diff --git a/apps/emqx/src/emqx_router_syncer.erl b/apps/emqx/src/emqx_router_syncer.erl
index ad076fc31..dccc681c8 100644
--- a/apps/emqx/src/emqx_router_syncer.erl
+++ b/apps/emqx/src/emqx_router_syncer.erl
@@ -312,23 +312,21 @@ stash_add(Prio, ?OP(Action, Topic, Dest, Ctx), Stash) ->
         undefined ->
             Stash#{Route => {Action, Prio, Ctx}};
         RouteOp ->
-            case merge_route_op(RouteOp, ?ROUTEOP(Action, Prio, Ctx)) of
-                undefined ->
-                    maps:remove(Route, Stash);
-                RouteOpMerged ->
-                    Stash#{Route := RouteOpMerged}
-            end
+            RouteOpMerged = merge_route_op(RouteOp, ?ROUTEOP(Action, Prio, Ctx)),
+            Stash#{Route := RouteOpMerged}
     end.
 
 merge_route_op(?ROUTEOP(Action, _Prio1, Ctx1), DestOp = ?ROUTEOP(Action)) ->
     %% NOTE: This should not happen anyway.
     _ = replyctx_send(ignored, Ctx1),
     DestOp;
-merge_route_op(?ROUTEOP(_Action1, _Prio1, Ctx1), ?ROUTEOP(_Action2, _Prio2, Ctx2)) ->
-    %% NOTE: Operations cancel each other.
+merge_route_op(?ROUTEOP(_Action1, _Prio1, Ctx1), DestOp = ?ROUTEOP(_Action2, _Prio2, _Ctx2)) ->
+    %% NOTE: Latter cancel the former.
+    %% Strictly speaking, in ideal conditions we could just cancel both, because they
+    %% essentially do not change the global state. However, we decided to stay on the
+    %% safe side and cancel only the former, making batch syncs idempotent.
     _ = replyctx_send(ok, Ctx1),
-    _ = replyctx_send(ok, Ctx2),
-    undefined.
+    DestOp.
 
 %%
 
@@ -398,13 +396,13 @@ batch_test() ->
         [
             {2, ignored},
             {1, ok},
-            {4, ok},
             {5, ok},
-            {7, ok},
+            {7, ignored},
+            {4, ok},
             {9, ok},
-            {11, ok},
             {8, ok},
-            {13, ok}
+            {13, ignored},
+            {11, ok}
         ],
         emqx_utils_stream:consume(emqx_utils_stream:mqueue(0))
     ).