diff --git a/extensions/git/src/commands.ts b/extensions/git/src/commands.ts
index 49ba5956cd0..349435d7aeb 100755
--- a/extensions/git/src/commands.ts
+++ b/extensions/git/src/commands.ts
@@ -5,7 +5,7 @@
 
 import { Uri, commands, Disposable, window, workspace, QuickPickItem, OutputChannel, Range, WorkspaceEdit, Position, LineChange, SourceControlResourceState, TextDocumentShowOptions, ViewColumn, ProgressLocation, TextEditor, MessageOptions, WorkspaceFolder } from 'vscode';
 import { Git, CommitOptions, Stash, ForcePushMode } from './git';
-import { Repository, Resource, ResourceGroupType, getBranchName } from './repository';
+import { Repository, Resource, ResourceGroupType } from './repository';
 import { Model } from './model';
 import { toGitUri, fromGitUri } from './uri';
 import { grep, isDescendant, pathEquals } from './util';
@@ -1371,13 +1371,15 @@ export class CommandCenter {
 				value = (await repository.getCommit(repository.HEAD.commit)).message;
 			}
 
-			let placeHolder;
-			const branchName = getBranchName(repository.HEAD, repository.refs);
+			const branchName = repository.headShortName;
+			let placeHolder: string;
+
 			if (branchName) {
 				placeHolder = localize('commitMessageWithHeadLabel2', "Message (commit on '{0}')", branchName);
 			} else {
 				placeHolder = localize('commit message', "Commit message");
 			}
+
 			return await window.showInputBox({
 				value,
 				placeHolder,
diff --git a/extensions/git/src/repository.ts b/extensions/git/src/repository.ts
index 851be585b41..416e98ce79a 100644
--- a/extensions/git/src/repository.ts
+++ b/extensions/git/src/repository.ts
@@ -579,6 +579,23 @@ export class Repository implements Disposable {
 		return this._refs;
 	}
 
+	get headShortName(): string | undefined {
+		if (!this.HEAD) {
+			return;
+		}
+
+		const HEAD = this.HEAD;
+		const tag = this.refs.filter(iref => iref.type === RefType.Tag && iref.commit === HEAD.commit)[0];
+		const tagName = tag && tag.name;
+		const branchName = HEAD.name || tagName || HEAD.commit;
+
+		if (branchName === undefined) {
+			return;
+		}
+
+		return branchName.substr(0, 8);
+	}
+
 	private _remotes: Remote[] = [];
 	get remotes(): Remote[] {
 		return this._remotes;
@@ -1643,7 +1660,7 @@ export class Repository implements Disposable {
 	}
 
 	private updateInputBoxPlaceholder(): void {
-		const branchName = getBranchName(this.HEAD, this.refs);
+		const branchName = this.headShortName;
 
 		if (branchName) {
 			// '{0}' will be replaced by the corresponding key-command later in the process, which is why it needs to stay.
@@ -1657,16 +1674,3 @@ export class Repository implements Disposable {
 		this.disposables = dispose(this.disposables);
 	}
 }
-
-export function getBranchName(HEAD: Repository['HEAD'], refs: Repository['refs']): string | undefined {
-	if (HEAD === undefined) {
-		return;
-	}
-	const tag = refs.filter(iref => iref.type === RefType.Tag && iref.commit === HEAD.commit)[0];
-	const tagName = tag && tag.name;
-	const branchName = HEAD.name || tagName || HEAD.commit;
-	if (branchName === undefined) {
-		return;
-	}
-	return branchName.substr(0, 8);
-}