diff --git a/Documentation/blame-options.txt b/Documentation/blame-options.txt
index 95599bd6e5f..552dcc60f2a 100644
--- a/Documentation/blame-options.txt
+++ b/Documentation/blame-options.txt
@@ -64,11 +64,9 @@ include::line-range-format.txt[]
 	manual page.
 
 --contents <file>::
-	Pretend the file being annotated has a commit with the
-	contents from the named file and a parent of <rev>,
-	defaulting to HEAD when no <rev> is specified. You may
-	specify '-' to make the command read from the standard
-	input for the file contents.
+	Annotate using the contents from the named file, starting from <rev>
+	if it is specified, and HEAD otherwise. You may specify '-' to make
+	the command read from the standard input for the file contents.
 
 --date <format>::
 	Specifies the format used to output dates. If --date is not
diff --git a/blame.c b/blame.c
index 58dd58b6c97..b8306540627 100644
--- a/blame.c
+++ b/blame.c
@@ -208,8 +208,12 @@ static struct commit *fake_working_tree_commit(struct repository *r,
 
 	origin = make_origin(commit, path);
 
-	ident = fmt_ident("Not Committed Yet", "not.committed.yet",
-			WANT_BLANK_IDENT, NULL, 0);
+	if (contents_from)
+		ident = fmt_ident("External file (--contents)", "external.file",
+				  WANT_BLANK_IDENT, NULL, 0);
+	else
+		ident = fmt_ident("Not Committed Yet", "not.committed.yet",
+				  WANT_BLANK_IDENT, NULL, 0);
 	strbuf_addstr(&msg, "tree 0000000000000000000000000000000000000000\n");
 	for (parent = commit->parents; parent; parent = parent->next)
 		strbuf_addf(&msg, "parent %s\n",
diff --git a/t/annotate-tests.sh b/t/annotate-tests.sh
index b35be20cf32..2ef70235b10 100644
--- a/t/annotate-tests.sh
+++ b/t/annotate-tests.sh
@@ -72,6 +72,13 @@ test_expect_success 'blame 1 author' '
 	check_count A 2
 '
 
+test_expect_success 'blame working copy' '
+	test_when_finished "git restore file" &&
+	echo "1A quick brown fox jumps over the" >file &&
+	echo "another lazy dog" >>file &&
+	check_count A 1 "Not Committed Yet" 1
+'
+
 test_expect_success 'blame with --contents' '
 	check_count --contents=file A 2
 '
@@ -79,7 +86,7 @@ test_expect_success 'blame with --contents' '
 test_expect_success 'blame with --contents changed' '
 	echo "1A quick brown fox jumps over the" >contents &&
 	echo "another lazy dog" >>contents &&
-	check_count --contents=contents A 1 "Not Committed Yet" 1
+	check_count --contents=contents A 1 "External file (--contents)" 1
 '
 
 test_expect_success 'blame in a bare repo without starting commit' '
@@ -109,7 +116,7 @@ test_expect_success 'blame 2 authors' '
 '
 
 test_expect_success 'blame with --contents and revision' '
-	check_count -h testTag --contents=file A 2 "Not Committed Yet" 2
+	check_count -h testTag --contents=file A 2 "External file (--contents)" 2
 '
 
 test_expect_success 'setup B1 lines (branch1)' '