diff --git a/git-review/change.go b/git-review/change.go
index 0990d58..9a7d7e0 100644
--- a/git-review/change.go
+++ b/git-review/change.go
@@ -26,6 +26,9 @@
 	target := flags.Arg(0)
 	if target != "" {
 		checkoutOrCreate(target)
+		if !HasStagedChanges() {
+			return
+		}
 	}
 
 	// Create or amend change commit.
@@ -39,7 +42,7 @@
 	}
 
 	if b.ChangeID() == "" {
-		// No change commit on this branch, create one.
+		// No change commit on this branch, create one if there are staged changes.
 		commitChanges(false)
 		return
 	}
diff --git a/git-review/change_test.go b/git-review/change_test.go
index ad33e7a..34c7a87 100644
--- a/git-review/change_test.go
+++ b/git-review/change_test.go
@@ -18,13 +18,19 @@
 	t.Logf("master -> work")
 	testMain(t, "change", "work")
 	testRan(t, "git checkout -q -b work",
-		"git branch -q --set-upstream-to origin/master",
-		"git commit -q --allow-empty -m foo: my commit msg")
+		"git branch -q --set-upstream-to origin/master")
 
 	t.Logf("work -> master")
 	testMain(t, "change", "master")
 	testRan(t, "git checkout -q master")
 
+	t.Logf("master -> work with staged changes")
+	write(t, gt.client+"/file", "new content")
+	trun(t, gt.client, "git", "add", "file")
+	testMain(t, "change", "work")
+	testRan(t, "git checkout -q work",
+		"git commit -q --allow-empty -m my commit msg")
+
 	t.Logf("master -> dev.branch")
 	testMain(t, "change", "dev.branch")
 	testRan(t, "git checkout -q -t -b dev.branch origin/dev.branch")