diff --git a/lib/api/controllers/links/postLink.ts b/lib/api/controllers/links/postLink.ts
index 0dcc5dc..0301bca 100644
--- a/lib/api/controllers/links/postLink.ts
+++ b/lib/api/controllers/links/postLink.ts
@@ -93,20 +93,21 @@ export default async function postLink(
     },
   });
 
-  const existingLink = await prisma.link.findFirst({
-    where: {
-      url: link.url,
-      collection: {
-        ownerId: userId,
+  if (user?.preventDuplicateLinks) {
+    const existingLink = await prisma.link.findFirst({
+      where: {
+        url: link.url?.trim(),
+        collection: {
+          ownerId: userId,
+        },
       },
-    },
-  });
+    });
 
-  if (existingLink && user?.mergeDuplicateLinks) {
-    return {
-      response: "Link already exists",
-      status: 409,
-    };
+    if (existingLink)
+      return {
+        response: "Link already exists",
+        status: 409,
+      };
   }
 
   const numberOfLinksTheUserHas = await prisma.link.count({
@@ -148,7 +149,7 @@ export default async function postLink(
 
   const newLink = await prisma.link.create({
     data: {
-      url: link.url,
+      url: link.url?.trim(),
       name: link.name,
       description,
       type: linkType,
diff --git a/lib/api/controllers/users/userId/updateUserById.ts b/lib/api/controllers/users/userId/updateUserById.ts
index 7459d1d..f2b5e91 100644
--- a/lib/api/controllers/users/userId/updateUserById.ts
+++ b/lib/api/controllers/users/userId/updateUserById.ts
@@ -190,7 +190,7 @@ export default async function updateUserById(
       archiveAsPDF: data.archiveAsPDF,
       archiveAsWaybackMachine: data.archiveAsWaybackMachine,
       linksRouteTo: data.linksRouteTo,
-      mergeDuplicateLinks: data.mergeDuplicateLinks,
+      preventDuplicateLinks: data.preventDuplicateLinks,
       password:
         data.newPassword && data.newPassword !== ""
           ? newHashedPassword
diff --git a/pages/settings/preference.tsx b/pages/settings/preference.tsx
index b581045..1d5a2e0 100644
--- a/pages/settings/preference.tsx
+++ b/pages/settings/preference.tsx
@@ -16,7 +16,7 @@ export default function Appearance() {
   const { account, updateAccount } = useAccountStore();
   const [user, setUser] = useState<AccountSettings>(account);
 
-  const [mergeDuplicateLinks, setMergeDuplicateLinks] =
+  const [preventDuplicateLinks, setPreventDuplicateLinks] =
     useState<boolean>(false);
   const [archiveAsScreenshot, setArchiveAsScreenshot] =
     useState<boolean>(false);
@@ -34,7 +34,7 @@ export default function Appearance() {
       archiveAsPDF,
       archiveAsWaybackMachine,
       linksRouteTo,
-      mergeDuplicateLinks,
+      preventDuplicateLinks,
     });
   }, [
     account,
@@ -42,7 +42,7 @@ export default function Appearance() {
     archiveAsPDF,
     archiveAsWaybackMachine,
     linksRouteTo,
-    mergeDuplicateLinks,
+    preventDuplicateLinks,
   ]);
 
   function objectIsEmpty(obj: object) {
@@ -55,7 +55,7 @@ export default function Appearance() {
       setArchiveAsPDF(account.archiveAsPDF);
       setArchiveAsWaybackMachine(account.archiveAsWaybackMachine);
       setLinksRouteTo(account.linksRouteTo);
-      setMergeDuplicateLinks(account.mergeDuplicateLinks);
+      setPreventDuplicateLinks(account.preventDuplicateLinks);
     }
   }, [account]);
 
@@ -151,9 +151,9 @@ export default function Appearance() {
           <div className="divider my-3"></div>
           <div className="mb-3">
             <Checkbox
-              label="Merge duplicate links"
-              state={mergeDuplicateLinks}
-              onClick={() => setMergeDuplicateLinks(!mergeDuplicateLinks)}
+              label="Prevent duplicate links"
+              state={preventDuplicateLinks}
+              onClick={() => setPreventDuplicateLinks(!preventDuplicateLinks)}
             />
           </div>
 
diff --git a/prisma/migrations/20240305045701_add_merge_duplicate_links/migration.sql b/prisma/migrations/20240305045701_add_merge_duplicate_links/migration.sql
index cb534b9..873a36e 100644
--- a/prisma/migrations/20240305045701_add_merge_duplicate_links/migration.sql
+++ b/prisma/migrations/20240305045701_add_merge_duplicate_links/migration.sql
@@ -1,2 +1,2 @@
 -- AlterTable
-ALTER TABLE "User" ADD COLUMN     "mergeDuplicateLinks" BOOLEAN NOT NULL DEFAULT false;
+ALTER TABLE "User" ADD COLUMN     "preventDuplicateLinks" BOOLEAN NOT NULL DEFAULT false;
diff --git a/prisma/schema.prisma b/prisma/schema.prisma
index 64945ca..64c7b86 100644
--- a/prisma/schema.prisma
+++ b/prisma/schema.prisma
@@ -43,7 +43,7 @@ model User {
   accessTokens            AccessToken[]
   subscriptions           Subscription?
   linksRouteTo            LinksRouteTo          @default(ORIGINAL)
-  mergeDuplicateLinks     Boolean               @default(false)
+  preventDuplicateLinks   Boolean               @default(false)
   archiveAsScreenshot     Boolean               @default(true)
   archiveAsPDF            Boolean               @default(true)
   archiveAsWaybackMachine Boolean               @default(false)