diff --git a/pkg/gui/context/commit_message_context.go b/pkg/gui/context/commit_message_context.go
index 776043abe..aa70e60b8 100644
--- a/pkg/gui/context/commit_message_context.go
+++ b/pkg/gui/context/commit_message_context.go
@@ -30,6 +30,9 @@ type CommitMessageViewModel struct {
 	// if true, then upon escaping from the commit message panel, we will preserve
 	// the message so that it's still shown next time we open the panel
 	preserveMessage bool
+	// we remember the initial message so that we can tell whether we should preserve
+	// the message; if it's still identical to the initial message, we don't
+	initialMessage string
 	// the full preserved message (combined summary and description)
 	preservedMessage string
 	// invoked when pressing enter in the commit message panel
@@ -84,6 +87,10 @@ func (self *CommitMessageContext) SetPreservedMessage(message string) {
 	self.viewModel.preservedMessage = message
 }
 
+func (self *CommitMessageContext) GetInitialMessage() string {
+	return strings.TrimSpace(self.viewModel.initialMessage)
+}
+
 func (self *CommitMessageContext) GetHistoryMessage() string {
 	return self.viewModel.historyMessage
 }
@@ -101,11 +108,13 @@ func (self *CommitMessageContext) SetPanelState(
 	summaryTitle string,
 	descriptionTitle string,
 	preserveMessage bool,
+	initialMessage string,
 	onConfirm func(string, string) error,
 	onSwitchToEditor func(string) error,
 ) {
 	self.viewModel.selectedindex = index
 	self.viewModel.preserveMessage = preserveMessage
+	self.viewModel.initialMessage = initialMessage
 	self.viewModel.onConfirm = onConfirm
 	self.viewModel.onSwitchToEditor = onSwitchToEditor
 	self.GetView().Title = summaryTitle
diff --git a/pkg/gui/controllers/helpers/commits_helper.go b/pkg/gui/controllers/helpers/commits_helper.go
index b0f954c2e..e66071b4d 100644
--- a/pkg/gui/controllers/helpers/commits_helper.go
+++ b/pkg/gui/controllers/helpers/commits_helper.go
@@ -143,6 +143,7 @@ func (self *CommitsHelper) OpenCommitMessagePanel(opts *OpenCommitMessagePanelOp
 		opts.SummaryTitle,
 		opts.DescriptionTitle,
 		opts.PreserveMessage,
+		opts.InitialMessage,
 		onConfirm,
 		opts.OnSwitchToEditor,
 	)
@@ -177,8 +178,9 @@ func (self *CommitsHelper) HandleCommitConfirm() error {
 func (self *CommitsHelper) CloseCommitMessagePanel() {
 	if self.c.Contexts().CommitMessage.GetPreserveMessage() {
 		message := self.JoinCommitMessageAndUnwrappedDescription()
-
-		self.c.Contexts().CommitMessage.SetPreservedMessage(message)
+		if message != self.c.Contexts().CommitMessage.GetInitialMessage() {
+			self.c.Contexts().CommitMessage.SetPreservedMessage(message)
+		}
 	} else {
 		self.SetMessageAndDescriptionInView("")
 	}
diff --git a/pkg/integration/tests/commit/commit_with_prefix.go b/pkg/integration/tests/commit/commit_with_prefix.go
index 610b6aad9..fa49b0baf 100644
--- a/pkg/integration/tests/commit/commit_with_prefix.go
+++ b/pkg/integration/tests/commit/commit_with_prefix.go
@@ -41,12 +41,8 @@ var CommitWithPrefix = NewIntegrationTest(NewIntegrationTestArgs{
 
 		t.ExpectPopup().CommitMessagePanel().
 			Title(Equals("Commit summary")).
-			/* EXPECTED:
 			InitialText(Equals("[TEST-001]: ")).
 			Type("my commit message").
-			ACTUAL: */
-			InitialText(Equals("[TEST-001]:")).
-			Type(" my commit message").
 			Cancel()
 
 		t.Views().Files().