diff --git a/builtin/commit.c b/builtin/commit.c
index aa1332308a..646e84547d 100644
--- a/builtin/commit.c
+++ b/builtin/commit.c
@@ -964,6 +964,7 @@ static int prepare_to_commit(const char *index_file, const char *prefix,
 	 */
 	if (!committable && whence != FROM_MERGE && !allow_empty &&
 	    !(amend && is_a_merge(current_head))) {
+		s->hints = advice_status_hints;
 		s->display_comment_prefix = old_display_comment_prefix;
 		run_status(stdout, index_file, prefix, 0, s);
 		if (amend)
diff --git a/t/t7500-commit-template-squash-signoff.sh b/t/t7500-commit-template-squash-signoff.sh
index 46a5cd4b73..6d19ece05d 100755
--- a/t/t7500-commit-template-squash-signoff.sh
+++ b/t/t7500-commit-template-squash-signoff.sh
@@ -382,4 +382,13 @@ test_expect_success 'check commit with unstaged rename and copy' '
 	)
 '
 
+test_expect_success 'commit without staging files fails and displays hints' '
+	echo "initial" >file &&
+	git add file &&
+	git commit -m initial &&
+	echo "changes" >>file &&
+	test_must_fail git commit -m update >actual &&
+	test_i18ngrep "no changes added to commit (use \"git add\" and/or \"git commit -a\")" actual
+'
+
 test_done