diff --git a/runbot_merge/models/pull_requests.py b/runbot_merge/models/pull_requests.py
index e955be29..f317fa64 100644
--- a/runbot_merge/models/pull_requests.py
+++ b/runbot_merge/models/pull_requests.py
@@ -1343,7 +1343,7 @@ class PullRequests(models.Model):
         return head
 
     def _stage_rebase_merge(self, gh, target, commits, related_prs=()):
-        msg = self._build_merge_message(self.message, related_prs=related_prs)
+        msg = self._build_merge_message(self, related_prs=related_prs)
         h, mapping = gh.rebase(self.number, target, reset=True, commits=commits)
         merge_head = gh.merge(h, target, str(msg))['sha']
         self.commits_map = json.dumps({**mapping, '': merge_head})
@@ -1384,7 +1384,7 @@ class PullRequests(models.Model):
             return copy['sha']
         else:
             # otherwise do a regular merge
-            msg = self._build_merge_message(self.message)
+            msg = self._build_merge_message(self)
             merge_head = gh.merge(self.head, target, str(msg))['sha']
             # and the merge commit is the normal merge head
             commits_map[''] = merge_head
@@ -2081,6 +2081,8 @@ class Message:
     def from_message(cls, msg):
         in_headers = True
         maybe_setex = None
+        # creating from PR message -> remove content following break
+        msg, handle_break = (msg, False) if isinstance(msg, str) else (msg.message, True)
         headers = []
         body = []
         for line in reversed(msg.splitlines()):
@@ -2102,7 +2104,7 @@ class Message:
                     body.append(line)
                 continue
 
-            if BREAK.match(line):
+            if handle_break and BREAK.match(line):
                 if SETEX_UNDERLINE.match(line):
                     maybe_setex = line
                 else:
diff --git a/runbot_merge/tests/test_basic.py b/runbot_merge/tests/test_basic.py
index d484e086..accd91b6 100644
--- a/runbot_merge/tests/test_basic.py
+++ b/runbot_merge/tests/test_basic.py
@@ -1718,6 +1718,39 @@ removed
         Signed-off-by: {reviewer}
         """).strip(), "should not break the SETEX titles"
 
+    def test_rebase_no_edit(self, repo, env, users, config):
+        """ Only the merge messages should be de-breaked
+        """
+        reviewer = get_partner(env, users["reviewer"]).formatted_email
+        with repo:
+            root = repo.make_commits(None, Commit("root", tree={'a': 'a'}), ref='heads/master')
+
+            repo.make_commits(root, Commit('Commit\n\nfirst\n***\nsecond', tree={'a': 'b'}), ref=f'heads/change')
+            pr = repo.make_pr(title="PR", body=f'first\n***\nsecond',
+                              target='master', head=f'change')
+            repo.post_status(pr.head, 'success', 'legal/cla')
+            repo.post_status(pr.head, 'success', 'ci/runbot')
+            pr.post_comment('hansen r+', config['role_reviewer']['token'])
+        env.run_crons()
+
+        with repo:
+            repo.post_status('heads/staging.master', 'success', 'ci/runbot')
+            repo.post_status('heads/staging.master', 'success', 'legal/cla')
+        env.run_crons()
+
+        head = repo.commit('heads/master')
+        assert head.message == textwrap.dedent(f"""\
+        Commit
+
+        first
+        ***
+        second
+
+        closes {repo.name}#{pr.number}
+
+        Signed-off-by: {reviewer}
+        """).strip(), "squashed / rebased messages should not be stripped"
+
     def test_pr_mergehead(self, repo, env, config):
         """ if the head of the PR is a merge commit and one of the parents is
         in the target, replicate the merge commit instead of merging