diff --git a/src/PIL/Image.py b/src/PIL/Image.py
index ddbaec20a05..1794ffcadf3 100644
--- a/src/PIL/Image.py
+++ b/src/PIL/Image.py
@@ -3789,7 +3789,7 @@ def merge(mode: str, bands: Sequence[Image]) -> Image:
     :returns: An :py:class:`~PIL.Image.Image` object.
     """
 
-    if getmodebands(mode) != len(bands) or "*" in mode:
+    if getmodebands(mode) != len(bands):
         msg = "wrong number of bands"
         raise ValueError(msg)
     for band in bands[1:]: