diff --git a/src/rebase.c b/src/rebase.c
index bcad9b7cd..93a91545d 100644
--- a/src/rebase.c
+++ b/src/rebase.c
@@ -472,6 +472,7 @@ done:
 static int rebase_setupfiles(git_rebase *rebase)
 {
 	char onto[GIT_OID_HEXSZ], orig_head[GIT_OID_HEXSZ];
+	const char *orig_head_name;
 
 	git_oid_fmt(onto, &rebase->onto_id);
 	git_oid_fmt(orig_head, &rebase->orig_head_id);
@@ -481,8 +482,11 @@ static int rebase_setupfiles(git_rebase *rebase)
 		return -1;
 	}
 
+	orig_head_name = rebase->head_detached ? ORIG_DETACHED_HEAD :
+		rebase->orig_head_name;
+
 	if (git_repository__set_orig_head(rebase->repo, &rebase->orig_head_id) < 0 ||
-		rebase_setupfile(rebase, HEAD_NAME_FILE, -1, "%s\n", rebase->orig_head_name) < 0 ||
+		rebase_setupfile(rebase, HEAD_NAME_FILE, -1, "%s\n", orig_head_name) < 0 ||
 		rebase_setupfile(rebase, ONTO_FILE, -1, "%.*s\n", GIT_OID_HEXSZ, onto) < 0 ||
 		rebase_setupfile(rebase, ORIG_HEAD_FILE, -1, "%.*s\n", GIT_OID_HEXSZ, orig_head) < 0 ||
 		rebase_setupfile(rebase, QUIET_FILE, -1, rebase->quiet ? "t\n" : "\n") < 0)
@@ -626,8 +630,12 @@ static int rebase_init_merge(
 	rebase->state_path = git_buf_detach(&state_path);
 	GITERR_CHECK_ALLOC(rebase->state_path);
 
-	rebase->orig_head_name = git__strdup(branch->ref_name ? branch->ref_name : ORIG_DETACHED_HEAD);
-	GITERR_CHECK_ALLOC(rebase->orig_head_name);
+	if (branch->ref_name) {
+		rebase->orig_head_name = git__strdup(branch->ref_name);
+		GITERR_CHECK_ALLOC(rebase->orig_head_name);
+	} else {
+		rebase->head_detached = 1;
+	}
 
 	rebase->onto_name = git__strdup(rebase_onto_name(onto));
 	GITERR_CHECK_ALLOC(rebase->onto_name);
@@ -1254,42 +1262,33 @@ done:
 	return error;
 }
 
-int git_rebase_finish(
-	git_rebase *rebase,
-	const git_signature *signature)
+static int return_to_orig_head(git_rebase *rebase)
 {
 	git_reference *terminal_ref = NULL, *branch_ref = NULL, *head_ref = NULL;
 	git_commit *terminal_commit = NULL;
 	git_buf branch_msg = GIT_BUF_INIT, head_msg = GIT_BUF_INIT;
 	char onto[GIT_OID_HEXSZ];
-	int error;
-
-	assert(rebase);
-
-	if (rebase->inmemory)
-		return 0;
+	int error = 0;
 
 	git_oid_fmt(onto, &rebase->onto_id);
 
-	if ((error = git_buf_printf(&branch_msg, "rebase finished: %s onto %.*s",
-			rebase->orig_head_name, GIT_OID_HEXSZ, onto)) < 0 ||
-		(error = git_buf_printf(&head_msg, "rebase finished: returning to %s",
-			rebase->orig_head_name)) < 0 ||
-		(error = git_repository_head(&terminal_ref, rebase->repo)) < 0 ||
+	if ((error = git_buf_printf(&branch_msg,
+			"rebase finished: %s onto %.*s",
+			rebase->orig_head_name, GIT_OID_HEXSZ, onto)) == 0 &&
+		(error = git_buf_printf(&head_msg,
+			"rebase finished: returning to %s",
+			rebase->orig_head_name)) == 0 &&
+		(error = git_repository_head(&terminal_ref, rebase->repo)) == 0 &&
 		(error = git_reference_peel((git_object **)&terminal_commit,
-			terminal_ref, GIT_OBJ_COMMIT)) < 0 ||
+			terminal_ref, GIT_OBJ_COMMIT)) == 0 &&
 		(error = git_reference_create_matching(&branch_ref,
-			rebase->repo, rebase->orig_head_name, git_commit_id(terminal_commit), 1,
-			&rebase->orig_head_id, branch_msg.ptr)) < 0 ||
-		(error = git_reference_symbolic_create(&head_ref,
+			rebase->repo, rebase->orig_head_name,
+			git_commit_id(terminal_commit), 1,
+			&rebase->orig_head_id, branch_msg.ptr)) == 0)
+		error = git_reference_symbolic_create(&head_ref,
 			rebase->repo, GIT_HEAD_FILE, rebase->orig_head_name, 1,
-			head_msg.ptr)) < 0 ||
-		(error = rebase_copy_notes(rebase, signature)) < 0)
-		goto done;
+			head_msg.ptr);
 
-	error = rebase_cleanup(rebase);
-
-done:
 	git_buf_free(&head_msg);
 	git_buf_free(&branch_msg);
 	git_commit_free(terminal_commit);
@@ -1300,6 +1299,26 @@ done:
 	return error;
 }
 
+int git_rebase_finish(
+	git_rebase *rebase,
+	const git_signature *signature)
+{
+	int error = 0;
+
+	assert(rebase);
+
+	if (rebase->inmemory)
+		return 0;
+
+	if (!rebase->head_detached)
+		error = return_to_orig_head(rebase);
+
+	if (error == 0 && (error = rebase_copy_notes(rebase, signature)) == 0)
+		error = rebase_cleanup(rebase);
+
+	return error;
+}
+
 size_t git_rebase_operation_entrycount(git_rebase *rebase)
 {
 	assert(rebase);
diff --git a/tests/rebase/abort.c b/tests/rebase/abort.c
index 4cf14ddce..70529521f 100644
--- a/tests/rebase/abort.c
+++ b/tests/rebase/abort.c
@@ -19,17 +19,15 @@ void test_rebase_abort__cleanup(void)
 	cl_git_sandbox_cleanup();
 }
 
-static void test_abort(git_annotated_commit *branch, git_annotated_commit *onto)
+static void ensure_aborted(
+	git_annotated_commit *branch,
+	git_annotated_commit *onto)
 {
-	git_rebase *rebase;
 	git_reference *head_ref, *branch_ref = NULL;
 	git_status_list *statuslist;
 	git_reflog *reflog;
 	const git_reflog_entry *reflog_entry;
 
-	cl_git_pass(git_rebase_open(&rebase, repo, NULL));
-	cl_git_pass(git_rebase_abort(rebase));
-
 	cl_assert_equal_i(GIT_REPOSITORY_STATE_NONE, git_repository_state(repo));
 
 	/* Make sure the refs are updated appropriately */
@@ -58,6 +56,18 @@ static void test_abort(git_annotated_commit *branch, git_annotated_commit *onto)
 	git_reflog_free(reflog);
 	git_reference_free(head_ref);
 	git_reference_free(branch_ref);
+}
+
+static void test_abort(
+	git_annotated_commit *branch, git_annotated_commit *onto)
+{
+	git_rebase *rebase;
+
+	cl_git_pass(git_rebase_open(&rebase, repo, NULL));
+	cl_git_pass(git_rebase_abort(rebase));
+
+	ensure_aborted(branch, onto);
+
 	git_rebase_free(rebase);
 }
 
@@ -86,6 +96,32 @@ void test_rebase_abort__merge(void)
 	git_rebase_free(rebase);
 }
 
+void test_rebase_abort__merge_immediately_after_init(void)
+{
+	git_rebase *rebase;
+	git_reference *branch_ref, *onto_ref;
+	git_annotated_commit *branch_head, *onto_head;
+
+	cl_git_pass(git_reference_lookup(&branch_ref, repo, "refs/heads/beef"));
+	cl_git_pass(git_reference_lookup(&onto_ref, repo, "refs/heads/master"));
+
+	cl_git_pass(git_annotated_commit_from_ref(&branch_head, repo, branch_ref));
+	cl_git_pass(git_annotated_commit_from_ref(&onto_head, repo, onto_ref));
+
+	cl_git_pass(git_rebase_init(&rebase, repo, branch_head, NULL, onto_head, NULL));
+	cl_assert_equal_i(GIT_REPOSITORY_STATE_REBASE_MERGE, git_repository_state(repo));
+
+	cl_git_pass(git_rebase_abort(rebase));
+	ensure_aborted(branch_head, onto_head);
+
+	git_annotated_commit_free(branch_head);
+	git_annotated_commit_free(onto_head);
+
+	git_reference_free(branch_ref);
+	git_reference_free(onto_ref);
+	git_rebase_free(rebase);
+}
+
 void test_rebase_abort__merge_by_id(void)
 {
 	git_rebase *rebase;
@@ -109,6 +145,30 @@ void test_rebase_abort__merge_by_id(void)
 	git_rebase_free(rebase);
 }
 
+void test_rebase_abort__merge_by_id_immediately_after_init(void)
+{
+	git_rebase *rebase;
+	git_oid branch_id, onto_id;
+	git_annotated_commit *branch_head, *onto_head;
+
+	cl_git_pass(git_oid_fromstr(&branch_id, "b146bd7608eac53d9bf9e1a6963543588b555c64"));
+	cl_git_pass(git_oid_fromstr(&onto_id, "efad0b11c47cb2f0220cbd6f5b0f93bb99064b00"));
+
+	cl_git_pass(git_annotated_commit_lookup(&branch_head, repo, &branch_id));
+	cl_git_pass(git_annotated_commit_lookup(&onto_head, repo, &onto_id));
+
+	cl_git_pass(git_rebase_init(&rebase, repo, branch_head, NULL, onto_head, NULL));
+	cl_assert_equal_i(GIT_REPOSITORY_STATE_REBASE_MERGE, git_repository_state(repo));
+
+	cl_git_pass(git_rebase_abort(rebase));
+	ensure_aborted(branch_head, onto_head);
+
+	git_annotated_commit_free(branch_head);
+	git_annotated_commit_free(onto_head);
+
+	git_rebase_free(rebase);
+}
+
 void test_rebase_abort__detached_head(void)
 {
 	git_rebase *rebase;
diff --git a/tests/rebase/merge.c b/tests/rebase/merge.c
index d090e02e8..2d6df369e 100644
--- a/tests/rebase/merge.c
+++ b/tests/rebase/merge.c
@@ -475,6 +475,56 @@ void test_rebase_merge__finish(void)
 	git_rebase_free(rebase);
 }
 
+void test_rebase_merge__finish_with_ids(void)
+{
+	git_rebase *rebase;
+	git_reference *head_ref;
+	git_oid branch_id, upstream_id;
+	git_annotated_commit *branch_head, *upstream_head;
+	git_rebase_operation *rebase_operation;
+	git_oid commit_id;
+	git_reflog *reflog;
+	const git_reflog_entry *reflog_entry;
+	int error;
+
+	cl_git_pass(git_oid_fromstr(&branch_id, "d616d97082eb7bb2dc6f180a7cca940993b7a56f"));
+	cl_git_pass(git_oid_fromstr(&upstream_id, "f87d14a4a236582a0278a916340a793714256864"));
+
+	cl_git_pass(git_annotated_commit_lookup(&branch_head, repo, &branch_id));
+	cl_git_pass(git_annotated_commit_lookup(&upstream_head, repo, &upstream_id));
+
+	cl_git_pass(git_rebase_init(&rebase, repo, branch_head, upstream_head, NULL, NULL));
+
+	cl_git_pass(git_rebase_next(&rebase_operation, rebase));
+	cl_git_pass(git_rebase_commit(&commit_id, rebase, NULL, signature,
+		NULL, NULL));
+
+	cl_git_fail(error = git_rebase_next(&rebase_operation, rebase));
+	cl_assert_equal_i(GIT_ITEROVER, error);
+
+	cl_git_pass(git_rebase_finish(rebase, signature));
+
+	cl_assert_equal_i(GIT_REPOSITORY_STATE_NONE, git_repository_state(repo));
+
+	cl_git_pass(git_reference_lookup(&head_ref, repo, "HEAD"));
+	cl_assert_equal_i(GIT_REF_OID, git_reference_type(head_ref));
+	cl_assert_equal_oid(&commit_id, git_reference_target(head_ref));
+
+	/* reflogs are not updated as if we were operating on proper
+	 * branches.  check that the last reflog entry is the rebase.
+	 */
+	cl_git_pass(git_reflog_read(&reflog, repo, "HEAD"));
+	cl_assert(reflog_entry = git_reflog_entry_byindex(reflog, 0));
+	cl_assert_equal_oid(&commit_id, git_reflog_entry_id_new(reflog_entry));
+	cl_assert_equal_s("rebase: Modification 3 to gravy", git_reflog_entry_message(reflog_entry));
+	git_reflog_free(reflog);
+
+	git_annotated_commit_free(branch_head);
+	git_annotated_commit_free(upstream_head);
+	git_reference_free(head_ref);
+	git_rebase_free(rebase);
+}
+
 static void test_copy_note(
 	const git_rebase_options *opts,
 	bool should_exist)