diff --git a/t/t7513-interpret-trailers.sh b/t/t7513-interpret-trailers.sh
index bd0ab46750..322c436a49 100755
--- a/t/t7513-interpret-trailers.sh
+++ b/t/t7513-interpret-trailers.sh
@@ -93,12 +93,39 @@ test_expect_success 'with config option on the command line' '
 		Acked-by: Johan
 		Reviewed-by: Peff
 	EOF
-	echo "Acked-by: Johan" |
+	{ echo; echo "Acked-by: Johan"; } |
 	git -c "trailer.Acked-by.ifexists=addifdifferent" interpret-trailers \
 		--trailer "Reviewed-by: Peff" --trailer "Acked-by: Johan" >actual &&
 	test_cmp expected actual
 '
 
+test_expect_success 'with only a title in the message' '
+	cat >expected <<-\EOF &&
+		area: change
+
+		Reviewed-by: Peff
+		Acked-by: Johan
+	EOF
+	echo "area: change" |
+	git interpret-trailers --trailer "Reviewed-by: Peff" \
+		--trailer "Acked-by: Johan" >actual &&
+	test_cmp expected actual
+'
+
+test_expect_success 'with multiline title in the message' '
+	cat >expected <<-\EOF &&
+		place of
+		code: change
+
+		Reviewed-by: Peff
+		Acked-by: Johan
+	EOF
+	printf "%s\n" "place of" "code: change" |
+	git interpret-trailers --trailer "Reviewed-by: Peff" \
+		--trailer "Acked-by: Johan" >actual &&
+	test_cmp expected actual
+'
+
 test_expect_success 'with config setup' '
 	git config trailer.ack.key "Acked-by: " &&
 	cat >expected <<-\EOF &&
diff --git a/trailer.c b/trailer.c
index 4b14a567b4..6f3416feba 100644
--- a/trailer.c
+++ b/trailer.c
@@ -735,13 +735,22 @@ static int find_patch_start(struct strbuf **lines, int count)
  */
 static int find_trailer_start(struct strbuf **lines, int count)
 {
-	int start, only_spaces = 1;
+	int start, end_of_title, only_spaces = 1;
+
+	/* The first paragraph is the title and cannot be trailers */
+	for (start = 0; start < count; start++) {
+		if (lines[start]->buf[0] == comment_line_char)
+			continue;
+		if (contains_only_spaces(lines[start]->buf))
+			break;
+	}
+	end_of_title = start;
 
 	/*
 	 * Get the start of the trailers by looking starting from the end
 	 * for a line with only spaces before lines with one separator.
 	 */
-	for (start = count - 1; start >= 0; start--) {
+	for (start = count - 1; start >= end_of_title; start--) {
 		if (lines[start]->buf[0] == comment_line_char)
 			continue;
 		if (contains_only_spaces(lines[start]->buf)) {