diff --git a/CHANGELOG.md b/CHANGELOG.md
index 1ac2ae8da3..023054bf5a 100644
--- a/CHANGELOG.md
+++ b/CHANGELOG.md
@@ -13,6 +13,7 @@ and this project adheres to [Semantic Versioning](https://semver.org/spec/v2.0.0
 ## Fixed
 - appropriate error message when pulling deleted remote branch ([#911](https://github.com/extrawurst/gitui/issues/991))
 - improved color contrast in branches popup for light themes  [[@Cottser](https://github.com/Cottser)] ([#922](https://github.com/extrawurst/gitui/issues/922))
+- use git_message_prettify for commit messages ([#917](https://github.com/extrawurst/gitui/issues/917))
 
 ## [0.17.1] - 2021-09-10
 
diff --git a/asyncgit/src/lib.rs b/asyncgit/src/lib.rs
index 9530817ccf..3dffa22d05 100644
--- a/asyncgit/src/lib.rs
+++ b/asyncgit/src/lib.rs
@@ -57,6 +57,7 @@ pub use crate::{
 	},
 	tags::AsyncTags,
 };
+pub use git2::message_prettify;
 use std::{
 	collections::hash_map::DefaultHasher,
 	hash::{Hash, Hasher},
diff --git a/src/components/commit.rs b/src/components/commit.rs
index 851bbb1f75..9835b30332 100644
--- a/src/components/commit.rs
+++ b/src/components/commit.rs
@@ -11,7 +11,7 @@ use crate::{
 };
 use anyhow::Result;
 use asyncgit::{
-	cached,
+	cached, message_prettify,
 	sync::{
 		self, get_config_string, CommitId, HookResult, RepoState,
 	},
@@ -149,19 +149,7 @@ impl CommitComponent {
 		drop(file);
 		std::fs::remove_file(&file_path)?;
 
-		let message: String = message
-			.lines()
-			.flat_map(|l| {
-				if l.starts_with('#') {
-					vec![]
-				} else {
-					vec![l, "\n"]
-				}
-			})
-			.collect();
-
-		let message = message.trim().to_string();
-
+		message = message_prettify(message, Some(b'#'))?;
 		self.input.set_text(message);
 		self.input.show()?;
 
@@ -193,7 +181,7 @@ impl CommitComponent {
 			)));
 			return Ok(());
 		}
-		let mut msg = msg;
+		let mut msg = message_prettify(msg, Some(b'#'))?;
 		if let HookResult::NotOk(e) =
 			sync::hooks_commit_msg(CWD, &mut msg)?
 		{