hook_arg1 = "message";
        } else if (use_message) {
                buffer = strstr(use_message_buffer, "\n\n");
-               if (!buffer || buffer[2] == '\0')
+               if (!use_editor && (!buffer || buffer[2] == '\0'))
                        die(_("commit has empty message"));
                strbuf_add(&sb, buffer + 2, strlen(buffer + 2));
                hook_arg1 = "commit";
        strbuf_release(&sb);
 
        /* This checks if committer ident is explicitly given */
-       strbuf_addstr(&committer_ident, git_committer_info(0));
+       strbuf_addstr(&committer_ident, git_committer_info(IDENT_STRICT));
        if (use_editor && include_status) {
                char *ai_tmp, *ci_tmp;
                if (whence != FROM_COMMIT)