diff --git a/builtin/checkout.c b/builtin/checkout.c
index 2bc21aa49b..27f173eb46 100644
--- a/builtin/checkout.c
+++ b/builtin/checkout.c
@@ -1166,6 +1166,7 @@ static int switch_branches(const struct checkout_opts *opts,
 	int flag, writeout_error = 0;
 	int do_merge = 1;
 	int created_autostash = 0;
+	int autostash_res = 0;
 	struct strbuf old_commit_shortname = STRBUF_INIT;
 	struct strbuf autostash_msg = STRBUF_INIT;
 	const char *stash_label_base = NULL;
@@ -1237,12 +1238,12 @@ static int switch_branches(const struct checkout_opts *opts,
 				git_config_push_parameter(cfg.buf);
 				strbuf_release(&cfg);
 			}
-			apply_autostash_ref(the_repository,
-					    "CHECKOUT_AUTOSTASH_HEAD",
-					    new_branch_info->name,
-					    "local",
-					    stash_label_base,
-					    autostash_msg.buf);
+			autostash_res = apply_autostash_ref(the_repository,
+				    "CHECKOUT_AUTOSTASH_HEAD",
+				    new_branch_info->name,
+				    "local",
+				    stash_label_base,
+				    autostash_msg.buf);
 		}
 		if (ret) {
 			branch_info_release(&old_branch_info);
@@ -1255,6 +1256,8 @@ static int switch_branches(const struct checkout_opts *opts,
 	if (!opts->quiet && !old_branch_info.path && old_branch_info.commit && new_branch_info->commit != old_branch_info.commit)
 		orphaned_commit_warning(old_branch_info.commit, new_branch_info->commit);
 
+	if (autostash_res == 1 && !opts->quiet)
+		fputc('\n', stderr);
 	update_refs_for_switch(opts, &old_branch_info, new_branch_info);
 
 	if (created_autostash) {
diff --git a/sequencer.c b/sequencer.c
index 65afd100d9..5ed9ae86c4 100644
--- a/sequencer.c
+++ b/sequencer.c
@@ -4815,7 +4815,8 @@ static int apply_save_autostash_oid(const char *stash_oid, int attempt_apply,
 		if (label_base)
 			strvec_pushf(&child.args, "--label-base=%s", label_base);
 		strvec_push(&child.args, stash_oid);
-		ret = run_command(&child);
+		if (run_command(&child))
+			ret = 1;
 	}
 
 	if (attempt_apply && !ret)
diff --git a/t/t7201-co.sh b/t/t7201-co.sh
index 0ddd1ad7aa..9ea9462914 100755
--- a/t/t7201-co.sh
+++ b/t/t7201-co.sh
@@ -236,10 +236,18 @@ test_expect_success 'checkout -m creates a recoverable stash on conflict' '
 	test_must_fail git checkout side 2>stderr &&
 	test_grep "Your local changes" stderr &&
 	git checkout -m side >actual 2>&1 &&
-	test_grep "resulted in conflicts" actual &&
-	test_grep "git stash drop" actual &&
-	test_grep "git stash pop" actual &&
-	test_grep "The following paths have local changes" actual &&
+	cat >expect <<-EOF &&
+	Your local changes are stashed, however applying them
+	resulted in conflicts.  You can either resolve the conflicts
+	and then discard the stash with "git stash drop", or, if you
+	do not want to resolve them now, run "git reset --hard" and
+	apply the local changes later by running "git stash pop".
+
+	Switched to branch ${SQ}side${SQ}
+	The following paths have local changes:
+	M	one
+	EOF
+	test_cmp expect actual &&
 	git log -p -1 --format="%gs%n%B" -g --diff-merges=1 refs/stash >actual &&
 	sed /^index/d actual >actual.trimmed &&
 	cat >expect <<-EOF &&