diff --git a/builtin/commit.c b/builtin/commit.c
index 01b79185e7..9b6eaa3c72 100644
--- a/builtin/commit.c
+++ b/builtin/commit.c
@@ -1332,7 +1332,7 @@ static int parse_and_validate_options(int argc, const char *argv[],
 		else if (is_from_cherry_pick(whence))
 			die(_("You are in the middle of a cherry-pick -- cannot amend."));
 		else if (is_from_rebase_now_empty(whence))
-			die(_("You are in the middle of a rebase -- cannot amend."));
+			die(_("The now-empty commit has been dropped -- cannot amend."));
 	}
 	if (fixup_message && squash_message)
 		die(_("options '%s' and '%s' cannot be used together"), "--squash", "--fixup");
diff --git a/t/t3404-rebase-interactive.sh b/t/t3404-rebase-interactive.sh
index 17b30b7825..5a0aa93b10 100755
--- a/t/t3404-rebase-interactive.sh
+++ b/t/t3404-rebase-interactive.sh
@@ -1851,7 +1851,7 @@ test_expect_success 'correct error message for commit --amend after empty pick'
 	) &&
 	echo x>file1 &&
 	test_must_fail git commit -a --amend 2>err &&
-	test_grep "middle of a rebase -- cannot amend." err
+	test_grep "now-empty commit has been dropped -- cannot amend." err
 '
 
 test_expect_success 'todo has correct onto hash' '