diff --git a/extensions/git/src/repository.ts b/extensions/git/src/repository.ts
index a0ebb292a51..0c7ab9fa573 100644
--- a/extensions/git/src/repository.ts
+++ b/extensions/git/src/repository.ts
@@ -385,6 +385,7 @@ export class Repository implements Disposable {
 		const label = `${path.basename(repository.root)} (Git)`;
 
 		this._sourceControl = scm.createSourceControl('git', label);
+		this._sourceControl.inputBox.placeholder = localize('commitMessage', "Message (press {0} to commit)", process.platform === 'darwin' ? 'Cmd+Enter' : 'Ctrl+Enter');
 		this._sourceControl.acceptInputCommand = { command: 'git.commitWithInput', title: localize('commit', "Commit"), arguments: [this._sourceControl] };
 		this._sourceControl.quickDiffProvider = this;
 		this.disposables.push(this._sourceControl);
diff --git a/src/vs/vscode.d.ts b/src/vs/vscode.d.ts
index a7708f6555b..6994c453324 100644
--- a/src/vs/vscode.d.ts
+++ b/src/vs/vscode.d.ts
@@ -5326,6 +5326,11 @@ declare module 'vscode' {
 		 * Setter and getter for the contents of the input box.
 		 */
 		value: string;
+
+		/**
+		 * A string to show as place holder in the input box to guide the user.
+		 */
+		placeholder: string;
 	}
 
 	interface QuickDiffProvider {
diff --git a/src/vs/workbench/api/electron-browser/mainThreadSCM.ts b/src/vs/workbench/api/electron-browser/mainThreadSCM.ts
index 46b56f0e896..a4ed7afc043 100644
--- a/src/vs/workbench/api/electron-browser/mainThreadSCM.ts
+++ b/src/vs/workbench/api/electron-browser/mainThreadSCM.ts
@@ -343,4 +343,14 @@ export class MainThreadSCM implements MainThreadSCMShape {
 
 		repository.input.value = value;
 	}
+
+	$setInputBoxPlaceholder(sourceControlHandle: number, placeholder: string): void {
+		const repository = this._repositories[sourceControlHandle];
+
+		if (!repository) {
+			return;
+		}
+
+		repository.input.placeholder = placeholder;
+	}
 }
diff --git a/src/vs/workbench/api/node/extHost.protocol.ts b/src/vs/workbench/api/node/extHost.protocol.ts
index 3291bc7ef5f..f4c31081d8f 100644
--- a/src/vs/workbench/api/node/extHost.protocol.ts
+++ b/src/vs/workbench/api/node/extHost.protocol.ts
@@ -348,6 +348,7 @@ export interface MainThreadSCMShape extends IDisposable {
 	$unregisterGroup(sourceControlHandle: number, handle: number): void;
 
 	$setInputBoxValue(sourceControlHandle: number, value: string): void;
+	$setInputBoxPlaceholder(sourceControlHandle: number, placeholder: string): void;
 }
 
 export type DebugSessionUUID = string;
diff --git a/src/vs/workbench/api/node/extHostSCM.ts b/src/vs/workbench/api/node/extHostSCM.ts
index 60b4aee43f9..cafa3986f1c 100644
--- a/src/vs/workbench/api/node/extHostSCM.ts
+++ b/src/vs/workbench/api/node/extHostSCM.ts
@@ -43,6 +43,17 @@ export class ExtHostSCMInputBox {
 		return this._onDidChange.event;
 	}
 
