diff --git a/notes-cache.c b/notes-cache.c
index 9d27b66ebc..25b20aa21f 100644
--- a/notes-cache.c
+++ b/notes-cache.c
@@ -48,7 +48,6 @@ int notes_cache_write(struct notes_cache *c)
 {
 	unsigned char tree_sha1[20];
 	unsigned char commit_sha1[20];
-	struct strbuf msg = STRBUF_INIT;
 
 	if (!c || !c->tree.initialized || !c->tree.ref || !*c->tree.ref)
 		return -1;
@@ -57,9 +56,8 @@ int notes_cache_write(struct notes_cache *c)
 
 	if (write_notes_tree(&c->tree, tree_sha1))
 		return -1;
-	strbuf_attach(&msg, c->validity,
-		      strlen(c->validity), strlen(c->validity) + 1);
-	if (commit_tree(msg.buf, msg.len, tree_sha1, NULL, commit_sha1, NULL, NULL) < 0)
+	if (commit_tree(c->validity, strlen(c->validity), tree_sha1, NULL,
+			commit_sha1, NULL, NULL) < 0)
 		return -1;
 	if (update_ref("update notes cache", c->tree.ref, commit_sha1, NULL,
 		       0, QUIET_ON_ERR) < 0)
diff --git a/notes-merge.c b/notes-merge.c
index 9d942104d2..697cec349a 100644
--- a/notes-merge.c
+++ b/notes-merge.c
@@ -673,7 +673,6 @@ int notes_merge_commit(struct notes_merge_options *o,
 	struct dirent *e;
 	struct strbuf path = STRBUF_INIT;
 	char *msg = strstr(partial_commit->buffer, "\n\n");
-	struct strbuf sb_msg = STRBUF_INIT;
 	int baselen;
 
 	strbuf_addstr(&path, git_path(NOTES_MERGE_WORKTREE));
@@ -720,10 +719,8 @@ int notes_merge_commit(struct notes_merge_options *o,
 		strbuf_setlen(&path, baselen);
 	}
 
-	strbuf_attach(&sb_msg, msg, strlen(msg), strlen(msg) + 1);
 	create_notes_commit(partial_tree, partial_commit->parents,
-			    sb_msg.buf, sb_msg.len,
-			    result_sha1);
+			    msg, strlen(msg), result_sha1);
 	if (o->verbosity >= 4)
 		printf("Finalized notes merge commit: %s\n",
 			sha1_to_hex(result_sha1));