Index: src/checkin.c
==================================================================
--- src/checkin.c
+++ src/checkin.c
@@ -1641,13 +1641,12 @@
     " WHERE (vmerge.id=-1 OR vmerge.id=-2)"
     " ORDER BY 1");
   while( db_step(&q)==SQLITE_ROW ){
     const char *zCherrypickUuid = db_column_text(&q, 0);
     int mid = db_column_int(&q, 1);
-    if( mid != vid ){
-      blob_appendf(pOut, "Q %s\n", zCherrypickUuid);
-    }
+    if( (!g.markPrivate && content_is_private(mid)) || (mid == vid) ) continue;
+    blob_appendf(pOut, "Q %s\n", zCherrypickUuid);
   }
   db_finalize(&q);
 
   if( p->pCksum ) blob_appendf(pOut, "R %b\n", p->pCksum);
   zColor = p->zColor;
@@ -1673,19 +1672,19 @@
   while( db_step(&q)==SQLITE_ROW ){
     const char *zIntegrateUuid = db_column_text(&q, 0);
     int rid = db_column_int(&q, 1);
     if( is_a_leaf(rid) && !db_exists("SELECT 1 FROM tagxref "
         " WHERE tagid=%d AND rid=%d AND tagtype>0", TAG_CLOSED, rid)){
-#if 0
       /* Make sure the check-in manifest of the resulting merge child does not
       ** include a +close tag referring to the leaf check-in on a private
       ** branch, so as not to generate a missing artifact reference on
-      ** repository clones without that private branch.  The merge command
-      ** should have dropped the --integrate option, at this point. */
-      assert( !content_is_private(rid) );
-#endif
-      blob_appendf(pOut, "T +closed %s\n", zIntegrateUuid);
+      ** repository clones without that private branch.  Instead, the leaf of
+      ** the private branch will be closed later by a separate private control
+      ** artifact. */
+      if( !content_is_private(rid) ){
+        blob_appendf(pOut, "T +closed %s\n", zIntegrateUuid);
+      }
     }
   }
   db_finalize(&q);
 
   if( p->azTag ){
@@ -2076,10 +2075,11 @@
   Blob muuid;            /* Manifest uuid */
   Blob cksum1, cksum2;   /* Before and after commit checksums */
   Blob cksum1b;          /* Checksum recorded in the manifest */
   int szD;               /* Size of the delta manifest */
   int szB;               /* Size of the baseline manifest */
+  int nClosedPrivateLeaves = 0;   /* Number of closed private leafs */
   int nConflict = 0;     /* Number of unresolved merge conflicts */
   int abortCommit = 0;   /* Abort the commit due to text format conversions */
   Blob ans;              /* Answer to continuation prompts */
   char cReply;           /* First character of ans */
   int bRecheck = 0;      /* Repeat fork and closed-branch checks*/
@@ -2561,12 +2561,52 @@
   zUuid = db_text(0, "SELECT uuid FROM blob WHERE rid=%d", nvid);
 
