diff --git a/Makefile b/Makefile
index 79f961ee4b..e1583761df 100644
--- a/Makefile
+++ b/Makefile
@@ -696,6 +696,7 @@ LIB_H += merge-recursive.h
 LIB_H += mergesort.h
 LIB_H += notes-cache.h
 LIB_H += notes-merge.h
+LIB_H += notes-utils.h
 LIB_H += notes.h
 LIB_H += object.h
 LIB_H += pack-revindex.h
@@ -830,6 +831,7 @@ LIB_OBJS += name-hash.o
 LIB_OBJS += notes.o
 LIB_OBJS += notes-cache.o
 LIB_OBJS += notes-merge.o
+LIB_OBJS += notes-utils.o
 LIB_OBJS += object.o
 LIB_OBJS += pack-check.o
 LIB_OBJS += pack-revindex.o
diff --git a/builtin.h b/builtin.h
index 64bab6bf54..1ed8edb0cb 100644
--- a/builtin.h
+++ b/builtin.h
@@ -5,7 +5,6 @@
 #include "strbuf.h"
 #include "cache.h"
 #include "commit.h"
-#include "notes.h"
 
 #define DEFAULT_MERGE_LOG_LEN 20
 
@@ -26,21 +25,6 @@ struct fmt_merge_msg_opts {
 extern int fmt_merge_msg(struct strbuf *in, struct strbuf *out,
 			 struct fmt_merge_msg_opts *);
 
-struct notes_rewrite_cfg {
-	struct notes_tree **trees;
-	const char *cmd;
-	int enabled;
-	combine_notes_fn combine;
-	struct string_list *refs;
-	int refs_from_env;
-	int mode_from_env;
-};
-
-struct notes_rewrite_cfg *init_copy_notes_for_rewrite(const char *cmd);
-int copy_note_for_rewrite(struct notes_rewrite_cfg *c,
-			  const unsigned char *from_obj, const unsigned char *to_obj);
-void finish_copy_notes_for_rewrite(struct notes_rewrite_cfg *c);
-
 extern int textconv_object(const char *path, unsigned mode, const unsigned char *sha1, int sha1_valid, char **buf, unsigned long *buf_size);
 
 extern int cmd_add(int argc, const char **argv, const char *prefix);
diff --git a/builtin/commit.c b/builtin/commit.c
index 1621dfcd40..6b693c16d8 100644
--- a/builtin/commit.c
+++ b/builtin/commit.c
@@ -29,6 +29,7 @@
 #include "gpg-interface.h"
 #include "column.h"
 #include "sequencer.h"
+#include "notes-utils.h"
 
 static const char * const builtin_commit_usage[] = {
 	N_("git commit [options] [--] <pathspec>..."),
@@ -1593,7 +1594,7 @@ int cmd_commit(int argc, const char **argv, const char *prefix)
 		if (cfg) {
 			/* we are amending, so current_head is not NULL */
 			copy_note_for_rewrite(cfg, current_head->object.sha1, sha1);
-			finish_copy_notes_for_rewrite(cfg);
+			finish_copy_notes_for_rewrite(cfg, "Notes added by 'git commit --amend'");
 		}
 		run_rewrite_hook(current_head->object.sha1, sha1);
 	}
diff --git a/builtin/notes.c b/builtin/notes.c
index 57748a6fb6..9ed2508f03 100644
--- a/builtin/notes.c
+++ b/builtin/notes.c
@@ -18,9 +18,7 @@
 #include "parse-options.h"
 #include "string-list.h"
 #include "notes-merge.h"
-
-static void commit_notes(struct notes_tree *t, const char *msg);
-static combine_notes_fn parse_combine_notes_fn(const char *v);
+#include "notes-utils.h"
 
 static const char * const git_notes_usage[] = {
 	N_("git notes [--ref <notes_ref>] [list [<object>]]"),
@@ -287,139 +285,13 @@ static int parse_reedit_arg(const struct option *opt, const char *arg, int unset
 	return parse_reuse_arg(opt, arg, unset);
 }
 
