diff --git a/runtime/ftplugin/gitcommit.vim b/runtime/ftplugin/gitcommit.vim
index 86ee522..e861900 100644
--- a/runtime/ftplugin/gitcommit.vim
+++ b/runtime/ftplugin/gitcommit.vim
@@ -1,7 +1,7 @@
 " Vim filetype plugin
 " Language:	git commit file
 " Maintainer:	Tim Pope <vimNOSPAM@tpope.org>
-" Last Change:	2012 April 7
+" Last Change:	2013 May 30
 
 " Only do this when not done yet for this buffer
 if (exists("b:did_ftplugin"))
@@ -11,9 +11,9 @@
 runtime! ftplugin/git.vim
 let b:did_ftplugin = 1
 
-setlocal nomodeline
+setlocal nomodeline tabstop=8 formatoptions-=croq formatoptions+=tl
 
-let b:undo_ftplugin = 'setl modeline<'
+let b:undo_ftplugin = 'setl modeline< tabstop< formatoptions<'
 
 if &textwidth == 0
   " make sure that log messages play nice with git-log on standard terminals