diff --git a/src/libgit2/trailer.c b/src/libgit2/trailer.c
index 4761c9922..52e655914 100644
--- a/src/libgit2/trailer.c
+++ b/src/libgit2/trailer.c
@@ -158,7 +158,7 @@ static size_t find_patch_start(const char *str)
 	const char *s;
 
 	for (s = str; *s; s = next_line(s)) {
-		if (git__prefixcmp(s, "---") == 0)
+		if (git__prefixcmp(s, "---") == 0 && git__isspace(s[3]))
 			return s - str;
 	}
 
diff --git a/tests/libgit2/message/trailer.c b/tests/libgit2/message/trailer.c
index 3705794fb..09e8f6115 100644
--- a/tests/libgit2/message/trailer.c
+++ b/tests/libgit2/message/trailer.c
@@ -165,3 +165,23 @@ void test_message_trailer__invalid(void)
 		"Another: trailer\n"
 	, trailers);
 }
+
+void test_message_trailer__ignores_dashes(void)
+{
+	git_message_trailer trailers[] = {
+		{ "Signed-off-by", "some@one.com" },
+		{ "Another", "trailer" },
+		{ NULL, NULL },
+	};
+
+	assert_trailers(
+		"Message\n"
+		"\n"
+		"Markdown header\n"
+		"---------------\n"
+		"Lorem ipsum\n"
+		"\n"
+		"Signed-off-by: some@one.com\n"
+		"Another: trailer\n"
+	, trailers);
+}