diff --git a/sequencer.c b/sequencer.c
index 84534ee057..27dc91cc95 100644
--- a/sequencer.c
+++ b/sequencer.c
@@ -433,6 +433,8 @@ static int do_recursive_merge(struct commit *base, struct commit *next,
 	o.ancestor = base ? base_label : "(empty tree)";
 	o.branch1 = "HEAD";
 	o.branch2 = next ? next_label : "(empty tree)";
+	if (is_rebase_i(opts))
+		o.buffer_output = 2;
 
 	head_tree = parse_tree_indirect(head);
 	next_tree = next ? next->tree : empty_tree();
@@ -444,6 +446,8 @@ static int do_recursive_merge(struct commit *base, struct commit *next,
 	clean = merge_trees(&o,
 			    head_tree,
 			    next_tree, base_tree, &result);
+	if (is_rebase_i(opts) && clean <= 0)
+		fputs(o.obuf.buf, stdout);
 	strbuf_release(&o.obuf);
 	if (clean < 0)
 		return clean;