diff --git a/git-rebase--interactive.sh b/git-rebase--interactive.sh
index 66c80d4e16e3217b93b9de12a4b02d107a2eeb71..bf44b6af58574273df9e7f549136a735f6e549fe 100755
--- a/git-rebase--interactive.sh
+++ b/git-rebase--interactive.sh
@@ -485,8 +485,13 @@ do
 		SHORTUPSTREAM=$(git rev-parse --short $UPSTREAM)
 		SHORTHEAD=$(git rev-parse --short $HEAD)
 		SHORTONTO=$(git rev-parse --short $ONTO)
-		cat > "$TODO" << EOF
-# Rebasing $SHORTUPSTREAM..$SHORTHEAD onto $SHORTONTO
+		git rev-list $MERGES_OPTION --pretty=oneline --abbrev-commit \
+			--abbrev=7 --reverse --left-right --cherry-pick \
+			$UPSTREAM...$HEAD | \
+			sed -n "s/^>/pick /p" > "$TODO"
+		cat >> "$TODO" << EOF
+
+# Rebase $SHORTUPSTREAM..$SHORTHEAD onto $SHORTONTO
 #
 # Commands:
 #  pick = use commit
@@ -494,12 +499,9 @@ do
 #  squash = use commit, but meld into previous commit
 #
 # If you remove a line here THAT COMMIT WILL BE LOST.
+# However, if you remove everything, the rebase will be aborted.
 #
 EOF
-		git rev-list $MERGES_OPTION --pretty=oneline --abbrev-commit \
-			--abbrev=7 --reverse --left-right --cherry-pick \
-			$UPSTREAM...$HEAD | \
-			sed -n "s/^>/pick /p" >> "$TODO"
 
 		has_action "$TODO" ||
 			die_abort "Nothing to do"
diff --git a/t/t3404-rebase-interactive.sh b/t/t3404-rebase-interactive.sh
index f1039d1a2146ed68217d849d7588d9ca65af785b..907c7f9f6bccb0ddcf4d9862467a938369a07519 100755
--- a/t/t3404-rebase-interactive.sh
+++ b/t/t3404-rebase-interactive.sh
@@ -149,7 +149,8 @@ test_expect_success 'stop on conflicting pick' '
 	diff -u expect .git/.dotest-merge/patch &&
 	diff -u expect2 file1 &&
 	test 4 = $(grep -v "^#" < .git/.dotest-merge/done | wc -l) &&
-	test 0 = $(grep -v "^#" < .git/.dotest-merge/git-rebase-todo | wc -l)
+	test 0 = $(grep -ve "^#" -e "^$" < .git/.dotest-merge/git-rebase-todo |
+		wc -l)
 '
 
 test_expect_success 'abort' '