diff --git a/README.md b/README.md
index 042691c..319b486 100644
--- a/README.md
+++ b/README.md
@@ -66,6 +66,7 @@ activate :deploy do |deploy|
   # deploy.remote   = "custom-remote" # remote name or git url, default: origin
   # deploy.branch   = "custom-branch" # default: gh-pages
   # deploy.strategy = :submodule      # commit strategy: can be :force_push or :submodule, default: :force_push
+  # deploy.commit_message = "custom-message"      # commit message (can be empty), default: Automated commit at `timestamp` by middleman-deploy `version`
 end
 ```
 
diff --git a/lib/middleman-deploy/extension.rb b/lib/middleman-deploy/extension.rb
index 9882b06..58eaf3b 100644
--- a/lib/middleman-deploy/extension.rb
+++ b/lib/middleman-deploy/extension.rb
@@ -5,7 +5,7 @@ require "middleman-core"
 module Middleman
   module Deploy
 
-    class Options < Struct.new(:whatisthis, :method, :host, :port, :user, :password, :path, :clean, :remote, :branch, :strategy, :build_before, :flags); end
+    class Options < Struct.new(:whatisthis, :method, :host, :port, :user, :password, :path, :clean, :remote, :branch, :strategy, :build_before, :flags, :commit_message); end
 
     class << self
 
@@ -25,6 +25,7 @@ module Middleman
         options.remote    ||= "origin"
         options.branch    ||= "gh-pages"
         options.strategy  ||= :force_push
+        options.commit_message  ||= nil
 
         options.build_before ||= false
 
diff --git a/lib/middleman-deploy/methods/git.rb b/lib/middleman-deploy/methods/git.rb
index b23627f..d772013 100644
--- a/lib/middleman-deploy/methods/git.rb
+++ b/lib/middleman-deploy/methods/git.rb
@@ -8,7 +8,7 @@ module Middleman
 
           camelized_strategy  = self.options.strategy.to_s.split('_').map { |word| word.capitalize}.join
           strategy_class_name = "Middleman::Deploy::Strategies::Git::#{camelized_strategy}"
-          strategy_instance   = strategy_class_name.constantize.new(self.server_instance.build_dir, self.options.remote, self.options.branch)
+          strategy_instance   = strategy_class_name.constantize.new(self.server_instance.build_dir, self.options.remote, self.options.branch, self.options.commit_message)
 
           strategy_instance.process
         end
diff --git a/lib/middleman-deploy/strategies/git/base.rb b/lib/middleman-deploy/strategies/git/base.rb
index 5304a92..cafce65 100644
--- a/lib/middleman-deploy/strategies/git/base.rb
+++ b/lib/middleman-deploy/strategies/git/base.rb
@@ -3,12 +3,13 @@ module Middleman
     module Strategies
       module Git
         class Base
-          attr_accessor :branch, :build_dir, :remote
+          attr_accessor :branch, :build_dir, :remote, :commit_message
 
-          def initialize(build_dir, remote, branch)
-            self.branch     = branch
-            self.build_dir  = build_dir
-            self.remote     = remote
+          def initialize(build_dir, remote, branch, commit_message)
+            self.branch         = branch
+            self.build_dir      = build_dir
+            self.remote         = remote
+            self.commit_message = commit_message
           end
 
           def process
@@ -34,7 +35,7 @@ module Middleman
           end
 
           def commit_branch(options='')
-            message = add_signature_to_commit_message('Automated commit')
+            message = self.commit_message ? self.commit_message : add_signature_to_commit_message('Automated commit')
 
             `git add -A`
             `git commit --allow-empty -am "#{message}"`