diff --git a/mercurial/localrepo.py b/mercurial/localrepo.py
--- a/mercurial/localrepo.py
+++ b/mercurial/localrepo.py
@@ -799,13 +799,14 @@ class localrepository(repo.repository):
                 if text:
                     edittext.append(text)
                 edittext.append("")
-                edittext.append(_("HG: Please write and save a commit message"))
+                edittext.append(_("HG: Enter commit message."
+                                  "  Lines beginning with 'HG:' are removed."))
                 edittext.append("HG: --")
                 edittext.append("HG: user: %s" % user)
                 if p2 != nullid:
                     edittext.append("HG: branch merge")
                 if branchname:
-                    edittext.append("HG: branch %s" % util.tolocal(branchname))
+                    edittext.append("HG: branch '%s'" % util.tolocal(branchname))
                 edittext.extend(["HG: changed %s" % f for f in changed])
                 edittext.extend(["HG: removed %s" % f for f in removed])
                 if not changed and not remove:
@@ -825,7 +826,7 @@ class localrepository(repo.repository):
                 while lines and not lines[0]:
                     del lines[0]
                 if not lines:
-                    raise util.Abort(_("commit message cannot be left blank"))
+                    raise util.Abort(_("empty commit message"))
                 text = '\n'.join(lines)
 
             n = self.changelog.add(mn, changed + removed, text, trp, p1, p2,
diff --git a/tests/test-commit.out b/tests/test-commit.out
--- a/tests/test-commit.out
+++ b/tests/test-commit.out
@@ -1,7 +1,7 @@
 % commit date test
 transaction abort!
 rollback completed
-abort: commit message cannot be left blank
+abort: empty commit message
 transaction abort!
 rollback completed
 abort: impossible time zone offset: 4444444
diff --git a/tests/test-import.out b/tests/test-import.out
--- a/tests/test-import.out
+++ b/tests/test-import.out
@@ -22,7 +22,7 @@ 2 files updated, 0 files merged, 0 files
 applying ../tip.patch
 transaction abort!
 rollback completed
-abort: commit message cannot be left blank
+abort: empty commit message
 % import of plain diff should be ok with message
 requesting all changes
 adding changesets
@@ -92,7 +92,7 @@ 2 files updated, 0 files merged, 0 files
 applying patch from stdin
 transaction abort!
 rollback completed
-abort: commit message cannot be left blank
+abort: empty commit message
 % hg export in email, should use patch header
 requesting all changes
 adding changesets
diff --git a/tests/test-record.out b/tests/test-record.out
--- a/tests/test-record.out
+++ b/tests/test-record.out
@@ -50,7 +50,7 @@ diff --git a/empty-rw b/empty-rw
 new file mode 100644
 examine changes to 'empty-rw'? [Ynsfdaq?]  transaction abort!
 rollback completed
-abort: commit message cannot be left blank
+abort: empty commit message
 
 changeset:   -1:000000000000
 tag:         tip