diff --git a/builtin/rebase--helper.c b/builtin/rebase--helper.c
index 731a64971d..0e76dadba6 100644
--- a/builtin/rebase--helper.c
+++ b/builtin/rebase--helper.c
@@ -18,7 +18,7 @@ int cmd_rebase__helper(int argc, const char **argv, const char *prefix)
 	enum {
 		CONTINUE = 1, ABORT, MAKE_SCRIPT, SHORTEN_OIDS, EXPAND_OIDS,
 		CHECK_TODO_LIST, SKIP_UNNECESSARY_PICKS, REARRANGE_SQUASH,
-		ADD_EXEC, APPEND_TODO_HELP, EDIT_TODO
+		ADD_EXEC, APPEND_TODO_HELP, EDIT_TODO, PREPARE_BRANCH
 	} command = 0;
 	struct option options[] = {
 		OPT_BOOL(0, "ff", &opts.allow_ff, N_("allow fast-forward")),
@@ -28,6 +28,7 @@ int cmd_rebase__helper(int argc, const char **argv, const char *prefix)
 		OPT_BOOL(0, "rebase-merges", &rebase_merges, N_("rebase merge commits")),
 		OPT_BOOL(0, "rebase-cousins", &rebase_cousins,
 			 N_("keep original branch points of cousins")),
+		OPT__VERBOSE(&opts.verbose, N_("be verbose")),
 		OPT_CMDMODE(0, "continue", &command, N_("continue rebase"),
 				CONTINUE),
 		OPT_CMDMODE(0, "abort", &command, N_("abort rebase"),
@@ -51,6 +52,8 @@ int cmd_rebase__helper(int argc, const char **argv, const char *prefix)
 		OPT_CMDMODE(0, "edit-todo", &command,
 			    N_("edit the todo list during an interactive rebase"),
 			    EDIT_TODO),
+		OPT_CMDMODE(0, "prepare-branch", &command,
+			    N_("prepare the branch to be rebased"), PREPARE_BRANCH),
 		OPT_END()
 	};
 
@@ -94,5 +97,7 @@ int cmd_rebase__helper(int argc, const char **argv, const char *prefix)
 		return !!append_todo_help(0, keep_empty);
 	if (command == EDIT_TODO && argc == 1)
 		return !!edit_todo_list(flags);
+	if (command == PREPARE_BRANCH && argc == 2)
+		return !!prepare_branch_to_be_rebased(&opts, argv[1]);
 	usage_with_options(builtin_rebase_helper_usage, options);
 }
diff --git a/git-rebase--interactive.sh b/git-rebase--interactive.sh
index 2defe607f4..77e972bb6c 100644
--- a/git-rebase--interactive.sh
+++ b/git-rebase--interactive.sh
@@ -72,6 +72,7 @@ collapse_todo_ids() {
 
 # Switch to the branch in $into and notify it in the reflog
 checkout_onto () {
+	comment_for_reflog start
 	GIT_REFLOG_ACTION="$GIT_REFLOG_ACTION: checkout $onto_name"
 	output git checkout $onto || die_abort "$(gettext "could not detach HEAD")"
 	git update-ref ORIG_HEAD $orig_head
@@ -119,19 +120,6 @@ initiate_action () {
 	esac
 }
 
-setup_reflog_action () {
-	comment_for_reflog start
-
-	if test ! -z "$switch_to"
-	then
-		GIT_REFLOG_ACTION="$GIT_REFLOG_ACTION: checkout $switch_to"
-		output git checkout "$switch_to" -- ||
-			die "$(eval_gettext "Could not checkout \$switch_to")"
-
-		comment_for_reflog start
-	fi
-}
-
 init_basic_state () {
 	orig_head=$(git rev-parse --verify HEAD) || die "$(gettext "No HEAD?")"
 	mkdir -p "$state_dir" || die "$(eval_gettext "Could not create temporary \$state_dir")"
@@ -211,7 +199,7 @@ git_rebase__interactive () {
 		return 0
 	fi
 
-	setup_reflog_action
+	git rebase--helper --prepare-branch "$switch_to" ${verbose:+--verbose}
 	init_basic_state
 
 	init_revisions_and_shortrevisions
diff --git a/sequencer.c b/sequencer.c
index 5919ad312e..d8a59c50f8 100644
--- a/sequencer.c
+++ b/sequencer.c
@@ -3285,6 +3285,36 @@ static const char *reflog_message(struct replay_opts *opts,
 	return buf.buf;
 }
 
+static int run_git_checkout(struct replay_opts *opts, const char *commit,
+			    const char *action)
+{
+	struct child_process cmd = CHILD_PROCESS_INIT;
+
+	cmd.git_cmd = 1;
+
+	argv_array_push(&cmd.args, "checkout");
+	argv_array_push(&cmd.args, commit);
+	argv_array_pushf(&cmd.env_array, GIT_REFLOG_ACTION "=%s", action);
+
+	if (opts->verbose)
+		return run_command(&cmd);
+	else
+		return run_command_silent_on_success(&cmd);
+}
+
+int prepare_branch_to_be_rebased(struct replay_opts *opts, const char *commit)
+{
+	const char *action;
+
+	if (commit && *commit) {
+		action = reflog_message(opts, "start", "checkout %s", commit);
+		if (run_git_checkout(opts, commit, action))
+			return error(_("could not checkout %s"), commit);
+	}
+
+	return 0;
+}
+
 static const char rescheduled_advice[] =
 N_("Could not execute the todo command\n"
 "\n"
diff --git a/sequencer.h b/sequencer.h
index 579de9127b..9f0ce21be7 100644
--- a/sequencer.h
+++ b/sequencer.h
@@ -121,6 +121,8 @@ int update_head_with_reflog(const struct commit *old_head,
 void commit_post_rewrite(const struct commit *current_head,
 			 const struct object_id *new_head);
 
+int prepare_branch_to_be_rebased(struct replay_opts *opts, const char *commit);
+
 #define SUMMARY_INITIAL_COMMIT   (1 << 0)
 #define SUMMARY_SHOW_AUTHOR_DATE (1 << 1)
 void print_commit_summary(const char *prefix, const struct object_id *oid,
