diff --git a/bisect.c b/bisect.c
index af2863d044..2b8b6546e9 100644
--- a/bisect.c
+++ b/bisect.c
@@ -23,7 +23,6 @@ static struct oid_array skipped_revs;
 static struct object_id *current_bad_oid;
 
 static const char *argv_checkout[] = {"checkout", "-q", NULL, "--", NULL};
-static const char *argv_show_branch[] = {"show-branch", NULL, NULL};
 
 static const char *term_bad;
 static const char *term_good;
@@ -729,6 +728,9 @@ static enum bisect_error bisect_checkout(const struct object_id *bisect_rev, int
 {
 	char bisect_rev_hex[GIT_MAX_HEXSZ + 1];
 	enum bisect_error res = BISECT_OK;
+	struct commit *commit;
+	struct pretty_print_context pp = {0};
+	struct strbuf commit_msg = STRBUF_INIT;
 
 	oid_to_hex_r(bisect_rev_hex, bisect_rev);
 	update_ref(NULL, "BISECT_EXPECTED_REV", bisect_rev, NULL, 0, UPDATE_REFS_DIE_ON_ERR);
@@ -748,13 +750,11 @@ static enum bisect_error bisect_checkout(const struct object_id *bisect_rev, int
 			return -abs(res);
 	}
 
-	argv_show_branch[1] = bisect_rev_hex;
-	res = run_command_v_opt(argv_show_branch, RUN_GIT_CMD);
-	/*
-	 * Errors in `run_command()` itself, signaled by res < 0,
-	 * and errors in the child process, signaled by res > 0
-	 * can both be treated as regular BISECT_FAILURE (-1).
-	 */
+	commit = lookup_commit_reference(the_repository, bisect_rev);
+	format_commit_message(commit, "[%H] %s%n", &commit_msg, &pp);
+	fputs(commit_msg.buf, stdout);
+	strbuf_release(&commit_msg);
+
 	return -abs(res);
 }