diff --git a/mercurial/commands.py b/mercurial/commands.py
--- a/mercurial/commands.py
+++ b/mercurial/commands.py
@@ -1299,10 +1299,6 @@ def commit(ui, repo, *pats, **opts):
 
     extra = {}
     if opts.get('close_branch'):
-        if repo['.'].node() not in repo.branchheads():
-            # The topo heads set is included in the branch heads set of the
-            # current branch, so it's sufficient to test branchheads
-            raise util.Abort(_('can only close branch heads'))
         extra['close'] = 1
 
     branch = repo[None].branch()
diff --git a/tests/test-branches.t b/tests/test-branches.t
--- a/tests/test-branches.t
+++ b/tests/test-branches.t
@@ -256,6 +256,27 @@ verify update will accept invalid legacy
   1 files updated, 0 files merged, 0 files removed, 0 files unresolved
   $ hg commit -d '9 0' --close-branch -m 'close this part branch too'
 
+  $ hg commit -d '9 0' --close-branch -m 're-closing this branch'
+  $ hg log -r tip --debug
+  changeset:   13:c2601d54b1427e99506bee25a566ef3a5963af0b
+  branch:      b
+  tag:         tip
+  phase:       draft
+  parent:      12:e3d49c0575d8fc2cb1cd6859c747c14f5f6d499f
+  parent:      -1:0000000000000000000000000000000000000000
+  manifest:    8:6f9ed32d2b310e391a4f107d5f0f071df785bfee
+  user:        test
+  date:        Thu Jan 01 00:00:09 1970 +0000
+  extra:       branch=b
+  extra:       close=1
+  description:
+  re-closing this branch
+  
+  
+  $ hg rollback
+  repository tip rolled back to revision 12 (undo commit)
+  working directory now based on revision 12
+
 --- b branch should be inactive
 
   $ hg branches
diff --git a/tests/test-revset.t b/tests/test-revset.t
--- a/tests/test-revset.t
+++ b/tests/test-revset.t
@@ -78,9 +78,6 @@
   $ hg branch all
   marked working directory as branch all
   (branches are permanent and global, did you want a bookmark?)
-  $ hg ci --close-branch -Aqm8
-  abort: can only close branch heads
-  [255]
 
   $ hg co 4
   0 files updated, 0 files merged, 0 files removed, 0 files unresolved