diff --git a/src/documents/serialisers.py b/src/documents/serialisers.py
index 1a491c5a4..69766f41c 100644
--- a/src/documents/serialisers.py
+++ b/src/documents/serialisers.py
@@ -1675,6 +1675,22 @@ class MergeDocumentsSerializer(DocumentListSerializer, SourceModeValidationMixin
     from_webui = serializers.BooleanField(required=False, default=False)
 
 
+class MergeDocumentsAsVersionsSerializer(DocumentListSerializer):
+    root_document_id = serializers.IntegerField(required=True)
+
+    def validate(self, attrs):
+        documents = attrs["documents"]
+        if len(documents) < 2:
+            raise serializers.ValidationError(
+                "At least two documents are required.",
+            )
+        if attrs["root_document_id"] not in documents:
+            raise serializers.ValidationError(
+                "root_document_id must be one of the selected documents.",
+            )
+        return attrs
+
+
 class EditPdfDocumentsSerializer(DocumentListSerializer, SourceModeValidationMixin):
     operations = serializers.ListField(required=True)
     delete_original = serializers.BooleanField(required=False, default=False)
diff --git a/src/documents/tests/test_merge_documents_as_versions.py b/src/documents/tests/test_merge_documents_as_versions.py
new file mode 100644
index 000000000..12ff16ae3
--- /dev/null
+++ b/src/documents/tests/test_merge_documents_as_versions.py
@@ -0,0 +1,67 @@
+from django.test import TestCase
+
+from documents.models import Document
+from documents.serialisers import MergeDocumentsAsVersionsSerializer
+
+
+class TestMergeDocumentsAsVersionsSerializer(TestCase):
+    def setUp(self) -> None:
+        self.doc1 = Document.objects.create(checksum="A", title="A")
+        self.doc2 = Document.objects.create(checksum="B", title="B")
+        self.doc3 = Document.objects.create(checksum="C", title="C")
+
+    def test_accepts_selected_root_document(self) -> None:
+        serializer = MergeDocumentsAsVersionsSerializer(
+            data={
+                "documents": [self.doc1.id, self.doc2.id, self.doc3.id],
+                "root_document_id": self.doc2.id,
+            },
+        )
+
+        self.assertTrue(serializer.is_valid(), serializer.errors)
+        self.assertEqual(
+            serializer.validated_data,
+            {
+                "documents": [self.doc1.id, self.doc2.id, self.doc3.id],
+                "root_document_id": self.doc2.id,
+            },
+        )
+
+    def test_requires_at_least_two_documents(self) -> None:
+        serializer = MergeDocumentsAsVersionsSerializer(
+            data={
+                "documents": [self.doc1.id],
+                "root_document_id": self.doc1.id,
+            },
+        )
+
+        self.assertFalse(serializer.is_valid())
+        self.assertEqual(
+            serializer.errors["non_field_errors"][0],
+            "At least two documents are required.",
+        )
+
+    def test_requires_root_document_to_be_selected(self) -> None:
+        serializer = MergeDocumentsAsVersionsSerializer(
+            data={
+                "documents": [self.doc1.id, self.doc2.id],
+                "root_document_id": self.doc3.id,
+            },
+        )
+
+        self.assertFalse(serializer.is_valid())
+        self.assertEqual(
+            serializer.errors["non_field_errors"][0],
+            "root_document_id must be one of the selected documents.",
+        )
+
+    def test_rejects_duplicate_documents(self) -> None:
+        serializer = MergeDocumentsAsVersionsSerializer(
+            data={
+                "documents": [self.doc1.id, self.doc1.id],
+                "root_document_id": self.doc1.id,
+            },
+        )
+
+        self.assertFalse(serializer.is_valid())
+        self.assertIn("documents", serializer.errors)