diff --git a/mercurial/localrepo.py b/mercurial/localrepo.py
--- a/mercurial/localrepo.py
+++ b/mercurial/localrepo.py
@@ -1096,37 +1096,58 @@ class localrepository(repo.repository):
 
             # check subrepos
             subs = []
-            removedsubs = set()
+            commitsubs = set()
+            newstate = wctx.substate.copy()
+            # only manage subrepos and .hgsubstate if .hgsub is present
             if '.hgsub' in wctx:
-                # only manage subrepos and .hgsubstate if .hgsub is present
+                # we'll decide whether to track this ourselves, thanks
+                if '.hgsubstate' in changes[0]:
+                    changes[0].remove('.hgsubstate')
+                if '.hgsubstate' in changes[2]:
+                    changes[2].remove('.hgsubstate')
+
+                # compare current state to last committed state
+                # build new substate based on last committed state
+                oldstate = wctx.p1().substate
+                for s in sorted(newstate.keys()):
+                    if not match(s):
+                        # ignore working copy, use old state if present
+                        if s in oldstate:
+                            newstate[s] = oldstate[s]
+                            continue
+                        if not force:
+                            raise util.Abort(
+                                _("commit with new subrepo %s excluded") % s)
+                    if wctx.sub(s).dirty(True):
+                        if not self.ui.configbool('ui', 'commitsubrepos'):
+                            raise util.Abort(
+                                _("uncommitted changes in subrepo %s") % s,
+                                hint=_("use --subrepos for recursive commit"))
+                        subs.append(s)
+                        commitsubs.add(s)
+                    else:
+                        bs = wctx.sub(s).basestate()
+                        newstate[s] = (newstate[s][0], bs, newstate[s][2])
+                        if oldstate.get(s, (None, None, None))[1] != bs:
+                            subs.append(s)
+
+                # check for removed subrepos
                 for p in wctx.parents():
-                    removedsubs.update(s for s in p.substate if match(s))
-                for s in wctx.substate:
-                    removedsubs.discard(s)
-                    if match(s) and wctx.sub(s).dirty():
-                        subs.append(s)
-                if (subs or removedsubs):
+                    r = [s for s in p.substate if s not in newstate]
+                    subs += [s for s in r if match(s)]
+                if subs:
                     if (not match('.hgsub') and
                         '.hgsub' in (wctx.modified() + wctx.added())):
                         raise util.Abort(
                             _("can't commit subrepos without .hgsub"))
-                    if '.hgsubstate' not in changes[0]:
-                        changes[0].insert(0, '.hgsubstate')
-                        if '.hgsubstate' in changes[2]:
-                            changes[2].remove('.hgsubstate')
+                    changes[0].insert(0, '.hgsubstate')
+
             elif '.hgsub' in changes[2]:
                 # clean up .hgsubstate when .hgsub is removed
                 if ('.hgsubstate' in wctx and
                     '.hgsubstate' not in changes[0] + changes[1] + changes[2]):
                     changes[2].insert(0, '.hgsubstate')
 
-            if subs and not self.ui.configbool('ui', 'commitsubrepos', False):
-                changedsubs = [s for s in subs if wctx.sub(s).dirty(True)]
-                if changedsubs:
-                    raise util.Abort(_("uncommitted changes in subrepo %s")
-                                     % changedsubs[0],
-                                     hint=_("use --subrepos for recursive commit"))
-
             # make sure all explicit patterns are matched
             if not force and match.files():
                 matched = set(changes[0] + changes[1] + changes[2])
@@ -1162,16 +1183,15 @@ class localrepository(repo.repository):
                 cctx._text = editor(self, cctx, subs)
             edited = (text != cctx._text)
 
-            # commit subs
-            if subs or removedsubs:
-                state = wctx.substate.copy()
-                for s in sorted(subs):
+            # commit subs and write new state
+            if subs:
+                for s in sorted(commitsubs):
                     sub = wctx.sub(s)
                     self.ui.status(_('committing subrepository %s\n') %
                         subrepo.subrelpath(sub))
                     sr = sub.commit(cctx._text, user, date)
-                    state[s] = (state[s][0], sr)
-                subrepo.writestate(self, state)
+                    newstate[s] = (newstate[s][0], sr)
+                subrepo.writestate(self, newstate)
 
