When a molecular phylogenetic study published in 2020 found that Estrilda was paraphyletic, the genus Brunhilda was resurrected for this species and the black-cheeked waxbill.
A 2020 phylogenetic investigation found that Estrilda is not a distinct lineage, leading to the revival of the genus Brunhilda to include this species and the black-cheeked waxbill in its classification.