+	private _placeholder: string = '';
+
+	get placeholder(): string {
+		return this._placeholder;
+	}
+
+	set placeholder(placeholder: string) {
+		this._proxy.$setInputBoxPlaceholder(this._sourceControlHandle, placeholder);
+		this._placeholder = placeholder;
+	}
+
 	constructor(private _proxy: MainThreadSCMShape, private _sourceControlHandle: number) {
 		// noop
 	}
diff --git a/src/vs/workbench/parts/scm/electron-browser/scmViewlet.ts b/src/vs/workbench/parts/scm/electron-browser/scmViewlet.ts
index b5123eca628..c23e25a0802 100644
--- a/src/vs/workbench/parts/scm/electron-browser/scmViewlet.ts
+++ b/src/vs/workbench/parts/scm/electron-browser/scmViewlet.ts
@@ -48,7 +48,6 @@ import { IViewletService } from 'vs/workbench/services/viewlet/browser/viewlet';
 import { ViewSizing } from 'vs/base/browser/ui/splitview/splitview';
 import { IExtensionsViewlet, VIEWLET_ID as EXTENSIONS_VIEWLET_ID } from 'vs/workbench/parts/extensions/common/extensions';
 import { InputBox } from 'vs/base/browser/ui/inputbox/inputBox';
-import * as platform from 'vs/base/common/platform';
 import { domEvent } from 'vs/base/browser/event';
 import { StandardKeyboardEvent } from 'vs/base/browser/keyboardEvent';
 import { KeyMod, KeyCode } from 'vs/base/common/keyCodes';
@@ -307,15 +306,16 @@ class SourceControlView extends CollapsibleView {
 		this.inputBoxContainer = append(container, $('.scm-editor'));
 
 		this.inputBox = new InputBox(this.inputBoxContainer, this.contextViewService, {
-			placeholder: localize('commitMessage', "Message (press {0} to commit)", platform.isMacintosh ? 'Cmd+Enter' : 'Ctrl+Enter'),
 			flexibleHeight: true
 		});
 		this.disposables.push(attachInputBoxStyler(this.inputBox, this.themeService));
 		this.disposables.push(this.inputBox);
 
 		this.inputBox.value = this.repository.input.value;
+		this.inputBox.setPlaceHolder(this.repository.input.placeholder);
 		this.inputBox.onDidChange(value => this.repository.input.value = value, null, this.disposables);
 		this.repository.input.onDidChange(value => this.inputBox.value = value, null, this.disposables);
+		this.repository.input.onDidChangePlaceholder(placeholder => this.inputBox.setPlaceHolder(placeholder), null, this.disposables);
 		this.disposables.push(this.inputBox.onDidHeightChange(() => this.layoutBody()));
 
 		chain(domEvent(this.inputBox.inputElement, 'keydown'))
diff --git a/src/vs/workbench/services/scm/common/scm.ts b/src/vs/workbench/services/scm/common/scm.ts
index 902c80182bd..166d540cd5b 100644
--- a/src/vs/workbench/services/scm/common/scm.ts
+++ b/src/vs/workbench/services/scm/common/scm.ts
@@ -58,6 +58,8 @@ export interface ISCMProvider extends IDisposable {
 export interface ISCMInput {
 	value: string;
 	readonly onDidChange: Event<string>;
+	placeholder: string;
+	readonly onDidChangePlaceholder: Event<string>;
 }
 
 export interface ISCMRepository extends IDisposable {
diff --git a/src/vs/workbench/services/scm/common/scmService.ts b/src/vs/workbench/services/scm/common/scmService.ts
index d88e80f3f4e..139a988b770 100644
--- a/src/vs/workbench/services/scm/common/scmService.ts
+++ b/src/vs/workbench/services/scm/common/scmService.ts
@@ -24,6 +24,20 @@ class SCMInput implements ISCMInput {
 
 	private _onDidChange = new Emitter<string>();
 	get onDidChange(): Event<string> { return this._onDidChange.event; }
+
+	private _placeholder = '';
+
+	get placeholder(): string {
+		return this._placeholder;
+	}
+
+	set placeholder(placeholder: string) {
+		this._placeholder = placeholder;
+		this._onDidChangePlaceholder.fire(placeholder);
+	}
+
+	private _onDidChangePlaceholder = new Emitter<string>();
+	get onDidChangePlaceholder(): Event<string> { return this._onDidChangePlaceholder.event; }
 }
 
 class SCMRepository implements ISCMRepository {