-static void commit_notes(struct notes_tree *t, const char *msg)
-{
-	struct strbuf buf = STRBUF_INIT;
-	unsigned char commit_sha1[20];
-
-	if (!t)
-		t = &default_notes_tree;
-	if (!t->initialized || !t->ref || !*t->ref)
-		die(_("Cannot commit uninitialized/unreferenced notes tree"));
-	if (!t->dirty)
-		return; /* don't have to commit an unchanged tree */
-
-	/* Prepare commit message and reflog message */
-	strbuf_addstr(&buf, msg);
-	if (buf.buf[buf.len - 1] != '\n')
-		strbuf_addch(&buf, '\n'); /* Make sure msg ends with newline */
-
-	create_notes_commit(t, NULL, &buf, commit_sha1);
-	strbuf_insert(&buf, 0, "notes: ", 7); /* commit message starts at index 7 */
-	update_ref(buf.buf, t->ref, commit_sha1, NULL, 0, DIE_ON_ERR);
-
-	strbuf_release(&buf);
-}
-
-static combine_notes_fn parse_combine_notes_fn(const char *v)
-{
-	if (!strcasecmp(v, "overwrite"))
-		return combine_notes_overwrite;
-	else if (!strcasecmp(v, "ignore"))
-		return combine_notes_ignore;
-	else if (!strcasecmp(v, "concatenate"))
-		return combine_notes_concatenate;
-	else if (!strcasecmp(v, "cat_sort_uniq"))
-		return combine_notes_cat_sort_uniq;
-	else
-		return NULL;
-}
-
-static int notes_rewrite_config(const char *k, const char *v, void *cb)
-{
-	struct notes_rewrite_cfg *c = cb;
-	if (!prefixcmp(k, "notes.rewrite.") && !strcmp(k+14, c->cmd)) {
-		c->enabled = git_config_bool(k, v);
-		return 0;
-	} else if (!c->mode_from_env && !strcmp(k, "notes.rewritemode")) {
-		if (!v)
-			config_error_nonbool(k);
-		c->combine = parse_combine_notes_fn(v);
-		if (!c->combine) {
-			error(_("Bad notes.rewriteMode value: '%s'"), v);
-			return 1;
-		}
-		return 0;
-	} else if (!c->refs_from_env && !strcmp(k, "notes.rewriteref")) {
-		/* note that a refs/ prefix is implied in the
-		 * underlying for_each_glob_ref */
-		if (!prefixcmp(v, "refs/notes/"))
-			string_list_add_refs_by_glob(c->refs, v);
-		else
-			warning(_("Refusing to rewrite notes in %s"
-				" (outside of refs/notes/)"), v);
-		return 0;
-	}
-
-	return 0;
-}
-
-
-struct notes_rewrite_cfg *init_copy_notes_for_rewrite(const char *cmd)
-{
-	struct notes_rewrite_cfg *c = xmalloc(sizeof(struct notes_rewrite_cfg));
-	const char *rewrite_mode_env = getenv(GIT_NOTES_REWRITE_MODE_ENVIRONMENT);
-	const char *rewrite_refs_env = getenv(GIT_NOTES_REWRITE_REF_ENVIRONMENT);
-	c->cmd = cmd;
-	c->enabled = 1;
-	c->combine = combine_notes_concatenate;
-	c->refs = xcalloc(1, sizeof(struct string_list));
-	c->refs->strdup_strings = 1;
-	c->refs_from_env = 0;
-	c->mode_from_env = 0;
-	if (rewrite_mode_env) {
-		c->mode_from_env = 1;
-		c->combine = parse_combine_notes_fn(rewrite_mode_env);
-		if (!c->combine)
-			/* TRANSLATORS: The first %s is the name of the
-			   environment variable, the second %s is its value */
-			error(_("Bad %s value: '%s'"), GIT_NOTES_REWRITE_MODE_ENVIRONMENT,
-					rewrite_mode_env);
-	}
-	if (rewrite_refs_env) {
-		c->refs_from_env = 1;
-		string_list_add_refs_from_colon_sep(c->refs, rewrite_refs_env);
-	}
-	git_config(notes_rewrite_config, c);
-	if (!c->enabled || !c->refs->nr) {
-		string_list_clear(c->refs, 0);
-		free(c->refs);
-		free(c);
-		return NULL;
-	}
-	c->trees = load_notes_trees(c->refs);
-	string_list_clear(c->refs, 0);
-	free(c->refs);
-	return c;
-}
-
-int copy_note_for_rewrite(struct notes_rewrite_cfg *c,
-			  const unsigned char *from_obj, const unsigned char *to_obj)
-{
-	int ret = 0;
-	int i;
-	for (i = 0; c->trees[i]; i++)
-		ret = copy_note(c->trees[i], from_obj, to_obj, 1, c->combine) || ret;
-	return ret;
-}
-
-void finish_copy_notes_for_rewrite(struct notes_rewrite_cfg *c)
-{
-	int i;
-	for (i = 0; c->trees[i]; i++) {
-		commit_notes(c->trees[i], "Notes added by 'git notes copy'");
-		free_notes(c->trees[i]);
-	}
-	free(c->trees);
-	free(c);
-}
-
 static int notes_copy_from_stdin(int force, const char *rewrite_cmd)
 {
 	struct strbuf buf = STRBUF_INIT;
 	struct notes_rewrite_cfg *c = NULL;
 	struct notes_tree *t = NULL;
 	int ret = 0;
+	const char *msg = "Notes added by 'git notes copy'";
 