             # Save commit message in case this transaction gets rolled back
             # (e.g. by a pretxncommit hook).  Leave the content alone on
diff --git a/tests/test-check-code-hg.t b/tests/test-check-code-hg.t
--- a/tests/test-check-code-hg.t
+++ b/tests/test-check-code-hg.t
@@ -474,9 +474,6 @@
    >     except:
    warning: naked except clause
   mercurial/localrepo.py:0:
-   >                                      hint=_("use --subrepos for recursive commit"))
-   warning: line over 80 characters
-  mercurial/localrepo.py:0:
    >                         # we return an integer indicating remote head count change
    warning: line over 80 characters
   mercurial/localrepo.py:0:
diff --git a/tests/test-mq-subrepo-svn.t b/tests/test-mq-subrepo-svn.t
--- a/tests/test-mq-subrepo-svn.t
+++ b/tests/test-mq-subrepo-svn.t
@@ -37,7 +37,6 @@ qnew on repo w/svn subrepo
   $ hg status -S -X '**/format'
   A .hgsub
   $ hg qnew -m0 0.diff
-  committing subrepository sub
   $ cd sub
   $ echo a > a
   $ svn add a
diff --git a/tests/test-mq-subrepo.t b/tests/test-mq-subrepo.t
--- a/tests/test-mq-subrepo.t
+++ b/tests/test-mq-subrepo.t
@@ -105,7 +105,6 @@ handle subrepos safely on qnew
   % update substate when adding .hgsub w/clean updated subrepo
   A .hgsub
   % qnew -m0 0.diff
-  committing subrepository sub
   path sub
    source   sub
    revision b2fdb12cd82b021c3b7053d67802e77b6eeaee31
@@ -121,7 +120,6 @@ handle subrepos safely on qnew
   % update substate when modifying .hgsub w/clean updated subrepo
   M .hgsub
   % qnew -m1 1.diff
-  committing subrepository sub2
   path sub
    source   sub
    revision b2fdb12cd82b021c3b7053d67802e77b6eeaee31
@@ -166,7 +164,6 @@ handle subrepos safely on qrefresh
   % update substate when adding .hgsub w/clean updated subrepo
   A .hgsub
   % qrefresh
-  committing subrepository sub
   path sub
    source   sub
    revision b2fdb12cd82b021c3b7053d67802e77b6eeaee31
@@ -183,7 +180,6 @@ handle subrepos safely on qrefresh
   % update substate when modifying .hgsub w/clean updated subrepo
   M .hgsub
   % qrefresh
-  committing subrepository sub2
   path sub
    source   sub
    revision b2fdb12cd82b021c3b7053d67802e77b6eeaee31
@@ -225,7 +221,6 @@ handle subrepos safely on qpush/qpop
   $ echo sub = sub > .hgsub
   $ hg add .hgsub
   $ hg qnew -m0 0.diff
-  committing subrepository sub
   $ hg debugsub
   path sub
    source   sub
@@ -277,7 +272,6 @@ handle subrepos safely on qrecord
   diff --git a/.hgsub b/.hgsub
   new file mode 100644
   examine changes to '.hgsub'? [Ynsfdaq?] 
-  committing subrepository sub
   path sub
    source   sub
    revision b2fdb12cd82b021c3b7053d67802e77b6eeaee31
@@ -310,7 +304,6 @@ handle subrepos safely on qrecord
    sub = sub
   +sub2 = sub2
   record this change to '.hgsub'? [Ynsfdaq?] 
-  committing subrepository sub2
   path sub
    source   sub
    revision b2fdb12cd82b021c3b7053d67802e77b6eeaee31
@@ -360,4 +353,3 @@ correctly handle subrepos with patch que
   $ echo sub = sub >> .hgsub
   $ hg add .hgsub
   $ hg qnew 0.diff
-  committing subrepository sub
diff --git a/tests/test-subrepo-deep-nested-change.t b/tests/test-subrepo-deep-nested-change.t
--- a/tests/test-subrepo-deep-nested-change.t
+++ b/tests/test-subrepo-deep-nested-change.t
@@ -18,7 +18,6 @@ Preparing the 'sub1' repo which depends 
   adding sub1/.hgsub (glob)
   adding sub1/sub1 (glob)
   $ hg commit -R sub1 -m "sub1 import"
-  committing subrepository sub2
 
 Preparing the 'main' repo which depends on the subrepo 'sub1'
 
@@ -33,7 +32,6 @@ Preparing the 'main' repo which depends 
   adding main/.hgsub (glob)
   adding main/main (glob)
   $ hg commit -R main -m "main import"
-  committing subrepository sub1
 
