diff --git a/builtin/commit.c b/builtin/commit.c
index eba1377eb3..7141766ba9 100644
--- a/builtin/commit.c
+++ b/builtin/commit.c
@@ -1049,6 +1049,8 @@ static int parse_and_validate_options(int argc, const char *argv[],
 		die(_("Only one of -c/-C/-F/--fixup can be used."));
 	if (message.len && f > 0)
 		die((_("Option -m cannot be combined with -c/-C/-F/--fixup.")));
+	if (f || message.len)
+		template_file = NULL;
 	if (edit_message)
 		use_message = edit_message;
 	if (amend && !use_message && !fixup_message)
diff --git a/t/t7501-commit.sh b/t/t7501-commit.sh
index 45446b186e..e59cc4e861 100755
--- a/t/t7501-commit.sh
+++ b/t/t7501-commit.sh
@@ -81,7 +81,13 @@ test_expect_success 'empty commit message' '
 	test_must_fail git commit -F msg -a
 '
 
+test_expect_success 'template "emptyness" check does not kick in with -F' '
+	git checkout HEAD file && echo >>file && git add file &&
+	git commit -t file -F file
+'
+
 test_expect_success 'setup: commit message from file' '
+	git checkout HEAD file && echo >>file && git add file &&
 	echo this is the commit message, coming from a file >msg &&
 	git commit -F msg -a
 '