diff --git a/builtin/commit.c b/builtin/commit.c
index 9cfef6c..515c4c4 100644
--- a/builtin/commit.c
+++ b/builtin/commit.c
@@ -594,6 +594,36 @@
 	return ket;
 }
 
+static void adjust_comment_line_char(const struct strbuf *sb)
+{
+	char candidates[] = "#;@!$%^&|:";
+	char *candidate;
+	const char *p;
+
+	comment_line_char = candidates[0];
+	if (!memchr(sb->buf, comment_line_char, sb->len))
+		return;
+
+	p = sb->buf;
+	candidate = strchr(candidates, *p);
+	if (candidate)
+		*candidate = ' ';
+	for (p = sb->buf; *p; p++) {
+		if ((p[0] == '\n' || p[0] == '\r') && p[1]) {
+			candidate = strchr(candidates, p[1]);
+			if (candidate)
+				*candidate = ' ';
+		}
+	}
+
+	for (p = candidates; *p == ' '; p++)
+		;
+	if (!*p)
+		die(_("unable to select a comment character that is not used\n"
+		      "in the current commit message"));
+	comment_line_char = *p;
+}
+
 static int prepare_to_commit(const char *index_file, const char *prefix,
 			     struct commit *current_head,
 			     struct wt_status *s,
@@ -748,6 +778,8 @@
 	if (fwrite(sb.buf, 1, sb.len, s->fp) < sb.len)
 		die_errno(_("could not write commit template"));
 
+	if (auto_comment_line_char)
+		adjust_comment_line_char(&sb);
 	strbuf_release(&sb);
 
 	/* This checks if committer ident is explicitly given */