diff --git a/crates/git_ui/src/commit_modal.rs b/crates/git_ui/src/commit_modal.rs
index a1449a73ea..0bcbd2a71f 100644
--- a/crates/git_ui/src/commit_modal.rs
+++ b/crates/git_ui/src/commit_modal.rs
@@ -136,7 +136,7 @@ impl CommitModal {
         cx: &mut Context<Self>,
     ) -> Self {
         let panel = git_panel.read(cx);
-        let suggested_commit_message = panel.suggest_commit_message();
+        let suggested_commit_message = panel.suggest_commit_message(cx);
 
         let commit_editor = git_panel.update(cx, |git_panel, cx| {
             git_panel.set_modal_open(true, cx);
diff --git a/crates/git_ui/src/git_panel.rs b/crates/git_ui/src/git_panel.rs
index b52bd34419..57a9453fb6 100644
--- a/crates/git_ui/src/git_panel.rs
+++ b/crates/git_ui/src/git_panel.rs
@@ -1407,7 +1407,7 @@ impl GitPanel {
             return Some(message.to_string());
         }
 
-        self.suggest_commit_message()
+        self.suggest_commit_message(cx)
             .filter(|message| !message.trim().is_empty())
     }
 
@@ -1576,7 +1576,15 @@ impl GitPanel {
     }
 
     /// Suggests a commit message based on the changed files and their statuses
-    pub fn suggest_commit_message(&self) -> Option<String> {
+    pub fn suggest_commit_message(&self, cx: &App) -> Option<String> {
+        if let Some(merge_message) = self
+            .active_repository
+            .as_ref()
+            .and_then(|repo| repo.read(cx).merge_message.as_ref())
+        {
+            return Some(merge_message.clone());
+        }
+
         let git_status_entry = if let Some(staged_entry) = &self.single_staged_entry {
             Some(staged_entry)
         } else if let Some(single_tracked_entry) = &self.single_tracked_entry {
@@ -1712,19 +1720,6 @@ impl GitPanel {
         }));
     }
 
-    fn update_editor_placeholder(&mut self, cx: &mut Context<Self>) {
-        let suggested_commit_message = self.suggest_commit_message();
-        let placeholder_text = suggested_commit_message
-            .as_deref()
-            .unwrap_or("Enter commit message");
-
-        self.commit_editor.update(cx, |editor, cx| {
-            editor.set_placeholder_text(Arc::from(placeholder_text), cx)
-        });
-
-        cx.notify();
-    }
-
     pub(crate) fn fetch(&mut self, window: &mut Window, cx: &mut Context<Self>) {
         if !self.can_push_and_pull(cx) {
             return;
@@ -2181,7 +2176,6 @@ impl GitPanel {
                             git_panel.clear_pending();
                         }
                         git_panel.update_visible_entries(cx);
-                        git_panel.update_editor_placeholder(cx);
                         git_panel.update_scrollbar_properties(window, cx);
                     })
                     .ok();
@@ -2217,7 +2211,7 @@ impl GitPanel {
                     git_panel.commit_editor = cx.new(|cx| {
                         commit_message_editor(
                             buffer,
-                            git_panel.suggest_commit_message().as_deref(),
+                            git_panel.suggest_commit_message(cx).as_deref(),
                             git_panel.project.clone(),
                             true,
                             window,
@@ -2237,6 +2231,7 @@ impl GitPanel {
     fn update_visible_entries(&mut self, cx: &mut Context<Self>) {
         self.entries.clear();
         self.single_staged_entry.take();
+        self.single_tracked_entry.take();
         self.conflicted_count = 0;
         self.conflicted_staged_count = 0;
         self.new_count = 0;
@@ -2396,6 +2391,15 @@ impl GitPanel {
 
         self.select_first_entry_if_none(cx);
 
+        let suggested_commit_message = self.suggest_commit_message(cx);
+        let placeholder_text = suggested_commit_message
+            .as_deref()
+            .unwrap_or("Enter commit message");
+
+        self.commit_editor.update(cx, |editor, cx| {
+            editor.set_placeholder_text(Arc::from(placeholder_text), cx)
+        });
+
         cx.notify();
     }
 
diff --git a/crates/project/src/git.rs b/crates/project/src/git.rs
index 81e4b43131..51271f9b77 100644
--- a/crates/project/src/git.rs
+++ b/crates/project/src/git.rs
@@ -605,20 +605,9 @@ impl GitStore {
                             }
                             // Update the statuses and merge message but keep everything else.
                             let existing_handle = handle.clone();
-                            existing_handle.update(cx, |existing_handle, cx| {
+                            existing_handle.update(cx, |existing_handle, _| {
                                 existing_handle.repository_entry = repo.clone();
-                                if matches!(git_repo, GitRepo::Local { .. })
-                                    && existing_handle.merge_message != merge_message
-                                {
-                                    if let (Some(merge_message), Some(buffer)) =
-                                        (&merge_message, &existing_handle.commit_message_buffer)
-                                    {
-                                        buffer.update(cx, |buffer, cx| {
-                                            if buffer.is_empty() {
-                                                buffer.set_text(merge_message.as_str(), cx);
-                                            }
-                                        })
-                                    }
+                                if matches!(git_repo, GitRepo::Local { .. }) {
                                     existing_handle.merge_message = merge_message;
                                 }
                             });
@@ -2177,7 +2166,6 @@ impl Repository {
         buffer_store: Entity<BufferStore>,
         cx: &mut Context<Self>,
     ) -> Task<Result<Entity<Buffer>>> {
-        let merge_message = self.merge_message.clone();
         cx.spawn(|repository, mut cx| async move {
             let buffer = buffer_store
                 .update(&mut cx, |buffer_store, cx| buffer_store.create_buffer(cx))?
@@ -2190,12 +2178,6 @@ impl Repository {
                 })?;
             }
 
-            if let Some(merge_message) = merge_message {
-                buffer.update(&mut cx, |buffer, cx| {
-                    buffer.set_text(merge_message.as_str(), cx)
-                })?;
-            }
-
             repository.update(&mut cx, |repository, _| {
                 repository.commit_message_buffer = Some(buffer.clone());
             })?;