diff --git a/builtin-merge.c b/builtin-merge.c
index f7db14846e..f4de73fa9d 100644
--- a/builtin-merge.c
+++ b/builtin-merge.c
@@ -375,6 +375,11 @@ static void merge_name(const char *remote, struct strbuf *msg)
 				    sha1_to_hex(branch_head), remote);
 			goto cleanup;
 		}
+		if (!prefixcmp(found_ref, "refs/remotes/")) {
+			strbuf_addf(msg, "%s\t\tremote branch '%s' of .\n",
+				    sha1_to_hex(branch_head), remote);
+			goto cleanup;
+		}
 	}
 
 	/* See if remote matches <name>^^^.. or <name>~<number> */
diff --git a/t/t3409-rebase-preserve-merges.sh b/t/t3409-rebase-preserve-merges.sh
index e6c832780f..297d165476 100755
--- a/t/t3409-rebase-preserve-merges.sh
+++ b/t/t3409-rebase-preserve-merges.sh
@@ -71,7 +71,7 @@ test_expect_success 'rebase -p fakes interactive rebase' '
 	git fetch &&
 	git rebase -p origin/topic &&
 	test 1 = $(git rev-list --all --pretty=oneline | grep "Modify A" | wc -l) &&
-	test 1 = $(git rev-list --all --pretty=oneline | grep "Merge commit" | wc -l)
+	test 1 = $(git rev-list --all --pretty=oneline | grep "Merge remote branch " | wc -l)
 	)
 '
 
diff --git a/t/t7608-merge-messages.sh b/t/t7608-merge-messages.sh
index 81ced8ac3c..28d56797b1 100755
--- a/t/t7608-merge-messages.sh
+++ b/t/t7608-merge-messages.sh
@@ -47,4 +47,14 @@ test_expect_success 'ambiguous tag' '
 	check_oneline "Merge commit QambiguousQ"
 '
 
+test_expect_success 'remote branch' '
+	git checkout -b remote master &&
+	test_commit remote-1 &&
+	git update-ref refs/remotes/origin/master remote &&
+	git checkout master &&
+	test_commit master-5 &&
+	git merge origin/master &&
+	check_oneline "Merge remote branch Qorigin/masterQ"
+'
+
 test_done