diff --git a/git-merge.sh b/git-merge.sh
index 78ab422e4e..b834e79c98 100755
--- a/git-merge.sh
+++ b/git-merge.sh
@@ -335,5 +335,5 @@ Conflicts:
 	then
 		git-rerere
 	fi
-	die "Automatic merge failed; fix up by hand"
+	die "Automatic merge failed; fix conflicts and then commit the result."
 fi
diff --git a/templates/hooks--pre-commit b/templates/hooks--pre-commit
index 43d3b6ef4a..723a9ef210 100644
--- a/templates/hooks--pre-commit
+++ b/templates/hooks--pre-commit
@@ -61,6 +61,9 @@ perl -e '
 	    if (/^\s* 	/) {
 		bad_line("indent SP followed by a TAB", $_);
 	    }
+	    if (/^(?:[<>=]){7}/) {
+		bad_line("unresolved merge conflict", $_);
+	    }
 	}
     }
     exit($found_bad);