 	if (rewrite_cmd) {
 		c = init_copy_notes_for_rewrite(rewrite_cmd);
@@ -461,10 +333,10 @@ static int notes_copy_from_stdin(int force, const char *rewrite_cmd)
 	}
 
 	if (!rewrite_cmd) {
-		commit_notes(t, "Notes added by 'git notes copy'");
+		commit_notes(t, msg);
 		free_notes(t);
 	} else {
-		finish_copy_notes_for_rewrite(c);
+		finish_copy_notes_for_rewrite(c, msg);
 	}
 	return ret;
 }
diff --git a/notes-merge.c b/notes-merge.c
index 0f67bd3f96..ab18857074 100644
--- a/notes-merge.c
+++ b/notes-merge.c
@@ -9,6 +9,7 @@
 #include "notes.h"
 #include "notes-merge.h"
 #include "strbuf.h"
+#include "notes-utils.h"
 
 struct notes_merge_pair {
 	unsigned char obj[20], base[20], local[20], remote[20];
@@ -530,32 +531,6 @@ static int merge_from_diffs(struct notes_merge_options *o,
 	return conflicts ? -1 : 1;
 }
 
-void create_notes_commit(struct notes_tree *t, struct commit_list *parents,
-			 const struct strbuf *msg, unsigned char *result_sha1)
-{
-	unsigned char tree_sha1[20];
-
-	assert(t->initialized);
-
-	if (write_notes_tree(t, tree_sha1))
-		die("Failed to write notes tree to database");
-
-	if (!parents) {
-		/* Deduce parent commit from t->ref */
-		unsigned char parent_sha1[20];
-		if (!read_ref(t->ref, parent_sha1)) {
-			struct commit *parent = lookup_commit(parent_sha1);
-			if (!parent || parse_commit(parent))
-				die("Failed to find/parse commit %s", t->ref);
-			commit_list_insert(parent, &parents);
-		}
-		/* else: t->ref points to nothing, assume root/orphan commit */
-	}
-
-	if (commit_tree(msg, tree_sha1, parents, result_sha1, NULL, NULL))
-		die("Failed to commit notes tree to database");
-}
-
 int notes_merge(struct notes_merge_options *o,
 		struct notes_tree *local_tree,
 		unsigned char *result_sha1)
diff --git a/notes-merge.h b/notes-merge.h
index 0c11b173a1..1d01f6aacf 100644
--- a/notes-merge.h
+++ b/notes-merge.h
@@ -25,20 +25,6 @@ struct notes_merge_options {
 
 void init_notes_merge_options(struct notes_merge_options *o);
 