 Cleaning both repositories, just as a clone -U
 
diff --git a/tests/test-subrepo-git.t b/tests/test-subrepo-git.t
--- a/tests/test-subrepo-git.t
+++ b/tests/test-subrepo-git.t
@@ -34,7 +34,6 @@ add subrepo clone
   $ git clone -q ../gitroot s
   $ hg add .hgsub
   $ hg commit -m 'new git subrepo'
-  committing subrepository s
   $ hg debugsub
   path s
    source   ../gitroot
@@ -55,7 +54,6 @@ record a new commit from upstream from a
   $ hg status --subrepos
   M s/g
   $ hg commit -m 'update git subrepo'
-  committing subrepository s
   $ hg debugsub
   path s
    source   ../gitroot
@@ -222,7 +220,6 @@ sync to upstream git, distribute changes
   $ git pull -q >/dev/null 2>/dev/null
   $ cd ..
   $ hg commit -m 'git upstream sync'
-  committing subrepository s
   $ hg debugsub
   path s
    source   ../gitroot
@@ -287,7 +284,6 @@ create nested repo
   $ echo inner = inner > .hgsub
   $ hg add .hgsub
   $ hg commit -m 'nested sub'
-  committing subrepository inner
 
 nested commit
 
@@ -339,27 +335,32 @@ Don't crash if the .hgsubstate entry is 
   $ hg update 1 -q
   $ hg rm .hgsubstate
   $ hg commit .hgsubstate -m 'no substate'
-  created new head
+  nothing changed
+  [1]
   $ hg tag -l nosubstate
   $ hg manifest
   .hgsub
+  .hgsubstate
   a
 
   $ hg status -S
+  R .hgsubstate
   $ hg sum | grep commit
-  commit: 1 subrepos
+  commit: 1 removed, 1 subrepos (new branch head)
 
   $ hg commit -m 'restore substate'
-  committing subrepository s
+  nothing changed
+  [1]
   $ hg manifest
   .hgsub
   .hgsubstate
   a
   $ hg sum | grep commit
-  commit: (clean)
+  commit: 1 removed, 1 subrepos (new branch head)
 
   $ hg update -qC nosubstate
   $ ls s
+  g
 
 issue3109: false positives in git diff-index
 
diff --git a/tests/test-subrepo-missing.t b/tests/test-subrepo-missing.t
--- a/tests/test-subrepo-missing.t
+++ b/tests/test-subrepo-missing.t
@@ -7,12 +7,10 @@
   $ echo 'subrepo = subrepo' > .hgsub
   $ hg ci -Am addsubrepo
   adding .hgsub
-  committing subrepository subrepo
   $ echo b > subrepo/b
   $ hg -R subrepo ci -Am addb
   adding b
   $ hg ci -m updatedsub
-  committing subrepository subrepo
 
 delete .hgsub and revert it
 
diff --git a/tests/test-subrepo-recursion.t b/tests/test-subrepo-recursion.t
--- a/tests/test-subrepo-recursion.t
+++ b/tests/test-subrepo-recursion.t
@@ -79,11 +79,9 @@ The --subrepos flag overwrite the config
 
   $ cd ..
   $ hg commit -m 0-2-1
-  committing subrepository bar
 
   $ cd ..
   $ hg commit -m 1-2-1
-  committing subrepository foo
 
 Change working directory:
 
diff --git a/tests/test-subrepo-relative-path.t b/tests/test-subrepo-relative-path.t
--- a/tests/test-subrepo-relative-path.t
+++ b/tests/test-subrepo-relative-path.t
@@ -20,7 +20,6 @@ Preparing the 'main' repo which depends 
   adding main/.hgsub (glob)
   adding main/main (glob)
   $ hg commit -R main -m "main import"
-  committing subrepository sub
 
 Cleaning both repositories, just as a clone -U
 
diff --git a/tests/test-subrepo-svn.t b/tests/test-subrepo-svn.t
--- a/tests/test-subrepo-svn.t
+++ b/tests/test-subrepo-svn.t
@@ -69,8 +69,6 @@ add first svn sub with leading whitespac
   $ svn co --quiet "$SVNREPO"/src subdir/s
   $ hg add .hgsub
   $ hg ci -m1
-  committing subrepository s
-  committing subrepository subdir/s
 
 make sure we avoid empty commits (issue2445)
 
