge_request) { MergeRequest.create!(requesting_organisation: organisation) }
           let(:params) do
-            { merge_request: { page: "merge_date", "merge_date(3i)": "10", "merge_date(2i)": "4", "merge_date(1i)": "2022" } }
+            { merge_request: { page: "merge_date", "merge_date": "10/4/2022" } }
           end
 
           let(:request) do
@@ -416,7 +416,7 @@ RSpec.describe MergeRequestsController, type: :request do
         context "when merge date set to a date more than 1 year in the future" do
           let(:merge_request) { MergeRequest.create!(requesting_organisation: organisation) }
           let(:params) do
-            { merge_request: { page: "merge_date", "merge_date(3i)": (Time.zone.now.day + 1).to_s, "merge_date(2i)": Time.zone.now.month.to_s, "merge_date(1i)": (Time.zone.now.year + 1).to_s } }
+            { merge_request: { page: "merge_date", "merge_date": [(Time.zone.now.day + 1).to_s, Time.zone.now.month.to_s, (Time.zone.now.year + 1).to_s].join("/") } }
           end
 
           let(:request) do