diff --git a/replay.c b/replay.c
index f96f1f6551..4ef8abb607 100644
--- a/replay.c
+++ b/replay.c
@@ -269,7 +269,8 @@ static struct commit *pick_regular_commit(struct repository *repo,
 					  struct commit *onto,
 					  struct merge_options *merge_opt,
 					  struct merge_result *result,
-					  enum replay_mode mode)
+					  enum replay_mode mode,
+					  enum replay_empty_commit_action empty)
 {
 	struct commit *base, *replayed_base;
 	struct tree *pickme_tree, *base_tree, *replayed_base_tree;
@@ -321,12 +322,25 @@ static struct commit *pick_regular_commit(struct repository *repo,
 	}
 	merge_opt->ancestor = NULL;
 	merge_opt->branch2 = NULL;
+
 	if (!result->clean)
 		return NULL;
-	/* Drop commits that become empty */
+
+	/* Handle commits that become empty */
 	if (oideq(&replayed_base_tree->object.oid, &result->tree->object.oid) &&
-	    !oideq(&pickme_tree->object.oid, &base_tree->object.oid))
-		return replayed_base;
+	    !oideq(&pickme_tree->object.oid, &base_tree->object.oid)) {
+		switch (empty) {
+		case REPLAY_EMPTY_COMMIT_DROP:
+			return replayed_base;
+		case REPLAY_EMPTY_COMMIT_KEEP:
+			break;
+		case REPLAY_EMPTY_COMMIT_ABORT:
+			result->clean = error(_("commit %s became empty after replay"),
+					      oid_to_hex(&pickme->object.oid));
+			return NULL;
+		}
+	}
+
 	return create_commit(repo, result->tree, pickme, replayed_base, mode);
 }
 
@@ -417,7 +431,7 @@ int replay_revisions(struct rev_info *revs,
 
 		last_commit = pick_regular_commit(revs->repo, commit, replayed_commits,
 						  mode == REPLAY_MODE_REVERT ? last_commit : onto,
-						  &merge_opt, &result, mode);
+						  &merge_opt, &result, mode, opts->empty);
 		if (!last_commit)
 			break;
 
@@ -458,6 +472,11 @@ int replay_revisions(struct rev_info *revs,
 		}
 	}
 
+	if (result.clean < 0) {
+		ret = -1;
+		goto out;
+	}
+
 	if (!result.clean) {
 		ret = 1;
 		goto out;
diff --git a/replay.h b/replay.h
index 0ab74b9805..1851a07705 100644
--- a/replay.h
+++ b/replay.h
@@ -6,6 +6,19 @@
 struct repository;
 struct rev_info;
 
+/*
+ * Controls what happens when a replayed commit becomes empty (i.e. its tree
+ * is identical to its parent's tree after the replay).
+ */
+enum replay_empty_commit_action {
+	/* Silently discard the empty commit. */
+	REPLAY_EMPTY_COMMIT_DROP,
+	/* Keep the empty commit as-is. */
+	REPLAY_EMPTY_COMMIT_KEEP,
+	/* Abort with an error. */
+	REPLAY_EMPTY_COMMIT_ABORT,
+};
+
 /*
  * A set of options that can be passed to `replay_revisions()`.
  */
@@ -43,6 +56,12 @@ struct replay_revisions_options {
 	 * Requires `onto` to be set.
 	 */
 	int contained;
+
+	/*
+	 * Controls what to do when a replayed commit becomes empty.
+	 * Defaults to REPLAY_EMPTY_COMMIT_DROP.
+	 */
+	enum replay_empty_commit_action empty;
 };
 
 /* This struct is used as an out-parameter by `replay_revisions()`. */