diff --git a/app/controllers/merge_requests_controller.rb b/app/controllers/merge_requests_controller.rb
index 4c674c46b..6d7738204 100644
--- a/app/controllers/merge_requests_controller.rb
+++ b/app/controllers/merge_requests_controller.rb
@@ -1,21 +1,11 @@
 class MergeRequestsController < ApplicationController
-  before_action :find_resource, only: %i[
-    update
-    organisations
-    update_organisations
-    remove_merging_organisation
-    absorbing_organisation
-    confirm_telephone_number
-    new_organisation_name
-    new_organisation_address
-    new_organisation_telephone_number
-    new_organisation_type
-    merge_date
-  ]
+  before_action :find_resource, exclude: %i[create new]
   before_action :authenticate_user!
   before_action :authenticate_scope!
+  before_action :set_organisations_answer_options, only: %i[organisations absorbing_organisation update_organisations remove_merging_organisation update]
 
   def absorbing_organisation; end
+  def organisations; end
   def confirm_telephone_number; end
   def new_organisation_name; end
   def new_organisation_address; end
@@ -32,10 +22,6 @@ class MergeRequestsController < ApplicationController
     render_not_found
   end
 
-  def organisations
-    @answer_options = organisations_answer_options
-  end
-
   def update
     validate_response
 
@@ -48,7 +34,6 @@ class MergeRequestsController < ApplicationController
 
   def update_organisations
     merge_request_organisation = MergeRequestOrganisation.new(merge_request_organisation_params)
-    @answer_options = organisations_answer_options
     if merge_request_organisation.save
       render :organisations
     else
@@ -58,7 +43,6 @@ class MergeRequestsController < ApplicationController
 
   def remove_merging_organisation
     MergeRequestOrganisation.find_by(merge_request_organisation_params)&.destroy!
-    @answer_options = organisations_answer_options
     render :organisations
   end
 
@@ -97,13 +81,16 @@ private
     params.dig(:merge_request, :absorbing_organisation_id) == "other"
   end
 
-  def organisations_answer_options
+  def set_organisations_answer_options
     answer_options = { "" => "Select an option" }
 
-    Organisation.all.pluck(:id, :name).each do |organisation|
-      answer_options[organisation[0]] = organisation[1]
+    if current_user.support?
+      Organisation.all.pluck(:id, :name).each do |organisation|
+        answer_options[organisation[0]] = organisation[1]
+      end
     end
-    answer_options
+
+    @answer_options = answer_options
   end
 
   def merge_request_params
@@ -165,6 +152,8 @@ private
   end
 
   def find_resource
+    return if params[:id].blank?
+
     @merge_request = MergeRequest.find(params[:id])
   end
 
diff --git a/app/views/merge_requests/absorbing_organisation.html.erb b/app/views/merge_requests/absorbing_organisation.html.erb
index e63154bac..ea54de32a 100644
--- a/app/views/merge_requests/absorbing_organisation.html.erb
+++ b/app/views/merge_requests/absorbing_organisation.html.erb
@@ -1,32 +1,28 @@
 <% content_for :before_content do %>
   <% title = "Tell us if your organisation is merging" %>
   <% content_for :title, title %>
-  <%= govuk_back_link href: organisations_merge_request_path(id: @merge_request) %>
+  <%= govuk_back_link href: organisations_path(anchor: "merge-requests") %>
 <% end %>
 
 <%= form_with model: @merge_request, url: merge_request_path, method: :patch do |f| %>
   <%= f.govuk_error_summary %>
 
-  <h2 class="govuk-heading-l">Which organisation is absorbing the others?</h2>
+  <h1 class="govuk-heading-l">Which organisation is absorbing the others?</h1>
   <div class="govuk-grid-row">
     <div class="govuk-grid-column-two-thirds-from-desktop">
-      <p class="govuk-body">Select the organisation that the other organisations are merging into.</p>
+      <p class="govuk-hint">If organisations are merging into a new organisation, <%= govuk_link_to "create the new organisation", new_organisation_path %> first and then select it here.</p>
 
