@@ -659,6 +659,7 @@ static int prepare_to_commit(const char *index_file, const char *prefix,
 	const char *hook_arg2 = NULL;
 	int clean_message_contents = (cleanup_mode != COMMIT_MSG_CLEANUP_NONE);
 	int old_display_comment_prefix;
+	int contains_scissors = 0;
 
 	/* This checks and barfs if author is badly specified */
 	determine_author_info(author_ident);

@@ -742,6 +743,10 @@ static int prepare_to_commit(const char *index_file, const char *prefix,
 		clean_message_contents = 0;
 	}
 
+	if (cleanup_mode == COMMIT_MSG_CLEANUP_SCISSORS &&
+		wt_status_locate_end(sb.buf, sb.len) != sb.len)
+	    contains_scissors = 1;
+
 	/*
 	 * The remaining cases don't modify the template message, but
 	 * just set the argument(s) to the prepare-commit-msg hook.

@@ -798,7 +803,8 @@ static int prepare_to_commit(const char *index_file, const char *prefix,
 		struct ident_split ci, ai;
 
 		if (whence != FROM_COMMIT) {
-			if (cleanup_mode == COMMIT_MSG_CLEANUP_SCISSORS)
+			if (cleanup_mode == COMMIT_MSG_CLEANUP_SCISSORS &&
+				!contains_scissors)
 				wt_status_add_cut_line(s->fp);
 			status_printf_ln(s, GIT_COLOR_NORMAL,
 			    whence == FROM_MERGE

@@ -824,7 +830,8 @@ static int prepare_to_commit(const char *index_file, const char *prefix,
 				  " Lines starting\nwith '%c' will be ignored, and an empty"
 				  " message aborts the commit.\n"), comment_line_char);
 		else if (cleanup_mode == COMMIT_MSG_CLEANUP_SCISSORS &&
-			 whence == FROM_COMMIT)
+			 whence == FROM_COMMIT &&
+			 !contains_scissors)
 			wt_status_add_cut_line(s->fp);
 		else /* COMMIT_MSG_CLEANUP_SPACE, that is. */
 			status_printf(s, GIT_COLOR_NORMAL,