diff --git a/sequencer.c b/sequencer.c
index 919e3153f5..793f86bf9a 100644
--- a/sequencer.c
+++ b/sequencer.c
@@ -2076,6 +2076,18 @@ const char *todo_item_get_arg(struct todo_list *todo_list,
 	return todo_list->buf.buf + item->arg_offset;
 }
 
+static int is_command(enum todo_command command, const char **bol)
+{
+	const char *str = todo_command_info[command].str;
+	const char nick = todo_command_info[command].c;
+	const char *p = *bol + 1;
+
+	return skip_prefix(*bol, str, bol) ||
+		((nick && **bol == nick) &&
+		 (*p == ' ' || *p == '\t' || *p == '\n' || *p == '\r' || !*p) &&
+		 (*bol = p));
+}
+
 static int parse_insn_line(struct repository *r, struct todo_item *item,
 			   const char *buf, const char *bol, char *eol)
 {
@@ -2097,12 +2109,7 @@ static int parse_insn_line(struct repository *r, struct todo_item *item,
 	}
 
 	for (i = 0; i < TODO_COMMENT; i++)
-		if (skip_prefix(bol, todo_command_info[i].str, &bol)) {
-			item->command = i;
-			break;
-		} else if ((bol + 1 == eol || bol[1] == ' ' || bol[1] == '\t') &&
-			   *bol == todo_command_info[i].c) {
-			bol++;
+		if (is_command(i, &bol)) {
 			item->command = i;
 			break;
 		}