-      <%= f.govuk_radio_buttons_fieldset(
-        :absorbing_organisation_id,
-        hint: { text: "For example, if Skype and Yammer merged into Microsoft, you would select Microsoft." },
-        legend: nil,
-      ) do %>
-        <% @merge_request.merging_organisations.order(:name).each do |org| %>
-          <%= f.govuk_radio_button(
-            :absorbing_organisation_id,
-            org.id,
-            label: { text: org.name },
-          ) %>
+      <%= f.govuk_select(:absorbing_organisation_id,
+        label: { text: "Select organisation name", class: "govuk-label--m" },
+        "data-controller": "accessible-autocomplete") do %>
+          <% @answer_options.map { |id, name| OpenStruct.new(id:, name:) }.each do |answer| %>
+            <option value="<%= answer.id %>"
+              data-synonyms="<%= answer_option_synonyms(answer.resource) %>"
+              data-append="<%= answer_option_append(answer.resource) %>"
+              data-hint="<%= answer_option_hint(answer.resource) %>"
+              <%= @merge_request.absorbing_organisation_id == answer.id ? "selected" : "" %>><%= answer.name || answer.resource %></option>
+          <% end %>
         <% end %>
-        <%= f.govuk_radio_divider %>
-        <%= f.govuk_radio_button :absorbing_organisation_id, "other", checked: @merge_request.new_absorbing_organisation?, label: { text: "These organisations are merging into a new one" } %>
-      <% end %>
 
       <%= f.hidden_field :page, value: "absorbing_organisation" %>
 
diff --git a/app/views/organisations/index.html.erb b/app/views/organisations/index.html.erb
index 4701e67fd..d95516eba 100644
--- a/app/views/organisations/index.html.erb
+++ b/app/views/organisations/index.html.erb
@@ -15,7 +15,7 @@
       <%== render partial: "pagy/nav", locals: { pagy: @pagy, item_name: "organisations" } %>
     <% end %>
     <% c.with_tab(label: "Merge requests") do %>
-      <%= govuk_button_link_to "Create new merge request", "/organisations/#{current_user.organisation_id}/merge-request", html: { method: :get } %>
+      <%= govuk_button_to "Create new merge request", merge_requests_path, html: { method: :post } %>
       <%= render partial: "merge_request_list", locals: { merge_requests: @merge_requests, title: "Merge requests", pagy: @pagy, searched: @searched, item_label:, total_count: @total_count } %>
     <% end %>
   <% end %>
diff --git a/spec/requests/merge_requests_controller_spec.rb b/spec/requests/merge_requests_controller_spec.rb
index 03addfca4..2ae5dce42 100644
--- a/spec/requests/merge_requests_controller_spec.rb
+++ b/spec/requests/merge_requests_controller_spec.rb
@@ -256,6 +256,21 @@ RSpec.describe MergeRequestsController, type: :request do
       end
     end
 
+    describe "#absorbing_organisation" do
+      let(:merge_request) { MergeRequest.create!(requesting_organisation: organisation) }
+
+      before { get "/merge-request/#{merge_request.id}/absorbing-organisation", headers: }
+
+      it "asks for the absorbing organisation" do
+        expect(page).to have_content("Which organisation is absorbing the others?")
+        expect(page).to have_content("Select organisation name")
+      end
+
+      it "has the correct back button" do
+        expect(page).to have_link("Back", href: organisations_path(anchor: "merge-requests"))
+      end
+    end
+
     describe "#update" do
       describe "from absorbing_organisation page" do
         context "when not answering the question" do
diff --git a/spec/requests/organisations_controller_spec.rb b/spec/requests/organisations_controller_spec.rb
index 6c4bc6202..76ef51749 100644
--- a/spec/requests/organisations_controller_spec.rb
+++ b/spec/requests/organisations_controller_spec.rb
@@ -1022,7 +1022,7 @@ RSpec.describe OrganisationsController, type: :request do
         end
 
         it "has a create new merge request button" do
-          expect(page).to have_link("Create new merge request")
+          expect(page).to have_button("Create new merge request")
         end
 
         it "displays 'No merge requests' when @merge_requests is empty" do