diff --git a/extensions/git/package.json b/extensions/git/package.json
index 9cee78f096b..060b6af554e 100644
--- a/extensions/git/package.json
+++ b/extensions/git/package.json
@@ -1608,6 +1608,12 @@
           "default": "mixed",
           "description": "%config.untrackedChanges%",
           "scope": "resource"
+        },
+        "git.restoreCommitTemplateComments": {
+          "type": "boolean",
+          "scope": "resource",
+          "default": true,
+          "description": "%config.restoreCommitTemplateComments%"
         }
       }
     },
diff --git a/extensions/git/package.nls.json b/extensions/git/package.nls.json
index 0c4959e20e4..ad377c36b61 100644
--- a/extensions/git/package.nls.json
+++ b/extensions/git/package.nls.json
@@ -139,6 +139,7 @@
 	"config.untrackedChanges.mixed": "All changes, tracked and untracked, appear together and behave equally.",
 	"config.untrackedChanges.separate": "Untracked changes appear separately in the Source Control view. They are also excluded from several actions.",
 	"config.untrackedChanges.hidden": "Untracked changes are hidden and excluded from several actions.",
+	"config.restoreCommitTemplateComments": "Controls whether to restore commit template comments in the commit input box.",
 	"colors.added": "Color for added resources.",
 	"colors.modified": "Color for modified resources.",
 	"colors.deleted": "Color for deleted resources.",
diff --git a/extensions/git/src/git.ts b/extensions/git/src/git.ts
index 23a68ca7c16..6d54fb4db21 100644
--- a/extensions/git/src/git.ts
+++ b/extensions/git/src/git.ts
@@ -1823,7 +1823,6 @@ export class Repository {
 		return message.replace(/^\s*#.*$\n?/gm, '').trim();
 	}
 
-
 	async getMergeMessage(): Promise<string | undefined> {
 		const mergeMsgPath = path.join(this.repositoryRoot, '.git', 'MERGE_MSG');
 
diff --git a/extensions/git/src/repository.ts b/extensions/git/src/repository.ts
index 949c97bb8a3..5f3c9bee464 100644
--- a/extensions/git/src/repository.ts
+++ b/extensions/git/src/repository.ts
@@ -844,7 +844,15 @@ export class Repository implements Disposable {
 			return mergeMessage;
 		}
 
-		return await this.repository.getCommitTemplate();
+		let template = await this.repository.getCommitTemplate();
+
+		const config = workspace.getConfiguration('git', Uri.file(this.root));
+
+		if (!config.get<boolean>('restoreCommitTemplateComments')) {
+			template = this.cleanUpCommitEditMessage(template);
+		}
+
+		return template;
 	}
 
 	getConfigs(): Promise<{ key: string; value: string; }[]> {
@@ -1278,7 +1286,7 @@ export class Repository implements Disposable {
 		return await this.run(Operation.GetCommitTemplate, async () => this.repository.getCommitTemplate());
 	}
 
-	async cleanUpCommitEditMessage(editMessage: string): Promise<string> {
+	cleanUpCommitEditMessage(editMessage: string): string {
 		return this.repository.cleanupCommitEditMessage(editMessage);
 	}