diff --git a/builtin/rebase.c b/builtin/rebase.c
index 1ddad46..1e1406c 100644
--- a/builtin/rebase.c
+++ b/builtin/rebase.c
@@ -1260,8 +1260,8 @@ static int is_linear_history(struct commit *from, struct commit *to)
 	return 1;
 }
 
-static int can_fast_forward(struct commit *onto, struct object_id *head_oid,
-			    struct object_id *merge_base)
+static int can_fast_forward(struct commit *onto, struct commit *upstream,
+			    struct object_id *head_oid, struct object_id *merge_base)
 {
 	struct commit *head = lookup_commit(the_repository, head_oid);
 	struct commit_list *merge_bases = NULL;
@@ -1280,6 +1280,17 @@ static int can_fast_forward(struct commit *onto, struct object_id *head_oid,
 	if (!oideq(merge_base, &onto->object.oid))
 		goto done;
 
+	if (!upstream)
+		goto done;
+
+	free_commit_list(merge_bases);
+	merge_bases = get_merge_bases(upstream, head);
+	if (!merge_bases || merge_bases->next)
+		goto done;
+
+	if (!oideq(&onto->object.oid, &merge_bases->item->object.oid))
+		goto done;
+
 	res = 1;
 
 done:
@@ -2027,13 +2038,13 @@ int cmd_rebase(int argc, const char **argv, const char *prefix)
 
 	/*
 	 * Check if we are already based on onto with linear history,
-	 * but this should be done only when upstream and onto are the same
-	 * and if this is not an interactive rebase.
+	 * in which case we could fast-forward without replacing the commits
+	 * with new commits recreated by replaying their changes. This
+	 * optimization must not be done if this is an interactive rebase.
 	 */
-	if (can_fast_forward(options.onto, &options.orig_head, &merge_base) &&
-	    !is_interactive(&options) && !options.restrict_revision &&
-	    options.upstream &&
-	    !oidcmp(&options.upstream->object.oid, &options.onto->object.oid)) {
+	if (can_fast_forward(options.onto, options.upstream, &options.orig_head,
+		    &merge_base) &&
+	    !is_interactive(&options) && !options.restrict_revision) {
 		int flag;
 
 		if (!(options.flags & REBASE_FORCE)) {