-/*
- * Create new notes commit from the given notes tree
- *
- * Properties of the created commit:
- * - tree: the result of converting t to a tree object with write_notes_tree().
- * - parents: the given parents OR (if NULL) the commit referenced by t->ref.
- * - author/committer: the default determined by commmit_tree().
- * - commit message: msg
- *
- * The resulting commit SHA1 is stored in result_sha1.
- */
-void create_notes_commit(struct notes_tree *t, struct commit_list *parents,
-			 const struct strbuf *msg, unsigned char *result_sha1);
-
 /*
  * Merge notes from o->remote_ref into o->local_ref
  *
diff --git a/notes-utils.c b/notes-utils.c
new file mode 100644
index 0000000000..9107c379d9
--- /dev/null
+++ b/notes-utils.c
@@ -0,0 +1,157 @@
+#include "cache.h"
+#include "commit.h"
+#include "refs.h"
+#include "notes-utils.h"
+
+void create_notes_commit(struct notes_tree *t, struct commit_list *parents,
+			 const struct strbuf *msg, unsigned char *result_sha1)
+{
+	unsigned char tree_sha1[20];
+
+	assert(t->initialized);
+
+	if (write_notes_tree(t, tree_sha1))
+		die("Failed to write notes tree to database");
+
+	if (!parents) {
+		/* Deduce parent commit from t->ref */
+		unsigned char parent_sha1[20];
+		if (!read_ref(t->ref, parent_sha1)) {
+			struct commit *parent = lookup_commit(parent_sha1);
+			if (!parent || parse_commit(parent))
+				die("Failed to find/parse commit %s", t->ref);
+			commit_list_insert(parent, &parents);
+		}
+		/* else: t->ref points to nothing, assume root/orphan commit */
+	}
+
+	if (commit_tree(msg, tree_sha1, parents, result_sha1, NULL, NULL))
+		die("Failed to commit notes tree to database");
+}
+
+void commit_notes(struct notes_tree *t, const char *msg)
+{
+	struct strbuf buf = STRBUF_INIT;
+	unsigned char commit_sha1[20];
+
+	if (!t)
+		t = &default_notes_tree;
+	if (!t->initialized || !t->ref || !*t->ref)
+		die(_("Cannot commit uninitialized/unreferenced notes tree"));
+	if (!t->dirty)
+		return; /* don't have to commit an unchanged tree */
+
+	/* Prepare commit message and reflog message */
+	strbuf_addstr(&buf, msg);
+	if (buf.buf[buf.len - 1] != '\n')
+		strbuf_addch(&buf, '\n'); /* Make sure msg ends with newline */
+
+	create_notes_commit(t, NULL, &buf, commit_sha1);
+	strbuf_insert(&buf, 0, "notes: ", 7); /* commit message starts at index 7 */
+	update_ref(buf.buf, t->ref, commit_sha1, NULL, 0, DIE_ON_ERR);
+
+	strbuf_release(&buf);
+}
+
+static combine_notes_fn parse_combine_notes_fn(const char *v)
+{
+	if (!strcasecmp(v, "overwrite"))
+		return combine_notes_overwrite;
+	else if (!strcasecmp(v, "ignore"))
+		return combine_notes_ignore;
+	else if (!strcasecmp(v, "concatenate"))
+		return combine_notes_concatenate;
+	else if (!strcasecmp(v, "cat_sort_uniq"))
+		return combine_notes_cat_sort_uniq;
+	else
+		return NULL;
+}
+
+static int notes_rewrite_config(const char *k, const char *v, void *cb)
+{
+	struct notes_rewrite_cfg *c = cb;
+	if (!prefixcmp(k, "notes.rewrite.") && !strcmp(k+14, c->cmd)) {
+		c->enabled = git_config_bool(k, v);
+		return 0;
+	} else if (!c->mode_from_env && !strcmp(k, "notes.rewritemode")) {
+		if (!v)
+			config_error_nonbool(k);
+		c->combine = parse_combine_notes_fn(v);
+		if (!c->combine) {
+			error(_("Bad notes.rewriteMode value: '%s'"), v);
+			return 1;
+		}
+		return 0;
+	} else if (!c->refs_from_env && !strcmp(k, "notes.rewriteref")) {