@@ -432,7 +430,6 @@ are unknown directories being replaced b
   $ echo "s =        [svn]       $SVNREPO/src" >> .hgsub
   $ hg add .hgsub
   $ hg ci -m addsub
-  committing subrepository s
   $ echo a > a
   $ hg ci -Am adda
   adding a
@@ -440,7 +437,6 @@ are unknown directories being replaced b
   0 files updated, 0 files merged, 1 files removed, 0 files unresolved
   $ svn up -qr6 s
   $ hg ci -m updatesub
-  committing subrepository s
   created new head
   $ echo pyc > s/dir/epsilon.pyc
   $ hg up 1
@@ -462,14 +458,12 @@ test having obstructions when switching 
   $ echo "obstruct =        [svn]       $SVNREPO/externals" >> .hgsub
   $ svn co -r5 --quiet "$SVNREPO"/externals obstruct
   $ hg commit -m 'Start making obstructed working copy'
-  committing subrepository obstruct
   $ hg book other
   $ hg co -r 'p1(tip)'
   2 files updated, 0 files merged, 0 files removed, 0 files unresolved
   $ echo "obstruct =        [svn]       $SVNREPO/src" >> .hgsub
   $ svn co -r5 --quiet "$SVNREPO"/src obstruct
   $ hg commit -m 'Other branch which will be obstructed'
-  committing subrepository obstruct
   created new head
 
 Switching back to the head where we have another path mapped to the
@@ -530,12 +524,10 @@ First, create that condition in the repo
   Checked out revision 10.
   $ echo "recreated =        [svn]       $SVNREPO/branch" >> .hgsub
   $ hg ci -m addsub
-  committing subrepository recreated
   $ cd recreated
   $ svn up -q
   $ cd ..
   $ hg ci -m updatesub
-  committing subrepository recreated
   $ hg up -r-2
   D    *recreated/somethingnew (glob)
   A    *recreated/somethingold (glob)
diff --git a/tests/test-subrepo.t b/tests/test-subrepo.t
--- a/tests/test-subrepo.t
+++ b/tests/test-subrepo.t
@@ -37,7 +37,6 @@ Issue2232: committing a subrepo without 
   commit: 1 added, 1 subrepos
   update: (current)
   $ hg ci -m1
-  committing subrepository s
 
 Revert can't (yet) revert subrepos:
 
@@ -105,7 +104,6 @@ bump sub rev (and check it is ignored by
   $ echo b > s/a
   $ hg -R s ci -ms1
   $ hg --config ui.commitsubrepos=no ci -m3
-  committing subrepository s
 
 leave sub dirty (and check ui.commitsubrepos=no aborts the commit)
 
@@ -455,7 +453,6 @@ shouldn't need merging
   1 files updated, 0 files merged, 1 files removed, 0 files unresolved
   $ hg ci -Am1
   adding .hgsub
-  committing subrepository s
   $ hg branch br
   marked working directory as branch br
   (branches are permanent and global, did you want a bookmark?)
@@ -464,7 +461,6 @@ shouldn't need merging
   1 files updated, 0 files merged, 0 files removed, 0 files unresolved
   $ hg ci -Am1
   adding b
-  committing subrepository s
   $ hg up default
   1 files updated, 0 files merged, 1 files removed, 0 files unresolved
   $ echo c > c
@@ -483,7 +479,6 @@ shouldn't need merging
   $ echo d > d
   $ hg ci -Am1
   adding d
-  committing subrepository s
   $ hg up 3
   2 files updated, 0 files merged, 1 files removed, 0 files unresolved
   $ hg -R s up 5
@@ -491,7 +486,6 @@ shouldn't need merging
   $ echo e > e
   $ hg ci -Am1
   adding e
-  committing subrepository s
 
   $ hg up 5
   0 files updated, 0 files merged, 0 files removed, 0 files unresolved
@@ -519,8 +513,6 @@ test subrepo delete from .hgsubstate
   $ hg -R testdelete add
   adding testdelete/.hgsub (glob)
   $ hg -R testdelete ci -m "nested 1 & 2 added"
-  committing subrepository nested
-  committing subrepository nested2
   $ echo nested = nested > testdelete/.hgsub
   $ hg -R testdelete ci -m "nested 2 deleted"
   $ cat testdelete/.hgsubstate
@@ -550,8 +542,6 @@ test repository cloning
   $ hg -R main add
   adding main/.hgsub (glob)
   $ hg -R main ci -m "add subrepos"
-  committing subrepository nested_absolute
-  committing subrepository nested_relative
   $ cd ..
   $ hg clone mercurial/main mercurial2/main
   updating to branch default
@@ -574,7 +564,6 @@ Issue1977: multirepo push should fail if
   $ echo s = s > repo/.hgsub
   $ hg -R repo ci -Am1
   adding .hgsub
-  committing subrepository s
   $ hg clone repo repo2
   updating to branch default
   cloning subrepo s from $TESTTMP/sub/repo/s (glob)
@@ -590,7 +579,6 @@ Issue1977: multirepo push should fail if
   $ hg -R repo2/s ci -m3
   created new head
   $ hg -R repo2 ci -m3
-  committing subrepository s
   $ hg -q -R repo2 push
   abort: push creates new remote head 9d66565e64e1!
   (did you forget to merge? use push -f to force)
@@ -701,7 +689,6 @@ subrepository:
   $ echo subrepo-2 = subrepo-2 >> .hgsub
   $ hg add .hgsub
   $ hg ci -m 'Added subrepos'
-  committing subrepository subrepo-1
   committing subrepository subrepo-2
   $ hg st subrepo-2/file
 
