diff --git a/builtin.h b/builtin.h
index faef559136..78fb14db2e 100644
--- a/builtin.h
+++ b/builtin.h
@@ -36,7 +36,7 @@ struct notes_rewrite_cfg {
 struct notes_rewrite_cfg *init_copy_notes_for_rewrite(const char *cmd);
 int copy_note_for_rewrite(struct notes_rewrite_cfg *c,
 			  const unsigned char *from_obj, const unsigned char *to_obj);
-void finish_copy_notes_for_rewrite(struct notes_rewrite_cfg *c);
+void finish_copy_notes_for_rewrite(struct notes_rewrite_cfg *c, const char *msg);
 
 extern int textconv_object(const char *path, unsigned mode, const unsigned char *sha1, int sha1_valid, char **buf, unsigned long *buf_size);
 
diff --git a/builtin/commit.c b/builtin/commit.c
index d2f30d960a..f8df8ca60d 100644
--- a/builtin/commit.c
+++ b/builtin/commit.c
@@ -1591,7 +1591,7 @@ int cmd_commit(int argc, const char **argv, const char *prefix)
 		if (cfg) {
 			/* we are amending, so current_head is not NULL */
 			copy_note_for_rewrite(cfg, current_head->object.sha1, sha1);
-			finish_copy_notes_for_rewrite(cfg);
+			finish_copy_notes_for_rewrite(cfg, "Notes added by 'git commit --amend'");
 		}
 		run_rewrite_hook(current_head->object.sha1, sha1);
 	}
diff --git a/builtin/notes.c b/builtin/notes.c
index 57748a6fb6..6a80714b3e 100644
--- a/builtin/notes.c
+++ b/builtin/notes.c
@@ -403,11 +403,11 @@ int copy_note_for_rewrite(struct notes_rewrite_cfg *c,
 	return ret;
 }
 
-void finish_copy_notes_for_rewrite(struct notes_rewrite_cfg *c)
+void finish_copy_notes_for_rewrite(struct notes_rewrite_cfg *c, const char *msg)
 {
 	int i;
 	for (i = 0; c->trees[i]; i++) {
-		commit_notes(c->trees[i], "Notes added by 'git notes copy'");
+		commit_notes(c->trees[i], msg);
 		free_notes(c->trees[i]);
 	}
 	free(c->trees);
@@ -420,6 +420,7 @@ static int notes_copy_from_stdin(int force, const char *rewrite_cmd)
 	struct notes_rewrite_cfg *c = NULL;
 	struct notes_tree *t = NULL;
 	int ret = 0;
+	const char *msg = "Notes added by 'git notes copy'";
 
 	if (rewrite_cmd) {
 		c = init_copy_notes_for_rewrite(rewrite_cmd);
@@ -461,10 +462,10 @@ static int notes_copy_from_stdin(int force, const char *rewrite_cmd)
 	}
 
 	if (!rewrite_cmd) {
-		commit_notes(t, "Notes added by 'git notes copy'");
+		commit_notes(t, msg);
 		free_notes(t);
 	} else {
-		finish_copy_notes_for_rewrite(c);
+		finish_copy_notes_for_rewrite(c, msg);
 	}
 	return ret;
 }