diff --git a/builtin-checkout.c b/builtin-checkout.c
index 2708669383..793542eb06 100644
--- a/builtin-checkout.c
+++ b/builtin-checkout.c
@@ -696,7 +696,10 @@ int cmd_checkout(int argc, const char **argv, const char *prefix)
 	 * case 3: git checkout <something> [<paths>]
 	 *
 	 *   With no paths, if <something> is a commit, that is to
-	 *   switch to the branch or detach HEAD at it.
+	 *   switch to the branch or detach HEAD at it.  As a special case,
+	 *   if <something> is A...B (missing A or B means HEAD but you can
+	 *   omit at most one side), and if there is a unique merge base
+	 *   between A and B, A...B names that merge base.
 	 *
 	 *   With no paths, if <something> is _not_ a commit, no -t nor -b
 	 *   was given, and there is a tracking branch whose name is
@@ -722,7 +725,7 @@ int cmd_checkout(int argc, const char **argv, const char *prefix)
 		if (!strcmp(arg, "-"))
 			arg = "@{-1}";
 
-		if (get_sha1(arg, rev)) {
+		if (get_sha1_mb(arg, rev)) {
 			if (has_dash_dash)          /* case (1) */
 				die("invalid reference: %s", arg);
 			if (!patch_mode &&
diff --git a/cache.h b/cache.h
index 3e52c4efb1..cf36c8160e 100644
--- a/cache.h
+++ b/cache.h
@@ -723,6 +723,7 @@ extern const char *resolve_ref(const char *path, unsigned char *sha1, int, int *
 extern int dwim_ref(const char *str, int len, unsigned char *sha1, char **ref);
 extern int dwim_log(const char *str, int len, unsigned char *sha1, char **ref);
 extern int interpret_branch_name(const char *str, struct strbuf *);
+extern int get_sha1_mb(const char *str, unsigned char *sha1);
 
 extern int refname_match(const char *abbrev_name, const char *full_name, const char **rules);
 extern const char *ref_rev_parse_rules[];
diff --git a/git-rebase--interactive.sh b/git-rebase--interactive.sh
index 6ed57e2664..1560e84bd5 100755
--- a/git-rebase--interactive.sh
+++ b/git-rebase--interactive.sh
@@ -495,6 +495,25 @@ get_saved_options () {
 	test -f "$DOTEST"/rebase-root && REBASE_ROOT=t
 }
 
+LF='
+'
+parse_onto () {
+	case "$1" in
+	*...*)
+		if	left=${1%...*} right=${1#*...} &&
+			onto=$(git merge-base --all ${left:-HEAD} ${right:-HEAD})
+		then
+			case "$onto" in
+			?*"$LF"?* | '')
+				exit 1 ;;
+			esac
+			echo "$onto"
+			exit 0
+		fi
+	esac
+	git rev-parse --verify "$1^0"
+}
+
 while test $# != 0
 do
 	case "$1" in
@@ -602,7 +621,7 @@ first and then run 'git rebase --continue' again."
 		;;
 	--onto)
 		shift
-		ONTO=$(git rev-parse --verify "$1") ||
+		ONTO=$(parse_onto "$1") ||
 			die "Does not point to a valid commit: $1"
 		;;
 	--)
diff --git a/git-rebase.sh b/git-rebase.sh
index b121f4537c..3de0942c0f 100755
--- a/git-rebase.sh
+++ b/git-rebase.sh
@@ -34,6 +34,8 @@ set_reflog_action rebase
 require_work_tree
 cd_to_toplevel
 
+LF='
+'
 OK_TO_SKIP_PRE_REBASE=
 RESOLVEMSG="
 When you have resolved this problem run \"git rebase --continue\".
@@ -417,7 +419,27 @@ fi
 
 # Make sure the branch to rebase onto is valid.
 onto_name=${newbase-"$upstream_name"}
-onto=$(git rev-parse --verify "${onto_name}^0") || exit
+case "$onto_name" in
+*...*)
+	if	left=${onto_name%...*} right=${onto_name#*...} &&
+		onto=$(git merge-base --all ${left:-HEAD} ${right:-HEAD})
+	then
+		case "$onto" in
+		?*"$LF"?*)
+			die "$onto_name: there are more than one merge bases"
+			;;
+		'')
+			die "$onto_name: there is no merge base"
+			;;
+		esac
+	else
+		die "$onto_name: there is no merge base"
+	fi
+	;;
+*)
+	onto=$(git rev-parse --verify "${onto_name}^0") || exit
+	;;
+esac
 
 # If a hook exists, give it a chance to interrupt
 run_pre_rebase_hook "$upstream_arg" "$@"
diff --git a/sha1_name.c b/sha1_name.c
index ca8f9dba94..1739e9e612 100644
--- a/sha1_name.c
+++ b/sha1_name.c
@@ -794,6 +794,48 @@ release_return:
 	return retval;
 }
 
