diff --git a/t/t7501-commit.sh b/t/t7501-commit.sh
index 0b6da7a..fa61b1a 100755
--- a/t/t7501-commit.sh
+++ b/t/t7501-commit.sh
@@ -18,7 +18,7 @@
 	echo bongo bongo >file &&
 	git add file &&
 	git status >actual &&
-	test_i18ngrep "Initial commit" actual
+	test_i18ngrep "No commits yet" actual
 '
 
 test_expect_success 'fail initial amend' '
diff --git a/t/t7508-status.sh b/t/t7508-status.sh
index 5edcc6e..db70904 100755
--- a/t/t7508-status.sh
+++ b/t/t7508-status.sh
@@ -1499,4 +1499,34 @@
 	git config -f .gitmodules  --remove-section submodule.subname
 '
 
+test_expect_success '"No commits yet" should be noted in status output' '
+	git checkout --orphan empty-branch-1 &&
+	git status >output &&
+	test_i18ngrep "No commits yet" output
+'
+
+test_expect_success '"No commits yet" should not be noted in status output' '
+	git checkout --orphan empty-branch-2 &&
+	test_commit test-commit-1 &&
+	git status >output &&
+	test_i18ngrep ! "No commits yet" output
+'
+
+test_expect_success '"Initial commit" should be noted in commit template' '
+	git checkout --orphan empty-branch-3 &&
+	touch to_be_committed_1 &&
+	git add to_be_committed_1 &&
+	git commit --dry-run >output &&
+	test_i18ngrep "Initial commit" output
+'
+
+test_expect_success '"Initial commit" should not be noted in commit template' '
+	git checkout --orphan empty-branch-4 &&
+	test_commit test-commit-2 &&
+	touch to_be_committed_2 &&
+	git add to_be_committed_2 &&
+	git commit --dry-run >output &&
+	test_i18ngrep ! "Initial commit" output
+'
+
 test_done