diff --git a/rebase-interactive.c b/rebase-interactive.c
index aa18ae82b7..1259adc8ea 100644
--- a/rebase-interactive.c
+++ b/rebase-interactive.c
@@ -104,9 +104,11 @@ int edit_todo_list(struct repository *r, struct todo_list *todo_list,
 				    -1, flags | TODO_LIST_SHORTEN_IDS | TODO_LIST_APPEND_TODO_HELP))
 		return error_errno(_("could not write '%s'"), todo_file);
 
-	if (initial && copy_file(rebase_path_todo_backup(), todo_file, 0666))
-		return error(_("could not copy '%s' to '%s'."), todo_file,
-			     rebase_path_todo_backup());
+	if (initial &&
+	    todo_list_write_to_file(r, todo_list, rebase_path_todo_backup(),
+				    shortrevisions, shortonto, -1,
+				    (flags | TODO_LIST_APPEND_TODO_HELP) & ~TODO_LIST_SHORTEN_IDS) < 0)
+		return error(_("could not write '%s'."), rebase_path_todo_backup());
 
 	if (launch_sequence_editor(todo_file, &new_todo->buf, NULL))
 		return -2;
diff --git a/t/t3404-rebase-interactive.sh b/t/t3404-rebase-interactive.sh
index 1cc9f36bc7..b90ea0fe44 100755
--- a/t/t3404-rebase-interactive.sh
+++ b/t/t3404-rebase-interactive.sh
@@ -1277,6 +1277,8 @@ test_expect_success SHA1 'short SHA-1 collide' '
 			.git/rebase-merge/git-rebase-todo.tmp &&
 		grep "^pick [0-9a-f]\{40\}" \
 			.git/rebase-merge/git-rebase-todo &&
+		grep "^pick [0-9a-f]\{40\}" \
+			.git/rebase-merge/git-rebase-todo.backup &&
 		git rebase --continue
 	) &&
 	collide2="$(git rev-parse HEAD~1 | cut -c 1-4)" &&