diff --git a/hgext/mq.py b/hgext/mq.py
--- a/hgext/mq.py
+++ b/hgext/mq.py
@@ -1484,6 +1484,7 @@ class queue(object):
             self.ui.write(_("no patches applied\n"))
             return 1
         msg = opts.get('msg', '').rstrip()
+        editor = opts.get('editor')
         newuser = opts.get('user')
         newdate = opts.get('date')
         if newdate:
@@ -1652,9 +1653,20 @@ class queue(object):
             try:
                 # might be nice to attempt to roll back strip after this
 
-                if not msg:
+                defaultmsg = "[mq]: %s" % patchfn
+                if editor:
+                    origeditor = editor
+                    def desceditor(repo, ctx, subs):
+                        desc = origeditor(repo, ctx, subs)
+                        if desc.rstrip():
+                            ph.setmessage(desc)
+                            return desc
+                        return defaultmsg
+                    message = msg or "\n".join(ph.message)
+                    editor = desceditor
+                elif not msg:
                     if not ph.message:
-                        message = "[mq]: %s\n" % patchfn
+                        message = defaultmsg
                     else:
                         message = "\n".join(ph.message)
                 else:
@@ -1664,7 +1676,7 @@ class queue(object):
                 # Ensure we create a new changeset in the same phase than
                 # the old one.
                 n = newcommit(repo, oldphase, message, user, ph.date,
-                              match=match, force=True)
+                              match=match, force=True, editor=editor)
                 # only write patch after a successful commit
                 c = [list(x) for x in refreshchanges]
                 if inclsubs:
@@ -2478,20 +2490,16 @@ def refresh(ui, repo, *pats, **opts):
     q = repo.mq
     message = cmdutil.logmessage(ui, opts)
     if opts.get('edit'):
-        if not q.applied:
-            ui.write(_("no patches applied\n"))
-            return 1
         if message:
             raise util.Abort(_('option "-e" incompatible with "-m" or "-l"'))
-        patch = q.applied[-1].name
-        ph = patchheader(q.join(patch), q.plainmode)
-        message = ui.edit('\n'.join(ph.message), ph.user or ui.username())
-        # We don't want to lose the patch message if qrefresh fails (issue2062)
-        repo.savecommitmessage(message)
+        def editor(repo, ctx, subs):
+            return ui.edit(ctx.description() + "\n", ctx.user())
+    else:
+        editor = False
     setupheaderopts(ui, opts)
     wlock = repo.wlock()
     try:
-        ret = q.refresh(repo, pats, msg=message, **opts)
+        ret = q.refresh(repo, pats, msg=message, editor=editor, **opts)
         q.savedirty()
         return ret
     finally:
@@ -2582,13 +2590,15 @@ def fold(ui, repo, *files, **opts):
         message = '\n'.join(message)
 
     if opts.get('edit'):
-        message = ui.edit(message, user or ui.username())
-        repo.savecommitmessage(message)
+        def editor(repo, ctx, subs):
+            return ui.edit(ctx.description() + "\n", ctx.user())
+    else:
+        editor = False
 
     diffopts = q.patchopts(q.diffopts(), *patches)
     wlock = repo.wlock()
     try:
-        q.refresh(repo, msg=message, git=diffopts.git)
+        q.refresh(repo, msg=message, git=diffopts.git, editor=editor)
         q.delete(repo, patches, opts)
         q.savedirty()
     finally:
diff --git a/tests/test-mq-qfold.t b/tests/test-mq-qfold.t
--- a/tests/test-mq-qfold.t
+++ b/tests/test-mq-qfold.t
@@ -153,8 +153,9 @@ Test saving last-message.txt:
   >     repo.__class__ = commitfailure
   > EOF
 
-  $ cat > .hg/hgrc <<EOF
+  $ cat >> .hg/hgrc <<EOF
   > [extensions]
+  > # this failure occurs before editor invocation
   > commitfailure = $TESTTMP/commitfailure.py
   > EOF
 
@@ -165,15 +166,65 @@ Test saving last-message.txt:
   > (echo; echo "test saving last-message.txt") >> \$1
   > EOF
 
