diff --git a/crates/core/src/operations/merge/mod.rs b/crates/core/src/operations/merge/mod.rs
index 7f87d30d35..fe8d030464 100644
--- a/crates/core/src/operations/merge/mod.rs
+++ b/crates/core/src/operations/merge/mod.rs
@@ -1154,6 +1154,14 @@ async fn execute(
                 .select(write_projection.clone())?
                 .with_column(CDC_COLUMN_NAME, lit("insert"))?,
         );
+
+        let after = cdc_projection
+            .clone()
+            .filter(col(TARGET_COLUMN).is_true())?
+            .select(write_projection.clone())?;
+
+        // Extra select_columns is required so that before and after have same schema order
+        // DataFusion doesn't have UnionByName yet, see https://github.com/apache/datafusion/issues/12650
         let before = cdc_projection
             .clone()
             .filter(col(crate::delta_datafusion::PATH_COLUMN).is_not_null())?
@@ -1164,13 +1172,16 @@ async fn execute(
                     .filter(|c| c.name != crate::delta_datafusion::PATH_COLUMN)
                     .map(|c| Expr::Column(c.clone()))
                     .collect_vec(),
+            )?
+            .select_columns(
+                &after
+                    .schema()
+                    .columns()
+                    .iter()
+                    .map(|v| v.name())
+                    .collect::<Vec<_>>(),
             )?;
 
-        let after = cdc_projection
-            .clone()
-            .filter(col(TARGET_COLUMN).is_true())?
-            .select(write_projection.clone())?;
-
         let tracker = CDCTracker::new(before, after);
         change_data.push(tracker.collect()?);
     }
diff --git a/python/Cargo.toml b/python/Cargo.toml
index 761ca51067..fadc260d0d 100644
--- a/python/Cargo.toml
+++ b/python/Cargo.toml
@@ -1,6 +1,6 @@
 [package]
 name = "deltalake-python"
-version = "0.20.1"
+version = "0.20.2"
 authors = ["Qingping Hou <dave2008713@gmail.com>", "Will Jones <willjones127@gmail.com>"]
 homepage = "https://github.com/delta-io/delta-rs"
 license = "Apache-2.0"
diff --git a/python/tests/test_merge.py b/python/tests/test_merge.py
index 54c2726fd3..2306e1668a 100644
--- a/python/tests/test_merge.py
+++ b/python/tests/test_merge.py
@@ -1,3 +1,5 @@
+import datetime
+import os
 import pathlib
 
 import pyarrow as pa
@@ -1038,3 +1040,40 @@ def test_merge_isin_partition_pruning(
     assert result == expected
     assert metrics["num_target_files_scanned"] == 2
     assert metrics["num_target_files_skipped_during_scan"] == 3
+
+
+def test_cdc_merge_planning_union_2908(tmp_path):
+    """https://github.com/delta-io/delta-rs/issues/2908"""
+    cdc_path = f"{tmp_path}/_change_data"
+
+    data = {
+        "id": pa.array([1, 2], pa.int64()),
+        "date": pa.array(
+            [datetime.date(1970, 1, 1), datetime.date(1970, 1, 2)], pa.date32()
+        ),
+    }
+
+    table = pa.Table.from_pydict(data)
+
+    dt = DeltaTable.create(
+        table_uri=tmp_path,
+        schema=table.schema,
+        mode="overwrite",
+        partition_by=["id"],
+        configuration={
+            "delta.enableChangeDataFeed": "true",
+        },
+    )
+
+    dt.merge(
+        source=table,
+        predicate="s.id = t.id",
+        source_alias="s",
+        target_alias="t",
+    ).when_not_matched_insert_all().execute()
+
+    last_action = dt.history(1)[0]
+
+    assert last_action["operation"] == "MERGE"
+    assert dt.version() == 1
+    assert os.path.exists(cdc_path), "_change_data doesn't exist"