diff --git a/builtin/log.c b/builtin/log.c
index 131512ac1a..9eff62ce11 100644
--- a/builtin/log.c
+++ b/builtin/log.c
@@ -1400,13 +1400,12 @@ static void make_cover_letter(struct rev_info *rev, int use_separate_file,
 		 * can be added later if deemed desirable.
 		 */
 		struct diff_options opts;
-		struct strvec log_arg = STRVEC_INIT;
 		struct range_diff_options range_diff_opts = {
 			.creation_factor = rev->creation_factor,
 			.dual_color = 1,
 			.max_memory = RANGE_DIFF_MAX_MEMORY_DEFAULT,
 			.diffopt = &opts,
-			.log_arg = &log_arg
+			.log_arg = &rev->rdiff_log_arg
 		};
 
 		repo_diff_setup(the_repository, &opts);
@@ -1414,9 +1413,7 @@ static void make_cover_letter(struct rev_info *rev, int use_separate_file,
 		opts.use_color = rev->diffopt.use_color;
 		diff_setup_done(&opts);
 		fprintf_ln(rev->diffopt.file, "%s", rev->rdiff_title);
-		get_notes_args(&log_arg, rev);
 		show_range_diff(rev->rdiff1, rev->rdiff2, &range_diff_opts);
-		strvec_clear(&log_arg);
 	}
 }
 
@@ -2328,6 +2325,7 @@ int cmd_format_patch(int argc,
 		rev.rdiff_title = diff_title(&rdiff_title, reroll_count,
 					     _("Range-diff:"),
 					     _("Range-diff against v%d:"));
+		get_notes_args(&(rev.rdiff_log_arg), &rev);
 	}
 
 	/*
@@ -2487,6 +2485,7 @@ done:
 	rev.diffopt.no_free = 0;
 	release_revisions(&rev);
 	format_config_release(&cfg);
+	strvec_clear(&rev.rdiff_log_arg);
 	return 0;
 }
 
diff --git a/revision.h b/revision.h
index 21e288c5ba..ce30570d86 100644
--- a/revision.h
+++ b/revision.h
@@ -334,6 +334,7 @@ struct rev_info {
 	/* range-diff */
 	const char *rdiff1;
 	const char *rdiff2;
+	struct strvec rdiff_log_arg;
 	int creation_factor;
 	const char *rdiff_title;
 
@@ -410,6 +411,7 @@ struct rev_info {
 	.expand_tabs_in_log = -1, \
 	.commit_format = CMIT_FMT_DEFAULT, \
 	.expand_tabs_in_log_default = 8, \
+	.rdiff_log_arg = STRVEC_INIT, \
 }
 
 /**