diff --git a/sequencer.c b/sequencer.c
index bbb583cadd..2938b27ef9 100644
--- a/sequencer.c
+++ b/sequencer.c
@@ -1341,8 +1341,12 @@ static int read_populate_todo(struct todo_list *todo_list,
 	close(fd);
 
 	res = parse_insn_buffer(todo_list->buf.buf, todo_list);
-	if (res)
+	if (res) {
+		if (is_rebase_i(opts))
+			return error(_("Please fix this using "
+				       "'git rebase --edit-todo'."));
 		return error(_("Unusable instruction sheet: '%s'"), todo_file);
+	}
 
 	if (!todo_list->nr &&
 	    (!is_rebase_i(opts) || !file_exists(rebase_path_done())))