diff --git a/builtin/rebase.c b/builtin/rebase.c
index 5ece134ae6..f1f449801b 100644
--- a/builtin/rebase.c
+++ b/builtin/rebase.c
@@ -185,10 +185,7 @@ static int read_basic_state(struct rebase_options *opts)
 	if (get_oid(buf.buf, &opts->orig_head))
 		return error(_("invalid orig-head: '%s'"), buf.buf);
 
-	strbuf_reset(&buf);
-	if (read_one(state_dir_path("quiet", opts), &buf))
-		return -1;
-	if (buf.len)
+	if (file_exists(state_dir_path("quiet", opts)))
 		opts->flags &= ~REBASE_NO_QUIET;
 	else
 		opts->flags |= REBASE_NO_QUIET;
diff --git a/git-legacy-rebase.sh b/git-legacy-rebase.sh
index 0a747eb76c..d01eef9876 100755
--- a/git-legacy-rebase.sh
+++ b/git-legacy-rebase.sh
@@ -113,7 +113,7 @@ read_basic_state () {
 	else
 		orig_head=$(cat "$state_dir"/head)
 	fi &&
-	GIT_QUIET=$(cat "$state_dir"/quiet) &&
+	test -f "$state_dir"/quiet && GIT_QUIET=t
 	test -f "$state_dir"/verbose && verbose=t
 	test -f "$state_dir"/strategy && strategy="$(cat "$state_dir"/strategy)"
 	test -f "$state_dir"/strategy_opts &&
diff --git a/git-rebase--common.sh b/git-rebase--common.sh
index 7e39d22871..dc18c682fa 100644
--- a/git-rebase--common.sh
+++ b/git-rebase--common.sh
@@ -10,7 +10,7 @@ write_basic_state () {
 	echo "$head_name" > "$state_dir"/head-name &&
 	echo "$onto" > "$state_dir"/onto &&
 	echo "$orig_head" > "$state_dir"/orig-head &&
-	echo "$GIT_QUIET" > "$state_dir"/quiet &&
+	test t = "$GIT_QUIET" && : > "$state_dir"/quiet
 	test t = "$verbose" && : > "$state_dir"/verbose
 	test -n "$strategy" && echo "$strategy" > "$state_dir"/strategy
 	test -n "$strategy_opts" && echo "$strategy_opts" > \
diff --git a/sequencer.c b/sequencer.c
index e1a4dd15f1..bc25615050 100644
--- a/sequencer.c
+++ b/sequencer.c
@@ -150,6 +150,7 @@ static GIT_PATH_FUNC(rebase_path_refs_to_delete, "rebase-merge/refs-to-delete")
 static GIT_PATH_FUNC(rebase_path_gpg_sign_opt, "rebase-merge/gpg_sign_opt")
 static GIT_PATH_FUNC(rebase_path_orig_head, "rebase-merge/orig-head")
 static GIT_PATH_FUNC(rebase_path_verbose, "rebase-merge/verbose")
+static GIT_PATH_FUNC(rebase_path_quiet, "rebase-merge/quiet")
 static GIT_PATH_FUNC(rebase_path_signoff, "rebase-merge/signoff")
 static GIT_PATH_FUNC(rebase_path_head_name, "rebase-merge/head-name")
 static GIT_PATH_FUNC(rebase_path_onto, "rebase-merge/onto")
@@ -157,7 +158,6 @@ static GIT_PATH_FUNC(rebase_path_autostash, "rebase-merge/autostash")
 static GIT_PATH_FUNC(rebase_path_strategy, "rebase-merge/strategy")
 static GIT_PATH_FUNC(rebase_path_strategy_opts, "rebase-merge/strategy_opts")
 static GIT_PATH_FUNC(rebase_path_allow_rerere_autoupdate, "rebase-merge/allow_rerere_autoupdate")
-static GIT_PATH_FUNC(rebase_path_quiet, "rebase-merge/quiet")
 
 static int git_sequencer_config(const char *k, const char *v, void *cb)
 {
@@ -2357,6 +2357,9 @@ static int read_populate_opts(struct replay_opts *opts)
 		if (file_exists(rebase_path_verbose()))
 			opts->verbose = 1;
 
+		if (file_exists(rebase_path_quiet()))
+			opts->quiet = 1;
+
 		if (file_exists(rebase_path_signoff())) {
 			opts->allow_ff = 0;
 			opts->signoff = 1;
@@ -2424,9 +2427,6 @@ int write_basic_state(struct replay_opts *opts, const char *head_name,
 
 	if (quiet)
 		write_file(rebase_path_quiet(), "%s\n", quiet);
-	else
-		write_file(rebase_path_quiet(), "\n");
-
 	if (opts->verbose)
 		write_file(rebase_path_verbose(), "%s", "");
 	if (opts->strategy)
@@ -3503,10 +3503,11 @@ static int pick_commits(struct todo_list *todo_list, struct replay_opts *opts)
 					fprintf(f, "%d\n", todo_list->done_nr);
 					fclose(f);
 				}
-				fprintf(stderr, "Rebasing (%d/%d)%s",
-					todo_list->done_nr,
-					todo_list->total_nr,
-					opts->verbose ? "\n" : "\r");
+				if (!opts->quiet)
+					fprintf(stderr, "Rebasing (%d/%d)%s",
+						todo_list->done_nr,
+						todo_list->total_nr,
+						opts->verbose ? "\n" : "\r");
 			}
 			unlink(rebase_path_message());
 			unlink(rebase_path_author_script());
@@ -3738,8 +3739,10 @@ static int pick_commits(struct todo_list *todo_list, struct replay_opts *opts)
 		}
 		apply_autostash(opts);
 
-		fprintf(stderr, "Successfully rebased and updated %s.\n",
-			head_ref.buf);
+		if (!opts->quiet)
+			fprintf(stderr,
+				"Successfully rebased and updated %s.\n",
+				head_ref.buf);
 
 		strbuf_release(&buf);
 		strbuf_release(&head_ref);
diff --git a/sequencer.h b/sequencer.h
index 5071a73563..729222b583 100644
--- a/sequencer.h
+++ b/sequencer.h
@@ -39,6 +39,7 @@ struct replay_opts {
 	int allow_empty_message;
 	int keep_redundant_commits;
 	int verbose;
+	int quiet;
 
 	int mainline;
 
