diff --git a/sequencer.c b/sequencer.c
index fece07b680..9147d02f53 100644
--- a/sequencer.c
+++ b/sequencer.c
@@ -4560,10 +4560,15 @@ static int make_script_with_merges(struct pretty_print_context *pp,
 	strbuf_init(&state.buf, 32);
 
 	if (revs->cmdline.nr && (revs->cmdline.rev[0].flags & BOTTOM)) {
+		struct labels_entry *onto_label_entry;
 		struct object_id *oid = &revs->cmdline.rev[0].item->oid;
 		FLEX_ALLOC_STR(entry, string, "onto");
 		oidcpy(&entry->entry.oid, oid);
 		oidmap_put(&state.commit2label, entry);
+
+		FLEX_ALLOC_STR(onto_label_entry, label, "onto");
+		hashmap_entry_init(&onto_label_entry->entry, strihash("onto"));
+		hashmap_add(&state.labels, &onto_label_entry->entry);
 	}
 
 	/*
diff --git a/t/t3430-rebase-merges.sh b/t/t3430-rebase-merges.sh
index f728aba995..4e2c0ede51 100755
--- a/t/t3430-rebase-merges.sh
+++ b/t/t3430-rebase-merges.sh
@@ -474,4 +474,25 @@ test_expect_success '--rebase-merges with commit that can generate bad character
 	git rebase --rebase-merges --force-rebase E
 '
 
+test_expect_success '--rebase-merges with message matched with onto label' '
+	git checkout -b onto-label E &&
+	git merge -m onto G &&
+	git rebase --rebase-merges --force-rebase E &&
+	test_cmp_graph <<-\EOF
+	*   onto
+	|\
+	| * G
+	| * F
+	* |   E
+	|\ \
+	| * | B
+	* | | D
+	| |/
+	|/|
+	* | C
+	|/
+	* A
+	EOF
+'
+
 test_done