   db_prepare(&q, "SELECT mhash,merge FROM vmerge WHERE id=-4");
   while( db_step(&q)==SQLITE_ROW ){
     const char *zIntegrateUuid = db_column_text(&q, 0);
-    if( is_a_leaf(db_column_int(&q, 1)) ){
-      fossil_print("Closed: %s\n", zIntegrateUuid);
+    int rid = db_column_int(&q, 1);
+    if( is_a_leaf(rid) ){
+      if( !content_is_private(rid) ){
+        fossil_print("Closed: %s\n", zIntegrateUuid);
+      }else{
+        /* Close leaves of private branches by separate private control
+        ** artifacts. */
+        Blob bCtrl;       /* Control artifact to close the private leaf */
+        char *zCtrlDate;  /* Timestamp of check-in plus N seconds */
+        Blob bCtrlXsum;   /* Checksum of the control artifact */
+        int iCtrlRid;     /* RID of the control artifact */
+        if( db_exists(
+              "SELECT 1 FROM tagxref WHERE tagid=%d AND rid=%d AND tagtype>0",
+              TAG_CLOSED, rid) ){
+          continue;   /* Already closed. */
+        }
+        nClosedPrivateLeaves++;
+        blob_zero(&bCtrl);
+        zCtrlDate = db_text(0,
+          "SELECT"
+          " strftime('%%Y-%%m-%%dT%%H:%%M:%%f',mtime,'+%d seconds')"
+          " FROM event WHERE objid=%d",
+          nClosedPrivateLeaves, nvid);
+        blob_appendf(&bCtrl, "D %z\n", date_in_standard_format(zCtrlDate));
+        if( zCtrlDate ) fossil_free(zCtrlDate);
+        blob_appendf(&bCtrl, "T +closed %s\n", zIntegrateUuid);
+        blob_appendf(&bCtrl, "U %F\n",
+          sCiInfo.zUserOvrd ? sCiInfo.zUserOvrd : login_name());
+        md5sum_blob(&bCtrl, &bCtrlXsum);
+        blob_appendf(&bCtrl, "Z %b\n", &bCtrlXsum);
+        blob_reset(&bCtrlXsum);
+        iCtrlRid = content_put_ex(&bCtrl, 0, 0, 0, /*isPrivate=*/1);
+        if( iCtrlRid==0 ){
+          fossil_fatal("trouble committing control artifact: %s", g.zErrMsg);
+        }
+        fossil_print("Closed: %s (private)\n", zIntegrateUuid);
+        if( dryRunFlag ) fossil_print("%s", blob_str(&bCtrl));
+        if( manifest_crosslink(iCtrlRid, &bCtrl,
+                               dryRunFlag ? MC_NONE : MC_PERMIT_HOOKS)==0 ){
+          fossil_fatal("%s", g.zErrMsg);
+        }
+      }
     }else{
       fossil_print("Not_Closed: %s (not a leaf any more)\n", zIntegrateUuid);
     }
   }
   db_finalize(&q);

Index: src/merge.c
==================================================================
--- src/merge.c
+++ src/merge.c
@@ -404,17 +404,10 @@
                  " Use --force to override.\n");
     return;
   }
   if( integrateFlag && !is_a_leaf(mid)){
     fossil_warning("ignoring --integrate: %s is not a leaf", g.argv[2]);
-    integrateFlag = 0;
-  }
-  if( integrateFlag && content_is_private(mid) ){
-    fossil_warning(
-      "ignoring --integrate: %s is on a private branch"
-      "\n Use \"fossil amend --close\" (after commit) to close the leaf.",
-      g.argv[2]);
     integrateFlag = 0;
   }
   if( verboseFlag ){
     print_checkin_description(mid, 12,
               integrateFlag ? "integrate:" : "merge-from:");

Index: www/private.wiki
==================================================================
--- www/private.wiki
+++ www/private.wiki
@@ -40,18 +40,18 @@
 A private branch created with Fossil version 1.30 or newer can also be
 converted into a public branch using the <code>fossil publish</code>
 command.  However, there is no way to convert a private branch created with
 older versions of Fossil into a public branch.
 
-The <code>--integrate</code> option of <code>fossil merge</code> (to close
-the merged branch when committing) is ignored for a private branch -- or the
-check-in manifest of the resulting merge child would include a
-<code>+close</code> tag referring to the leaf check-in on the private branch,
-and generate a missing artifact reference on repository clones without that
-private branch.  It's still possible to close the leaf of the private branch
-(after committing the merge child) with the <code>fossil amend --close</code>
-command.
+If the <code>--integrate</code> option of <code>fossil merge</code> (to close
+the merged branch when committing) is used for a private branch, a separate
+control artifact to apply the <code>+close</code> tag is created and added to
+the repository during the commit process.  Managing the <code>+close</code>
+tag directly from the check-in manifest of the resulting merge child would
+generate a reference to the leaf check-in on the private branch, and generate
+a missing artifact reference (a "phantom") on repository clones without that
+private branch.
 
 <h2>Syncing Private Branches</h2>
 
 A private branch normally stays on the one repository where it was
 originally created.  But sometimes you want to share private branches