diff --git a/rebase-interactive.c b/rebase-interactive.c
index aa18ae82b7..1259adc8ea 100644
--- a/rebase-interactive.c
+++ b/rebase-interactive.c
@@ -104,9 +104,11 @@ int edit_todo_list(struct repository *r, struct todo_list *todo_list,
 				    -1, flags | TODO_LIST_SHORTEN_IDS | TODO_LIST_APPEND_TODO_HELP))
 		return error_errno(_("could not write '%s'"), todo_file);
 
-	if (initial && copy_file(rebase_path_todo_backup(), todo_file, 0666))
-		return error(_("could not copy '%s' to '%s'."), todo_file,
-			     rebase_path_todo_backup());
+	if (initial &&
+	    todo_list_write_to_file(r, todo_list, rebase_path_todo_backup(),
+				    shortrevisions, shortonto, -1,
+				    (flags | TODO_LIST_APPEND_TODO_HELP) & ~TODO_LIST_SHORTEN_IDS) < 0)
+		return error(_("could not write '%s'."), rebase_path_todo_backup());
 
 	if (launch_sequence_editor(todo_file, &new_todo->buf, NULL))
 		return -2;
diff --git a/sequencer.c b/sequencer.c
index 4d31ec3296..df6d18f9ab 100644
--- a/sequencer.c
+++ b/sequencer.c
@@ -2118,6 +2118,8 @@ static int parse_insn_line(struct repository *r, struct todo_item *item,
 	saved = *end_of_object_name;
 	*end_of_object_name = '\0';
 	status = get_oid(bol, &commit_oid);
+	if (status < 0)
+		error(_("could not parse '%s'"), bol); /* return later */
 	*end_of_object_name = saved;
 
 	bol = end_of_object_name + strspn(end_of_object_name, " \t");
@@ -2125,11 +2127,10 @@ static int parse_insn_line(struct repository *r, struct todo_item *item,
 	item->arg_len = (int)(eol - bol);
 
 	if (status < 0)
-		return error(_("could not parse '%.*s'"),
-			     (int)(end_of_object_name - bol), bol);
+		return status;
 
 	item->commit = lookup_commit_reference(r, &commit_oid);
-	return !item->commit;
+	return item->commit ? 0 : -1;
 }
 
 int sequencer_get_last_command(struct repository *r, enum replay_action *action)
@@ -5075,7 +5076,7 @@ int complete_action(struct repository *r, struct replay_opts *opts, unsigned fla
 {
 	const char *shortonto, *todo_file = rebase_path_todo();
 	struct todo_list new_todo = TODO_LIST_INIT;
-	struct strbuf *buf = &todo_list->buf;
+	struct strbuf *buf = &todo_list->buf, buf2 = STRBUF_INIT;
 	struct object_id oid = onto->object.oid;
 	int res;
 
@@ -5127,6 +5128,15 @@ int complete_action(struct repository *r, struct replay_opts *opts, unsigned fla
 		return -1;
 	}
 
+	/* Expand the commit IDs */
+	todo_list_to_strbuf(r, &new_todo, &buf2, -1, 0);
+	strbuf_swap(&new_todo.buf, &buf2);
+	strbuf_release(&buf2);
+	new_todo.total_nr -= new_todo.nr;
+	if (todo_list_parse_insn_buffer(r, new_todo.buf.buf, &new_todo) < 0)
+		BUG("invalid todo list after expanding IDs:\n%s",
+		    new_todo.buf.buf);
+
 	if (opts->allow_ff && skip_unnecessary_picks(r, &new_todo, &oid)) {
 		todo_list_release(&new_todo);
 		return error(_("could not skip unnecessary pick commands"));
diff --git a/t/t3404-rebase-interactive.sh b/t/t3404-rebase-interactive.sh
index ae6e55ce79..b90ea0fe44 100755
--- a/t/t3404-rebase-interactive.sh
+++ b/t/t3404-rebase-interactive.sh
@@ -1264,13 +1264,26 @@ test_expect_success SHA1 'short SHA-1 setup' '
 test_expect_success SHA1 'short SHA-1 collide' '
 	test_when_finished "reset_rebase && git checkout master" &&
 	git checkout collide &&
+	colliding_sha1=6bcda37 &&
+	test $colliding_sha1 = "$(git rev-parse HEAD | cut -c 1-7)" &&
 	(
 		unset test_tick &&
 		test_tick &&
 		set_fake_editor &&
 		FAKE_COMMIT_MESSAGE="collide2 ac4f2ee" \
-		FAKE_LINES="reword 1 2" git rebase -i HEAD~2
-	)
+		FAKE_LINES="reword 1 break 2" git rebase -i HEAD~2 &&
+		test $colliding_sha1 = "$(git rev-parse HEAD | cut -c 1-7)" &&
+		grep "^pick $colliding_sha1 " \
+			.git/rebase-merge/git-rebase-todo.tmp &&
+		grep "^pick [0-9a-f]\{40\}" \
+			.git/rebase-merge/git-rebase-todo &&
+		grep "^pick [0-9a-f]\{40\}" \
+			.git/rebase-merge/git-rebase-todo.backup &&
+		git rebase --continue
+	) &&
+	collide2="$(git rev-parse HEAD~1 | cut -c 1-4)" &&
+	collide3="$(git rev-parse collide3 | cut -c 1-4)" &&
+	test "$collide2" = "$collide3"
 '
 
 test_expect_success 'respect core.abbrev' '