diff --git a/bookwyrm/management/commands/deduplicate_book_data.py b/bookwyrm/management/commands/deduplicate_book_data.py
new file mode 100644
index 00000000..044b2a98
--- /dev/null
+++ b/bookwyrm/management/commands/deduplicate_book_data.py
@@ -0,0 +1,83 @@
+''' PROCEED WITH CAUTION: uses deduplication fields to permanently
+merge book data objects '''
+from django.core.management.base import BaseCommand
+from django.db.models import Count
+from bookwyrm import models
+
+
+def update_related(canonical, obj):
+    ''' update all the models with fk to the object being removed '''
+    # move related models to canonical
+    related_models = [
+        (r.remote_field.name, r.related_model) for r in \
+            canonical._meta.related_objects]
+    for (related_field, related_model) in related_models:
+        related_objs = related_model.objects.filter(
+            **{related_field: obj})
+        for related_obj in related_objs:
+            print(
+                'replacing in',
+                related_model.__name__,
+                related_field,
+                related_obj.id
+            )
+            try:
+                setattr(related_obj, related_field, canonical)
+                related_obj.save()
+            except TypeError:
+                getattr(related_obj, related_field).add(canonical)
+                getattr(related_obj, related_field).remove(obj)
+
+
+def copy_data(canonical, obj):
+    ''' try to get the most data possible '''
+    for data_field in obj._meta.get_fields():
+        if not hasattr(data_field, 'activitypub_field'):
+            continue
+        data_value = getattr(obj, data_field.name)
+        if not data_value:
+            continue
+        if not getattr(canonical, data_field.name):
+            print('setting data field', data_field.name, data_value)
+            setattr(canonical, data_field.name, data_value)
+    canonical.save()
+
+
+def dedupe_model(model):
+    ''' combine duplicate editions and update related models '''
+    fields = model._meta.get_fields()
+    dedupe_fields = [f for f in fields if \
+            hasattr(f, 'deduplication_field') and f.deduplication_field]
+    for field in dedupe_fields:
+        dupes = model.objects.values(field.name).annotate(
+            Count(field.name)
+        ).filter(**{'%s__count__gt' % field.name: 1})
+
+        for dupe in dupes:
+            value = dupe[field.name]
+            if not value or value == '':
+                continue
+            print('----------')
+            print(dupe)
+            objs = model.objects.filter(
+                **{field.name: value}
+            ).order_by('id')
+            canonical = objs.first()
+            print('keeping', canonical.remote_id)
+            for obj in objs[1:]:
+                print(obj.remote_id)
+                copy_data(canonical, obj)
+                update_related(canonical, obj)
+                # remove the outdated entry
+                obj.delete()
+
+
+class Command(BaseCommand):
+    ''' dedplucate allllll the book data models '''
+    help = 'merges duplicate book data'
+    # pylint: disable=no-self-use,unused-argument
+    def handle(self, *args, **options):
+        ''' run deudplications '''
+        dedupe_model(models.Edition)
+        dedupe_model(models.Work)
+        dedupe_model(models.Author)