RE: new file leaked onto release branch

That's what I get when I try this:

git checkout -b test-merge 0a47c906342e2447003e207d23917dfa5c912071
git merge "Testing merging" HEAD d2149b542382bfc206cb28485108f6470c979566

results in a very immediate

"Already up-to-date."

message. Does it do that for you too?

Yes.

I think this list has been pretty responsive to reports of strange 
behaviour, so yes. 

Agreed.
If I see anything strange like this in the future I'll report it immediately.

thanks,
-Len