diff --git a/builtin/commit.c b/builtin/commit.c
index 0d9828e29e..83233ca1a5 100644
--- a/builtin/commit.c
+++ b/builtin/commit.c
@@ -872,6 +872,7 @@ static int prepare_to_commit(const char *index_file, const char *prefix,
 		s->use_color = 0;
 		commitable = run_status(s->fp, index_file, prefix, 1, s);
 		s->use_color = saved_color_setting;
+		string_list_clear(&s->change, 1);
 	} else {
 		struct object_id oid;
 		const char *parent = "HEAD";
diff --git a/t/t7500-commit.sh b/t/t7500-commit.sh
index 170b4810e0..31ab608b67 100755
--- a/t/t7500-commit.sh
+++ b/t/t7500-commit.sh
@@ -359,4 +359,27 @@ test_expect_success 'new line found before status message in commit template' '
 	test_i18ncmp expected-template editor-input
 '
 
+test_expect_success 'setup empty commit with unstaged rename and copy' '
+	test_create_repo unstaged_rename_and_copy &&
+	(
+		cd unstaged_rename_and_copy &&
+
+		echo content >orig &&
+		git add orig &&
+		test_commit orig &&
+
+		cp orig new_copy &&
+		mv orig new_rename &&
+		git add -N new_copy new_rename
+	)
+'
+
+test_expect_success 'check commit with unstaged rename and copy' '
+	(
+		cd unstaged_rename_and_copy &&
+
+		test_must_fail git -c diff.renames=copy commit
+	)
+'
+
 test_done