diff --git a/builtin-update-ref.c b/builtin-update-ref.c
index f2506fa97..b34e5987d 100644
--- a/builtin-update-ref.c
+++ b/builtin-update-ref.c
@@ -23,6 +23,8 @@ int cmd_update_ref(int argc, const char **argv, const char *prefix)
 			msg = argv[++i];
 			if (!*msg)
 				die("Refusing to perform update with empty message.");
+			if (strchr(msg, '\n'))
+				die("Refusing to perform update with \\n in message.");
 			continue;
 		}
 		if (!strcmp("-d", argv[i])) {
diff --git a/git-merge.sh b/git-merge.sh
index 7b590268e..656869101 100755
--- a/git-merge.sh
+++ b/git-merge.sh
@@ -7,7 +7,6 @@ USAGE='[-n] [--no-commit] [--squash] [-s <strategy>] [-m=<merge-message>] <commi
 
 SUBDIRECTORY_OK=Yes
 . git-sh-setup
-set_reflog_action "merge $*"
 require_work_tree
 cd_to_toplevel
 
@@ -217,6 +216,7 @@ head=$(git-rev-parse --verify "$head_arg"^0) || usage
 
 # All the rest are remote heads
 test "$#" = 0 && usage ;# we need at least one remote head.
+set_reflog_action "merge $*"
 
 remoteheads=
 for remote