diff --git a/branches_panel.go b/branches_panel.go
index 3102f0c28..00091ffb8 100644
--- a/branches_panel.go
+++ b/branches_panel.go
@@ -30,7 +30,7 @@ func handleForceCheckout(g *gocui.Gui, v *gocui.View) error {
 }
 
 func handleCheckoutByName(g *gocui.Gui, v *gocui.View) error {
-	createPromptPanel(g, v, "Branch Name:", func(g *gocui.Gui, v *gocui.View) error {
+	createPromptPanel(g, v, "Branch Name:", nil, func(g *gocui.Gui, v *gocui.View) error {
 		if output, err := gitCheckout(trimmedContent(v), false); err != nil {
 			return createErrorPanel(g, output)
 		}
@@ -41,7 +41,7 @@ func handleCheckoutByName(g *gocui.Gui, v *gocui.View) error {
 
 func handleNewBranch(g *gocui.Gui, v *gocui.View) error {
 	branch := state.Branches[0]
-	createPromptPanel(g, v, "New Branch Name (Branch is off of "+branch.Name+")", func(g *gocui.Gui, v *gocui.View) error {
+	createPromptPanel(g, v, "New Branch Name (Branch is off of "+branch.Name+")", nil, func(g *gocui.Gui, v *gocui.View) error {
 		if output, err := gitNewBranch(trimmedContent(v)); err != nil {
 			return createErrorPanel(g, output)
 		}
diff --git a/commits_panel.go b/commits_panel.go
index 88c7b8ebe..e8ff68678 100644
--- a/commits_panel.go
+++ b/commits_panel.go
@@ -109,7 +109,7 @@ func handleRenameCommit(g *gocui.Gui, v *gocui.View) error {
 	if getItemPosition(v) != 0 {
 		return createErrorPanel(g, "Can only rename topmost commit")
 	}
-	createPromptPanel(g, v, "Rename Commit", func(g *gocui.Gui, v *gocui.View) error {
+	createPromptPanel(g, v, "Rename Commit", nil, func(g *gocui.Gui, v *gocui.View) error {
 		if output, err := gitRenameCommit(v.Buffer()); err != nil {
 			return createErrorPanel(g, output)
 		}
diff --git a/confirmation_panel.go b/confirmation_panel.go
index 362b75c49..520c8b593 100644
--- a/confirmation_panel.go
+++ b/confirmation_panel.go
@@ -55,7 +55,7 @@ func getConfirmationPanelDimensions(g *gocui.Gui, prompt string) (int, int, int,
 		height/2 + panelHeight/2
 }
 
-func createPromptPanel(g *gocui.Gui, currentView *gocui.View, title string, handleConfirm func(*gocui.Gui, *gocui.View) error) error {
+func createPromptPanel(g *gocui.Gui, currentView *gocui.View, title string, initialValue *[]byte, handleConfirm func(*gocui.Gui, *gocui.View) error) error {
 	// only need to fit one line
 	x0, y0, x1, y1 := getConfirmationPanelDimensions(g, "")
 	if confirmationView, err := g.SetView("confirmation", x0, y0, x1, y1, 0); err != nil {
@@ -65,11 +65,22 @@ func createPromptPanel(g *gocui.Gui, currentView *gocui.View, title string, hand
 
 		g.Cursor = true
 
+		handleConfirmAndClear := func(gui *gocui.Gui, view *gocui.View) error {
+			*initialValue = nil
+			return handleConfirm(g, view)
+		}
+
+		handleClose := func(gui *gocui.Gui, view *gocui.View) error {
+			*initialValue = []byte(strings.TrimSpace(view.Buffer()))
+			return nil
+		}
+
 		confirmationView.Editable = true
 		confirmationView.Title = title
-		confirmationView.FgColor = gocui.ColorWhite
+		confirmationView.Write(*initialValue)
+		confirmationView.SetCursor(len(*initialValue), 0)
 		switchFocus(g, currentView, confirmationView)
-		return setKeyBindings(g, handleConfirm, nil)
+		return setKeyBindings(g, handleConfirmAndClear, handleClose)
 	}
 	return nil
 }
diff --git a/files_panel.go b/files_panel.go
index 32ed36ad4..b2de2c226 100644
--- a/files_panel.go
+++ b/files_panel.go
@@ -15,8 +15,9 @@ import (
 )
 
 var (
-	errNoFiles    = errors.New("No changed files")
-	errNoUsername = errors.New(`No username set. Please do: git config --global user.name "Your Name"`)
+	savedCommitMessage = &[]byte{}
+	errNoFiles         = errors.New("No changed files")
+	errNoUsername      = errors.New(`No username set. Please do: git config --global user.name "Your Name"`)
 )
 
 func stagedFiles(files []GitFile) []GitFile {
@@ -177,7 +178,7 @@ func handleCommitPress(g *gocui.Gui, filesView *gocui.View) error {
 	if len(stagedFiles(state.GitFiles)) == 0 && !state.HasMergeConflicts {
 		return createErrorPanel(g, "There are no staged files to commit")
 	}
-	createPromptPanel(g, filesView, "Commit message", func(g *gocui.Gui, v *gocui.View) error {
+	createPromptPanel(g, filesView, "Commit message", savedCommitMessage, func(g *gocui.Gui, v *gocui.View) error {
 		message := trimmedContent(v)
 		if message == "" {
 			return createErrorPanel(g, "You cannot commit without a commit message")
diff --git a/stash_panel.go b/stash_panel.go
index 33c7e297b..a4a2207d8 100644
--- a/stash_panel.go
+++ b/stash_panel.go
@@ -82,7 +82,7 @@ func stashDo(g *gocui.Gui, v *gocui.View, method string) error {
 }
 
 func handleStashSave(g *gocui.Gui, filesView *gocui.View) error {
-	createPromptPanel(g, filesView, "Stash changes", func(g *gocui.Gui, v *gocui.View) error {
+	createPromptPanel(g, filesView, "Stash changes", nil, func(g *gocui.Gui, v *gocui.View) error {
 		if output, err := gitStashSave(trimmedContent(v)); err != nil {
 			createErrorPanel(g, output)
 		}