@@ -859,17 +846,16 @@ Test that removing .hgsubstate doesn't b
 
   $ hg rm -f .hgsubstate
   $ hg ci -mrm
-  committing subrepository s
-  committing subrepository t
-  created new head
+  nothing changed
+  [1]
   $ hg log -vr tip
-  changeset:   14:3941e0aa5236
+  changeset:   13:925c17564ef8
   tag:         tip
-  parent:      11:365661e5936a
   user:        test
   date:        Thu Jan 01 00:00:00 1970 +0000
+  files:       .hgsubstate
   description:
-  rm
+  13
   
   
 
@@ -877,9 +863,11 @@ Test that removing .hgsub removes .hgsub
 
   $ hg rm .hgsub
   $ hg ci -mrm2
+  created new head
   $ hg log -vr tip
-  changeset:   15:8b31de9d13d1
+  changeset:   14:2400bccd50af
   tag:         tip
+  parent:      11:365661e5936a
   user:        test
   date:        Thu Jan 01 00:00:00 1970 +0000
   files:       .hgsub .hgsubstate
@@ -890,13 +878,13 @@ Test that removing .hgsub removes .hgsub
 Test issue3153: diff -S with deleted subrepos
 
   $ hg diff --nodates -S -c .
-  diff -r 3941e0aa5236 -r 8b31de9d13d1 .hgsub
+  diff -r 365661e5936a -r 2400bccd50af .hgsub
   --- a/.hgsub
   +++ /dev/null
   @@ -1,2 +0,0 @@
   -s = s
   -t = t
-  diff -r 3941e0aa5236 -r 8b31de9d13d1 .hgsubstate
+  diff -r 365661e5936a -r 2400bccd50af .hgsubstate
   --- a/.hgsubstate
   +++ /dev/null
   @@ -1,2 +0,0 @@
@@ -911,7 +899,6 @@ Test behavior of add for explicit path i
   $ hg add .hgsub
   $ hg init s
   $ hg ci -m0
-  committing subrepository s
 Adding with an explicit path in a subrepo adds the file
   $ echo c1 > f1
   $ echo c2 > s/f2
@@ -925,7 +912,6 @@ Adding with an explicit path in a subrep
   $ hg ci -R s -m0
   $ hg ci -Am1
   adding f1
-  committing subrepository s
 Adding with an explicit path in a subrepo with -S has the same behavior
   $ echo c3 > f3
   $ echo c4 > s/f4
@@ -939,7 +925,6 @@ Adding with an explicit path in a subrep
   $ hg ci -R s -m1
   $ hg ci -Ama2
   adding f3
-  committing subrepository s
 Adding without a path or pattern silently ignores subrepos
   $ echo c5 > f5
   $ echo c6 > s/f6
@@ -958,7 +943,6 @@ Adding without a path or pattern silentl
   adding f6
   adding f7
   $ hg ci -m3
-  committing subrepository s
 Adding without a path or pattern with -S also adds files in subrepos
   $ echo c8 > f8
   $ echo c9 > s/f9
@@ -977,7 +961,6 @@ Adding without a path or pattern with -S
   A s/f9
   $ hg ci -R s -m3
   $ hg ci -m4
-  committing subrepository s
 Adding with a pattern silently ignores subrepos
   $ echo c11 > fm11
   $ echo c12 > fn12
@@ -1000,7 +983,6 @@ Adding with a pattern silently ignores s
   adding fn14
   $ hg ci -Am5
   adding fn12
-  committing subrepository s
 Adding with a pattern with -S also adds matches in subrepos
   $ echo c15 > fm15
   $ echo c16 > fn16
@@ -1023,7 +1005,6 @@ Adding with a pattern with -S also adds 
   adding fn18
   $ hg ci -Am6
   adding fn16
-  committing subrepository s
 
 Test behavior of forget for explicit path in subrepo:
 Forgetting an explicit path in a subrepo untracks the file