diff --git a/ctapipe/tools/apply_models.py b/ctapipe/tools/apply_models.py
index 6881c6562aa..0a6285dcbab 100644
--- a/ctapipe/tools/apply_models.py
+++ b/ctapipe/tools/apply_models.py
@@ -113,7 +113,7 @@ class ApplyModels(Tool):
         ),
         "overwrite": (
             {
-                "H5Merger": {"overwrite": True},
+                "HDF5Merger": {"overwrite": True},
                 "ApplyModels": {"overwrite": True},
             },
             "Overwrite output file if it exists",
diff --git a/ctapipe/tools/tests/test_apply_models.py b/ctapipe/tools/tests/test_apply_models.py
index ccaf741f7c6..13f8edb805a 100644
--- a/ctapipe/tools/tests/test_apply_models.py
+++ b/ctapipe/tools/tests/test_apply_models.py
@@ -1,4 +1,5 @@
 import numpy as np
+import pytest
 
 from ctapipe.containers import (
     EventIndexContainer,
@@ -7,6 +8,7 @@
     ReconstructedGeometryContainer,
 )
 from ctapipe.core import run_tool
+from ctapipe.core.tool import ToolConfigurationError
 from ctapipe.instrument import SubarrayDescription
 from ctapipe.io import TableLoader, read_table
 from ctapipe.io.tests.test_table_loader import check_equal_array_event_order
@@ -73,6 +75,29 @@ def test_apply_energy_regressor(
 
     check_equal_array_event_order(trigger, energy)
 
+    # test "overwrite" works
+    with pytest.raises(ToolConfigurationError, match="exists, but overwrite=False"):
+        run_tool(
+            ApplyModels(),
+            argv=[
+                f"--input={input_path}",
+                f"--output={output_path}",
+                f"--reconstructor={energy_regressor_path}",
+            ],
+            raises=True,
+        )
+
+    run_tool(
+        ApplyModels(),
+        argv=[
+            f"--input={input_path}",
+            f"--output={output_path}",
+            f"--reconstructor={energy_regressor_path}",
+            "--overwrite",
+        ],
+        raises=True,
+    )
+
 
 def test_apply_all(
     energy_regressor_path,
diff --git a/docs/changes/2311.bugfix.rst b/docs/changes/2311.bugfix.rst
new file mode 100644
index 00000000000..109c27bfeb4
--- /dev/null
+++ b/docs/changes/2311.bugfix.rst
@@ -0,0 +1 @@
+Fix ``ApplyModels.overwrite``.