+		/* note that a refs/ prefix is implied in the
+		 * underlying for_each_glob_ref */
+		if (!prefixcmp(v, "refs/notes/"))
+			string_list_add_refs_by_glob(c->refs, v);
+		else
+			warning(_("Refusing to rewrite notes in %s"
+				" (outside of refs/notes/)"), v);
+		return 0;
+	}
+
+	return 0;
+}
+
+
+struct notes_rewrite_cfg *init_copy_notes_for_rewrite(const char *cmd)
+{
+	struct notes_rewrite_cfg *c = xmalloc(sizeof(struct notes_rewrite_cfg));
+	const char *rewrite_mode_env = getenv(GIT_NOTES_REWRITE_MODE_ENVIRONMENT);
+	const char *rewrite_refs_env = getenv(GIT_NOTES_REWRITE_REF_ENVIRONMENT);
+	c->cmd = cmd;
+	c->enabled = 1;
+	c->combine = combine_notes_concatenate;
+	c->refs = xcalloc(1, sizeof(struct string_list));
+	c->refs->strdup_strings = 1;
+	c->refs_from_env = 0;
+	c->mode_from_env = 0;
+	if (rewrite_mode_env) {
+		c->mode_from_env = 1;
+		c->combine = parse_combine_notes_fn(rewrite_mode_env);
+		if (!c->combine)
+			/* TRANSLATORS: The first %s is the name of the
+			   environment variable, the second %s is its value */
+			error(_("Bad %s value: '%s'"), GIT_NOTES_REWRITE_MODE_ENVIRONMENT,
+					rewrite_mode_env);
+	}
+	if (rewrite_refs_env) {
+		c->refs_from_env = 1;
+		string_list_add_refs_from_colon_sep(c->refs, rewrite_refs_env);
+	}
+	git_config(notes_rewrite_config, c);
+	if (!c->enabled || !c->refs->nr) {
+		string_list_clear(c->refs, 0);
+		free(c->refs);
+		free(c);
+		return NULL;
+	}
+	c->trees = load_notes_trees(c->refs);
+	string_list_clear(c->refs, 0);
+	free(c->refs);
+	return c;
+}
+
+int copy_note_for_rewrite(struct notes_rewrite_cfg *c,
+			  const unsigned char *from_obj, const unsigned char *to_obj)
+{
+	int ret = 0;
+	int i;
+	for (i = 0; c->trees[i]; i++)
+		ret = copy_note(c->trees[i], from_obj, to_obj, 1, c->combine) || ret;
+	return ret;
+}
+
+void finish_copy_notes_for_rewrite(struct notes_rewrite_cfg *c, const char *msg)
+{
+	int i;
+	for (i = 0; c->trees[i]; i++) {
+		commit_notes(c->trees[i], msg);
+		free_notes(c->trees[i]);
+	}
+	free(c->trees);
+	free(c);
+}
diff --git a/notes-utils.h b/notes-utils.h
new file mode 100644
index 0000000000..b4cb1bfb43
--- /dev/null
+++ b/notes-utils.h
@@ -0,0 +1,37 @@
+#ifndef NOTES_UTILS_H
+#define NOTES_UTILS_H
+
+#include "notes.h"
+
+/*
+ * Create new notes commit from the given notes tree
+ *
+ * Properties of the created commit:
+ * - tree: the result of converting t to a tree object with write_notes_tree().
+ * - parents: the given parents OR (if NULL) the commit referenced by t->ref.
+ * - author/committer: the default determined by commmit_tree().
+ * - commit message: msg
+ *
+ * The resulting commit SHA1 is stored in result_sha1.
+ */
+void create_notes_commit(struct notes_tree *t, struct commit_list *parents,
+			 const struct strbuf *msg, unsigned char *result_sha1);
+
+void commit_notes(struct notes_tree *t, const char *msg);
+
+struct notes_rewrite_cfg {
+	struct notes_tree **trees;
+	const char *cmd;
+	int enabled;
+	combine_notes_fn combine;
+	struct string_list *refs;
+	int refs_from_env;
+	int mode_from_env;
+};
+
+struct notes_rewrite_cfg *init_copy_notes_for_rewrite(const char *cmd);
+int copy_note_for_rewrite(struct notes_rewrite_cfg *c,
+			  const unsigned char *from_obj, const unsigned char *to_obj);
+void finish_copy_notes_for_rewrite(struct notes_rewrite_cfg *c, const char *msg);
+
+#endif