diff --git a/org.eclipse.jgit.pgm/src/org/eclipse/jgit/pgm/Commit.java b/org.eclipse.jgit.pgm/src/org/eclipse/jgit/pgm/Commit.java
index cc7539b98..dccf33de0 100644
--- a/org.eclipse.jgit.pgm/src/org/eclipse/jgit/pgm/Commit.java
+++ b/org.eclipse.jgit.pgm/src/org/eclipse/jgit/pgm/Commit.java
@@ -94,7 +94,12 @@ class Commit extends TextBuiltin {
 		commitCmd.setAmend(amend);
 		commitCmd.setAll(all);
 		Ref head = db.getRef(Constants.HEAD);
-		RevCommit commit = commitCmd.call();
+		RevCommit commit;
+		try {
+			commit = commitCmd.call();
+		} catch (JGitInternalException e) {
+			throw die(e.getMessage());
+		}
 
 		String branchName;
 		if (!head.isSymbolic())