diff --git a/git-gui.sh b/git-gui.sh
index fcb2ab2fb7..f42e461fd4 100755
--- a/git-gui.sh
+++ b/git-gui.sh
@@ -438,6 +438,34 @@ proc git_write {args} {
 	return [open [concat $opt $cmdp $args] w]
 }
 
+proc githook_read {hook_name args} {
+	set pchook [gitdir hooks $hook_name]
+	lappend args 2>@1
+
+	# On Cygwin [file executable] might lie so we need to ask
+	# the shell if the hook is executable.  Yes that's annoying.
+	#
+	if {[is_Cygwin]} {
+		upvar #0 _sh interp
+		if {![info exists interp]} {
+			set interp [_which sh]
+		}
+		if {$interp eq {}} {
+			error "hook execution requires sh (not in PATH)"
+		}
+
+		set scr {if test -x "$1";then exec "$@";fi}
+		set sh_c [list | $interp -c $scr $interp $pchook]
+		return [_open_stdout_stderr [concat $sh_c $args]]
+	}
+
+	if {[file executable $pchook]} {
+		return [_open_stdout_stderr [concat [list | $pchook] $args]]
+	}
+
+	return {}
+}
+
 proc sq {value} {
 	regsub -all ' $value "'\\''" value
 	return "'$value'"
diff --git a/lib/commit.tcl b/lib/commit.tcl
index 73e18bf982..947b201c32 100644
--- a/lib/commit.tcl
+++ b/lib/commit.tcl
@@ -212,26 +212,14 @@ A good commit message has the following format:
 
 	# -- Run the pre-commit hook.
 	#
-	set pchook [gitdir hooks pre-commit]
-
-	# On Cygwin [file executable] might lie so we need to ask
-	# the shell if the hook is executable.  Yes that's annoying.
-	#
-	if {[is_Cygwin] && [file isfile $pchook]} {
-		set pchook [list sh -c [concat \
-			"if test -x \"$pchook\";" \
-			"then exec \"$pchook\" 2>&1;" \
-			"fi"]]
-	} elseif {[file executable $pchook]} {
-		set pchook [list $pchook |& cat]
-	} else {
+	set fd_ph [githook_read pre-commit]
+	if {$fd_ph eq {}} {
 		commit_commitmsg $curHEAD $msg_p
 		return
 	}
 
 	ui_status {Calling pre-commit hook...}
 	set pch_error {}
-	set fd_ph [open "| $pchook" r]
 	fconfigure $fd_ph -blocking 0 -translation binary -eofchar {}
 	fileevent $fd_ph readable \
 		[list commit_prehook_wait $fd_ph $curHEAD $msg_p]
@@ -262,26 +250,14 @@ proc commit_commitmsg {curHEAD msg_p} {
 
 	# -- Run the commit-msg hook.
 	#
-	set pchook [gitdir hooks commit-msg]
-
-	# On Cygwin [file executable] might lie so we need to ask
-	# the shell if the hook is executable.  Yes that's annoying.
-	#
-	if {[is_Cygwin] && [file isfile $pchook]} {
-		set pchook [list sh -c [concat \
-			"if test -x \"$pchook\";" \
-			"then exec \"$pchook\" \"$msg_p\" 2>&1;" \
-			"fi"]]
-	} elseif {[file executable $pchook]} {
-		set pchook [list $pchook $msg_p |& cat]
-	} else {
+	set fd_ph [githook_read commit-msg $msg_p]
+	if {$fd_ph eq {}} {
 		commit_writetree $curHEAD $msg_p
 		return
 	}
 
 	ui_status {Calling commit-msg hook...}
 	set pch_error {}
-	set fd_ph [open "| $pchook" r]
 	fconfigure $fd_ph -blocking 0 -translation binary -eofchar {}
 	fileevent $fd_ph readable \
 		[list commit_commitmsg_wait $fd_ph $curHEAD $msg_p]
@@ -415,17 +391,13 @@ A rescan will be automatically started now.
 
 	# -- Run the post-commit hook.
 	#
-	set pchook [gitdir hooks post-commit]
-	if {[is_Cygwin] && [file isfile $pchook]} {
-		set pchook [list sh -c [concat \
-			"if test -x \"$pchook\";" \
-			"then exec \"$pchook\";" \
-			"fi"]]
-	} elseif {![file executable $pchook]} {
-		set pchook {}
-	}
-	if {$pchook ne {}} {
-		catch {exec $pchook &}
+	set fd_ph [githook_read post-commit]
+	if {$fd_ph ne {}} {
+		upvar #0 pch_error$cmt_id pc_err
+		set pc_err {}
+		fconfigure $fd_ph -blocking 0 -translation binary -eofchar {}
+		fileevent $fd_ph readable \
+			[list commit_postcommit_wait $fd_ph $cmt_id]
 	}
 
 	$ui_comm delete 0.0 end
@@ -481,3 +453,18 @@ A rescan will be automatically started now.
 	reshow_diff
 	ui_status [mc "Created commit %s: %s" [string range $cmt_id 0 7] $subject]
 }
+
+proc commit_postcommit_wait {fd_ph cmt_id} {
+	upvar #0 pch_error$cmt_id pch_error
+
+	append pch_error [read $fd_ph]
+	fconfigure $fd_ph -blocking 1
+	if {[eof $fd_ph]} {
+		if {[catch {close $fd_ph}]} {
+			hook_failed_popup post-commit $pch_error 0
+		}
+		unset pch_error
+		return
+	}
+	fconfigure $fd_ph -blocking 0
+}
diff --git a/lib/error.tcl b/lib/error.tcl
index 712d217553..0fdd7531da 100644
--- a/lib/error.tcl
+++ b/lib/error.tcl
@@ -62,7 +62,7 @@ proc ask_popup {msg} {
 	eval $cmd
 }
 
-proc hook_failed_popup {hook msg} {
+proc hook_failed_popup {hook msg {is_fatal 1}} {
 	set w .hookfail
 	toplevel $w
 
@@ -77,14 +77,16 @@ proc hook_failed_popup {hook msg} {
 		-width 80 -height 10 \
 		-font font_diff \
 		-yscrollcommand [list $w.m.sby set]
-	label $w.m.l2 \
-		-text [mc "You must correct the above errors before committing."] \
-		-anchor w \
-		-justify left \
-		-font font_uibold
 	scrollbar $w.m.sby -command [list $w.m.t yview]
 	pack $w.m.l1 -side top -fill x
-	pack $w.m.l2 -side bottom -fill x
+	if {$is_fatal} {
+		label $w.m.l2 \
+			-text [mc "You must correct the above errors before committing."] \
+			-anchor w \
+			-justify left \
+			-font font_uibold
+		pack $w.m.l2 -side bottom -fill x
+	}
 	pack $w.m.sby -side right -fill y
 	pack $w.m.t -side left -fill both -expand 1
 	pack $w.m -side top -fill both -expand 1 -padx 5 -pady 10