+  $ hg qapplied
+  p1
+  git
+  $ hg tip --template "{files}\n"
+  aa
+
+(test that editor is not invoked before transaction starting)
+
   $ rm -f .hg/last-message.txt
   $ HGEDITOR="sh $TESTTMP/editor.sh" hg qfold -e p3
-  ==== before editing
-  original message====
   refresh interrupted while patch was popped! (revert --all, qpush to recover)
   abort: emulating unexpected abort
   [255]
   $ cat .hg/last-message.txt
+  cat: .hg/last-message.txt: No such file or directory
+  [1]
+
+(reset applied patches and directory status)
+
+  $ cat >> .hg/hgrc <<EOF
+  > [extensions]
+  > # this failure occurs after editor invocation
+  > commitfailure = !
+  > EOF
+
+  $ hg qapplied
+  p1
+  $ hg status -A aa
+  ? aa
+  $ rm aa
+  $ hg status -m
+  M a
+  $ hg revert --no-backup -q a
+  $ hg qpush -q git
+  now at: git
+
+(test that editor is invoked and commit message is saved into
+"last-message.txt")
+
+  $ cat >> .hg/hgrc <<EOF
+  > [hooks]
+  > # this failure occurs after editor invocation
+  > pretxncommit.unexpectedabort = false
+  > EOF
+
+  $ rm -f .hg/last-message.txt
+  $ HGEDITOR="sh $TESTTMP/editor.sh" hg qfold -e p3
+  ==== before editing
   original message
+  ====
+  transaction abort!
+  rollback completed
+  note: commit message saved in .hg/last-message.txt
+  refresh interrupted while patch was popped! (revert --all, qpush to recover)
+  abort: pretxncommit.unexpectedabort hook exited with status 1
+  [255]
+  $ cat .hg/last-message.txt
+  original message
+  
   test saving last-message.txt
 
   $ cd ..
diff --git a/tests/test-mq-qrefresh-replace-log-message.t b/tests/test-mq-qrefresh-replace-log-message.t
--- a/tests/test-mq-qrefresh-replace-log-message.t
+++ b/tests/test-mq-qrefresh-replace-log-message.t
@@ -59,3 +59,86 @@ Should display 'Fifth commit message\\\n
   $ hg log -l1 --template "{desc}\n"
   Fifth commit message
    This is the 5th log message
+
+Test saving last-message.txt:
+
+  $ cat > $TESTTMP/editor.sh << EOF
+  > echo "==== before editing"
+  > cat \$1
+  > echo "===="
+  > (echo; echo "test saving last-message.txt") >> \$1
+  > EOF
+
+  $ cat > $TESTTMP/commitfailure.py <<EOF
+  > from mercurial import util
+  > def reposetup(ui, repo):
+  >     class commitfailure(repo.__class__):
+  >         def commit(self, *args, **kwargs):
+  >             raise util.Abort('emulating unexpected abort')
+  >     repo.__class__ = commitfailure
+  > EOF
+
+  $ cat >> .hg/hgrc <<EOF
+  > [extensions]
+  > # this failure occurs before editor invocation
+  > commitfailure = $TESTTMP/commitfailure.py
+  > EOF
+
+  $ hg qapplied
+  first-patch
+  second-patch
+  $ hg tip --template "{files}\n"
+  file2
+
+(test that editor is not invoked before transaction starting)
+
+  $ rm -f .hg/last-message.txt
+  $ HGEDITOR="sh $TESTTMP/editor.sh" hg qrefresh -e
+  refresh interrupted while patch was popped! (revert --all, qpush to recover)
+  abort: emulating unexpected abort
+  [255]
+  $ cat .hg/last-message.txt
+  cat: .hg/last-message.txt: No such file or directory
+  [1]
+
+(reset applied patches and directory status)
+
+  $ cat >> .hg/hgrc <<EOF
+  > [extensions]
+  > commitfailure = !
+  > EOF
+
+  $ hg qapplied
+  first-patch
+  $ hg status -A file2
+  ? file2
+  $ rm file2
+  $ hg qpush -q second-patch
+  now at: second-patch
+
+(test that editor is invoked and commit message is saved into
+"last-message.txt")
+
+  $ cat >> .hg/hgrc <<EOF
+  > [hooks]
+  > # this failure occurs after editor invocation
+  > pretxncommit.unexpectedabort = false
+  > EOF
+
+  $ rm -f .hg/last-message.txt
+  $ HGEDITOR="sh $TESTTMP/editor.sh" hg qrefresh -e
+  ==== before editing
+  Fifth commit message
+   This is the 5th log message
+  ====
+  transaction abort!
+  rollback completed
+  note: commit message saved in .hg/last-message.txt
+  refresh interrupted while patch was popped! (revert --all, qpush to recover)
+  abort: pretxncommit.unexpectedabort hook exited with status 1
+  [255]
+  $ cat .hg/last-message.txt
+  Fifth commit message
+   This is the 5th log message
+  
+  test saving last-message.txt