diff --git a/sequencer.c b/sequencer.c
index 086cd0b4be..bf02565b4c 100644
--- a/sequencer.c
+++ b/sequencer.c
@@ -15,6 +15,7 @@
 #include "merge-recursive.h"
 #include "refs.h"
 #include "argv-array.h"
+#include "quote.h"
 
 #define GIT_REFLOG_ACTION "GIT_REFLOG_ACTION"
 
@@ -33,6 +34,11 @@ static GIT_PATH_FUNC(git_path_head_file, "sequencer/head")
  * being rebased.
  */
 static GIT_PATH_FUNC(rebase_path_author_script, "rebase-merge/author-script")
+/*
+ * The following files are written by git-rebase just after parsing the
+ * command-line (and are only consumed, not modified, by the sequencer).
+ */
+static GIT_PATH_FUNC(rebase_path_gpg_sign_opt, "rebase-merge/gpg_sign_opt")
 
 /* We will introduce the 'interactive rebase' mode later */
 static inline int is_rebase_i(const struct replay_opts *opts)
@@ -132,6 +138,16 @@ static int has_conforming_footer(struct strbuf *sb, struct strbuf *sob,
 	return 1;
 }
 
+static const char *gpg_sign_opt_quoted(struct replay_opts *opts)
+{
+	static struct strbuf buf = STRBUF_INIT;
+
+	strbuf_reset(&buf);
+	if (opts->gpg_sign)
+		sq_quotef(&buf, "-S%s", opts->gpg_sign);
+	return buf.buf;
+}
+
 void *sequencer_entrust(struct replay_opts *opts, void *to_free)
 {
 	ALLOC_GROW(opts->owned, opts->owned_nr + 1, opts->owned_alloc);
@@ -478,17 +494,20 @@ int sequencer_commit(const char *defmsg, struct replay_opts *opts,
 
 	if (is_rebase_i(opts)) {
 		env = read_author_script();
-		if (!env)
+		if (!env) {
+			const char *gpg_opt = gpg_sign_opt_quoted(opts);
+
 			return error("You have staged changes in your working "
 				"tree. If these changes are meant to be\n"
 				"squashed into the previous commit, run:\n\n"
-				"  git commit --amend $gpg_sign_opt_quoted\n\n"
+				"  git commit --amend %s\n\n"
 				"If they are meant to go into a new commit, "
 				"run:\n\n"
-				"  git commit $gpg_sign_opt_quoted\n\n"
+				"  git commit %s\n\n"
 				"In both cases, once you're done, continue "
 				"with:\n\n"
-				"  git rebase --continue\n");
+				"  git rebase --continue\n", gpg_opt, gpg_opt);
+		}
 	}
 
 	argv_array_init(&array);
@@ -980,8 +999,21 @@ static int populate_opts_cb(const char *key, const char *value, void *data)
 
 static int read_populate_opts(struct replay_opts *opts)
 {
-	if (is_rebase_i(opts))
+	if (is_rebase_i(opts)) {
+		struct strbuf buf = STRBUF_INIT;
+
+		if (read_oneliner(&buf, rebase_path_gpg_sign_opt(), 1)) {
+			if (!starts_with(buf.buf, "-S"))
+				strbuf_reset(&buf);
+			else {
+				opts->gpg_sign = buf.buf + 2;
+				sequencer_entrust(opts,
+					strbuf_detach(&buf, NULL));
+			}
+		}
+
 		return 0;
+	}
 
 	if (!file_exists(git_path_opts_file()))
 		return 0;