diff --git a/builtin/commit.c b/builtin/commit.c
index 6515da2..95eeab1 100644
--- a/builtin/commit.c
+++ b/builtin/commit.c
@@ -184,6 +184,9 @@
 	int i;
 	char *m;
 
+	if (!pattern)
+		return 0;
+
 	for (i = 0; pattern[i]; i++)
 		;
 	m = xcalloc(1, i);
@@ -345,7 +348,7 @@
 	 * and create commit from the_index.
 	 * We still need to refresh the index here.
 	 */
-	if (!pathspec || !*pathspec) {
+	if (!only && (!pathspec || !*pathspec)) {
 		fd = hold_locked_index(&index_lock, 1);
 		refresh_cache_or_die(refresh_flags);
 		if (active_cache_changed) {