+int get_sha1_mb(const char *name, unsigned char *sha1)
+{
+	struct commit *one, *two;
+	struct commit_list *mbs;
+	unsigned char sha1_tmp[20];
+	const char *dots;
+	int st;
+
+	dots = strstr(name, "...");
+	if (!dots)
+		return get_sha1(name, sha1);
+	if (dots == name)
+		st = get_sha1("HEAD", sha1_tmp);
+	else {
+		struct strbuf sb;
+		strbuf_init(&sb, dots - name);
+		strbuf_add(&sb, name, dots - name);
+		st = get_sha1(sb.buf, sha1_tmp);
+		strbuf_release(&sb);
+	}
+	if (st)
+		return st;
+	one = lookup_commit_reference_gently(sha1_tmp, 0);
+	if (!one)
+		return -1;
+
+	if (get_sha1(dots[3] ? (dots + 3) : "HEAD", sha1_tmp))
+		return -1;
+	two = lookup_commit_reference_gently(sha1_tmp, 0);
+	if (!two)
+		return -1;
+	mbs = get_merge_bases(one, two, 1);
+	if (!mbs || mbs->next)
+		st = -1;
+	else {
+		st = 0;
+		hashcpy(sha1, mbs->item->object.sha1);
+	}
+	free_commit_list(mbs);
+	return st;
+}
+
 /*
  * This is like "get_sha1_basic()", except it allows "sha1 expressions",
  * notably "xyz^" for "parent of xyz"
diff --git a/t/t2012-checkout-last.sh b/t/t2012-checkout-last.sh
index 87b30a268c..b44de9dc62 100755
--- a/t/t2012-checkout-last.sh
+++ b/t/t2012-checkout-last.sh
@@ -1,6 +1,6 @@
 #!/bin/sh
 
-test_description='checkout can switch to last branch'
+test_description='checkout can switch to last branch and merge base'
 
 . ./test-lib.sh
 
@@ -91,4 +91,29 @@ test_expect_success 'switch to twelfth from the last' '
 	test "z$(git symbolic-ref HEAD)" = "zrefs/heads/branch13"
 '
 
+test_expect_success 'merge base test setup' '
+	git checkout -b another other &&
+	echo "hello again" >>world &&
+	git add world &&
+	git commit -m third
+'
+
+test_expect_success 'another...master' '
+	git checkout another &&
+	git checkout another...master &&
+	test "z$(git rev-parse --verify HEAD)" = "z$(git rev-parse --verify master^)"
+'
+
+test_expect_success '...master' '
+	git checkout another &&
+	git checkout ...master &&
+	test "z$(git rev-parse --verify HEAD)" = "z$(git rev-parse --verify master^)"
+'
+
+test_expect_success 'master...' '
+	git checkout another &&
+	git checkout master... &&
+	test "z$(git rev-parse --verify HEAD)" = "z$(git rev-parse --verify master^)"
+'
+
 test_done
diff --git a/t/t3415-rebase-onto-threedots.sh b/t/t3415-rebase-onto-threedots.sh
new file mode 100755
index 0000000000..ddf2f64853
--- /dev/null
+++ b/t/t3415-rebase-onto-threedots.sh
@@ -0,0 +1,105 @@
+#!/bin/sh
+
+test_description='git rebase --onto A...B'
+
+. ./test-lib.sh
+. "$TEST_DIRECTORY/lib-rebase.sh"
+
+# Rebase only the tip commit of "topic" on merge base between "master"
+# and "topic".  Cannot do this for "side" with "master" because there
+# is no single merge base.
+#
+#
+#	    F---G topic                             G'
+#	   /                                       /
+# A---B---C---D---E master      -->       A---B---C---D---E
+#      \   \ /
+#	\   x
+#	 \ / \
+#	  H---I---J---K side
+
+test_expect_success setup '
+	test_commit A &&
+	test_commit B &&
+	git branch side &&
+	test_commit C &&
+	git branch topic &&
+	git checkout side &&
+	test_commit H &&
+	git checkout master &&
+	test_tick &&
+	git merge H &&
+	git tag D &&
+	test_commit E &&
+	git checkout topic &&
+	test_commit F &&
+	test_commit G &&
+	git checkout side &&
+	test_tick &&
+	git merge C &&
+	git tag I &&
+	test_commit J &&
+	test_commit K
+'
+
+test_expect_success 'rebase --onto master...topic' '
+	git reset --hard &&
+	git checkout topic &&
+	git reset --hard G &&
+
+	git rebase --onto master...topic F &&
+	git rev-parse HEAD^1 >actual &&
+	git rev-parse C^0 >expect &&
+	test_cmp expect actual
+'
+
+test_expect_success 'rebase --onto master...' '
+	git reset --hard &&
+	git checkout topic &&
+	git reset --hard G &&
+
+	git rebase --onto master... F &&
+	git rev-parse HEAD^1 >actual &&
+	git rev-parse C^0 >expect &&
+	test_cmp expect actual
+'
+
+test_expect_success 'rebase --onto master...side' '
+	git reset --hard &&
+	git checkout side &&
+	git reset --hard K &&
+
+	test_must_fail git rebase --onto master...side J
+'
+
+test_expect_success 'rebase -i --onto master...topic' '
+	git reset --hard &&
+	git checkout topic &&
+	git reset --hard G &&
+	set_fake_editor &&
+	EXPECT_COUNT=1 git rebase -i --onto master...topic F &&
+	git rev-parse HEAD^1 >actual &&
+	git rev-parse C^0 >expect &&
+	test_cmp expect actual
+'
+
+test_expect_success 'rebase -i --onto master...' '
+	git reset --hard &&
+	git checkout topic &&
+	git reset --hard G &&
+	set_fake_editor &&
+	EXPECT_COUNT=1 git rebase -i --onto master... F &&
+	git rev-parse HEAD^1 >actual &&
+	git rev-parse C^0 >expect &&
+	test_cmp expect actual
+'
+
+test_expect_success 'rebase -i --onto master...side' '
+	git reset --hard &&
+	git checkout side &&
+	git reset --hard K &&
+
+	test_must_fail git rebase -i --onto master...side J
+'
+
+test_done