diff --git a/builtin/commit.c b/builtin/commit.c
index c2ebea4ed3..9a203bde74 100644
--- a/builtin/commit.c
+++ b/builtin/commit.c
@@ -694,7 +694,7 @@ static int prepare_to_commit(const char *index_file, const char *prefix,
 		}
 	}
 
-	if (message.len) {
+	if (have_option_m) {
 		strbuf_addbuf(&sb, &message);
 		hook_arg1 = "message";
 	} else if (logfile && !strcmp(logfile, "-")) {
@@ -1162,9 +1162,9 @@ static int parse_and_validate_options(int argc, const char *argv[],
 		f++;
 	if (f > 1)
 		die(_("Only one of -c/-C/-F/--fixup can be used."));
-	if (message.len && f > 0)
+	if (have_option_m && f > 0)
 		die((_("Option -m cannot be combined with -c/-C/-F/--fixup.")));
-	if (f || message.len)
+	if (f || have_option_m)
 		template_file = NULL;
 	if (edit_message)
 		use_message = edit_message;
diff --git a/t/t7501-commit.sh b/t/t7501-commit.sh
index a7e9322d2f..900f7de05a 100755
--- a/t/t7501-commit.sh
+++ b/t/t7501-commit.sh
@@ -200,8 +200,8 @@ test_expect_success '--amend --edit of empty message' '
 	test_cmp expect msg
 '
 
-test_expect_failure '--amend to set message to empty' '
-	echo batá >file &&
+test_expect_success '--amend to set message to empty' '
+	echo bata >file &&
 	git add file &&
 	git commit -m "unamended" &&
 	git commit --amend --allow-empty-message -m "" &&
@@ -210,7 +210,7 @@ test_expect_failure '--amend to set message to empty' '
 	test_cmp expect msg
 '
 
-test_expect_failure '--amend to set empty message needs --allow-empty-message' '
+test_expect_success '--amend to set empty message needs --allow-empty-message' '
 	echo conga >file &&
 	git add file &&
 	git commit -m "unamended" &&