diff --git a/builtin/commit.c b/builtin/commit.c
index 583bf04..e04f123 100644
--- a/builtin/commit.c
+++ b/builtin/commit.c
@@ -910,18 +910,18 @@ static int prepare_to_commit(const char *index_file, const char *prefix,
 		struct ident_split ci, ai;
 		const char *hint_cleanup_all = allow_empty_message ?
 			_("Please enter the commit message for your changes."
-			  " Lines starting\nwith '%c' will be ignored.\n") :
+			  " Lines starting\nwith '%s' will be ignored.\n") :
 			_("Please enter the commit message for your changes."
-			  " Lines starting\nwith '%c' will be ignored, and an empty"
+			  " Lines starting\nwith '%s' will be ignored, and an empty"
 			  " message aborts the commit.\n");
 		const char *hint_cleanup_space = allow_empty_message ?
 			_("Please enter the commit message for your changes."
 			  " Lines starting\n"
-			  "with '%c' will be kept; you may remove them"
+			  "with '%s' will be kept; you may remove them"
 			  " yourself if you want to.\n") :
 			_("Please enter the commit message for your changes."
 			  " Lines starting\n"
-			  "with '%c' will be kept; you may remove them"
+			  "with '%s' will be kept; you may remove them"
 			  " yourself if you want to.\n"
 			  "An empty message aborts the commit.\n");
 		if (whence != FROM_COMMIT) {
@@ -945,12 +945,12 @@ static int prepare_to_commit(const char *index_file, const char *prefix,
 
 		fprintf(s->fp, "\n");
 		if (cleanup_mode == COMMIT_MSG_CLEANUP_ALL)
-			status_printf(s, GIT_COLOR_NORMAL, hint_cleanup_all, comment_line_char);
+			status_printf(s, GIT_COLOR_NORMAL, hint_cleanup_all, comment_line_str);
 		else if (cleanup_mode == COMMIT_MSG_CLEANUP_SCISSORS) {
 			if (whence == FROM_COMMIT && !merge_contains_scissors)
 				wt_status_add_cut_line(s->fp);
 		} else /* COMMIT_MSG_CLEANUP_SPACE, that is. */
-			status_printf(s, GIT_COLOR_NORMAL, hint_cleanup_space, comment_line_char);
+			status_printf(s, GIT_COLOR_NORMAL, hint_cleanup_space, comment_line_str);
 
 		/*
 		 * These should never fail because they come from our own