diff --git a/kg_microbe_merge/utils/duckdb_utils.py b/kg_microbe_merge/utils/duckdb_utils.py
index b683095..29b66a5 100644
--- a/kg_microbe_merge/utils/duckdb_utils.py
+++ b/kg_microbe_merge/utils/duckdb_utils.py
@@ -436,7 +436,7 @@ def duckdb_edges_merge(edges_file_list, output_file, batch_size=1000000):
         # Create a temporary table for storing intermediate results
         conn.execute(
             """
-            CREATE TABLE temp_edges AS
+            CREATE OR REPLACE TABLE temp_edges AS
             SELECT DISTINCT subject, predicate, object
             FROM combined_edges
         """