diff --git a/integrations/api_repo_file_create_test.go b/integrations/api_repo_file_create_test.go
index 973ed9dfa5..b00583c191 100644
--- a/integrations/api_repo_file_create_test.go
+++ b/integrations/api_repo_file_create_test.go
@@ -28,7 +28,7 @@ func getCreateFileOptions() api.CreateFileOptions {
 		FileOptions: api.FileOptions{
 			BranchName:    "master",
 			NewBranchName: "master",
-			Message:       "Creates new/file.txt",
+			Message:       "Making this new file new/file.txt",
 			Author: api.Identity{
 				Name:  "John Doe",
 				Email: "johndoe@example.com",
@@ -150,6 +150,19 @@ func TestAPICreateFile(t *testing.T) {
 		assert.EqualValues(t, expectedSHA, fileResponse.Content.SHA)
 		assert.EqualValues(t, expectedHTMLURL, fileResponse.Content.HTMLURL)
 		assert.EqualValues(t, expectedDownloadURL, fileResponse.Content.DownloadURL)
+		assert.EqualValues(t, createFileOptions.Message+"\n", fileResponse.Commit.Message)
+
+		// Test creating a file without a message
+		createFileOptions = getCreateFileOptions()
+		createFileOptions.Message = ""
+		fileID++
+		treePath = fmt.Sprintf("new/file%d.txt", fileID)
+		url = fmt.Sprintf("/api/v1/repos/%s/%s/contents/%s?token=%s", user2.Name, repo1.Name, treePath, token2)
+		req = NewRequestWithJSON(t, "POST", url, &createFileOptions)
+		resp = session.MakeRequest(t, req, http.StatusCreated)
+		DecodeJSON(t, resp, &fileResponse)
+		expectedMessage := "Add '" + treePath + "'\n"
+		assert.EqualValues(t, expectedMessage, fileResponse.Commit.Message)
 
 		// Test trying to create a file that already exists, should fail
 		createFileOptions = getCreateFileOptions()
diff --git a/integrations/api_repo_file_delete_test.go b/integrations/api_repo_file_delete_test.go
index 2f5f9028a8..59b3ff91b6 100644
--- a/integrations/api_repo_file_delete_test.go
+++ b/integrations/api_repo_file_delete_test.go
@@ -23,7 +23,7 @@ func getDeleteFileOptions() *api.DeleteFileOptions {
 		FileOptions: api.FileOptions{
 			BranchName:    "master",
 			NewBranchName: "master",
-			Message:       "Updates new/file.txt",
+			Message:       "Removing the file new/file.txt",
 			Author: api.Identity{
 				Name:  "John Doe",
 				Email: "johndoe@example.com",
@@ -89,6 +89,20 @@ func TestAPIDeleteFile(t *testing.T) {
 		DecodeJSON(t, resp, &fileResponse)
 		assert.NotNil(t, fileResponse)
 		assert.Nil(t, fileResponse.Content)
+		assert.EqualValues(t, deleteFileOptions.Message+"\n", fileResponse.Commit.Message)
+
+		// Test deleting file without a message
+		fileID++
+		treePath = fmt.Sprintf("delete/file%d.txt", fileID)
+		createFile(user2, repo1, treePath)
+		deleteFileOptions = getDeleteFileOptions()
+		deleteFileOptions.Message = ""
+		url = fmt.Sprintf("/api/v1/repos/%s/%s/contents/%s?token=%s", user2.Name, repo1.Name, treePath, token2)
+		req = NewRequestWithJSON(t, "DELETE", url, &deleteFileOptions)
+		resp = session.MakeRequest(t, req, http.StatusOK)
+		DecodeJSON(t, resp, &fileResponse)
+		expectedMessage := "Delete '" + treePath + "'\n"
+		assert.EqualValues(t, expectedMessage, fileResponse.Commit.Message)
 
 		// Test deleting a file with the wrong SHA
 		fileID++
diff --git a/integrations/api_repo_file_update_test.go b/integrations/api_repo_file_update_test.go
index 90fecf59d0..17fa2adb26 100644
--- a/integrations/api_repo_file_update_test.go
+++ b/integrations/api_repo_file_update_test.go
@@ -25,8 +25,23 @@ func getUpdateFileOptions() *api.UpdateFileOptions {
 	content := "This is updated text"
 	contentEncoded := base64.StdEncoding.EncodeToString([]byte(content))
 	return &api.UpdateFileOptions{
-		DeleteFileOptions: *getDeleteFileOptions(),
-		Content:           contentEncoded,
+		DeleteFileOptions: api.DeleteFileOptions{
+			FileOptions: api.FileOptions{
+				BranchName:    "master",
+				NewBranchName: "master",
+				Message:       "My update of new/file.txt",
+				Author: api.Identity{
+					Name:  "John Doe",
+					Email: "johndoe@example.com",
+				},
+				Committer: api.Identity{
+					Name:  "Jane Doe",
+					Email: "janedoe@example.com",
+				},
+			},
+			SHA: "103ff9234cefeee5ec5361d22b49fbb04d385885",
+		},
+		Content: contentEncoded,
 	}
 }
 
@@ -67,7 +82,7 @@ func getExpectedFileResponseForUpdate(commitID, treePath string) *api.FileRespon
 					Email: "johndoe@example.com",
 				},
 			},
-			Message: "Updates README.md\n",
+			Message: "My update of README.md\n",
 		},
 		Verification: &api.PayloadCommitVerification{
 			Verified:  false,
@@ -140,6 +155,7 @@ func TestAPIUpdateFile(t *testing.T) {
 		assert.EqualValues(t, expectedSHA, fileResponse.Content.SHA)
 		assert.EqualValues(t, expectedHTMLURL, fileResponse.Content.HTMLURL)
 		assert.EqualValues(t, expectedDownloadURL, fileResponse.Content.DownloadURL)
+		assert.EqualValues(t, updateFileOptions.Message+"\n", fileResponse.Commit.Message)
 
 		// Test updating a file and renaming it
 		updateFileOptions = getUpdateFileOptions()
@@ -160,6 +176,20 @@ func TestAPIUpdateFile(t *testing.T) {
 		assert.EqualValues(t, expectedHTMLURL, fileResponse.Content.HTMLURL)
 		assert.EqualValues(t, expectedDownloadURL, fileResponse.Content.DownloadURL)
 
+		// Test updating a file without a message
+		updateFileOptions = getUpdateFileOptions()
+		updateFileOptions.Message = ""
+		updateFileOptions.BranchName = repo1.DefaultBranch
+		fileID++
+		treePath = fmt.Sprintf("update/file%d.txt", fileID)
+		createFile(user2, repo1, treePath)
+		url = fmt.Sprintf("/api/v1/repos/%s/%s/contents/%s?token=%s", user2.Name, repo1.Name, treePath, token2)
+		req = NewRequestWithJSON(t, "PUT", url, &updateFileOptions)
+		resp = session.MakeRequest(t, req, http.StatusOK)
+		DecodeJSON(t, resp, &fileResponse)
+		expectedMessage := "Update '" + treePath + "'\n"
+		assert.EqualValues(t, expectedMessage, fileResponse.Commit.Message)
+
 		// Test updating a file with the wrong SHA
 		fileID++
 		treePath = fmt.Sprintf("update/file%d.txt", fileID)
diff --git a/integrations/repofiles_delete_test.go b/integrations/repofiles_delete_test.go
index c3bb18ec9c..f4cb4510be 100644
--- a/integrations/repofiles_delete_test.go
+++ b/integrations/repofiles_delete_test.go
@@ -24,40 +24,32 @@ func getDeleteRepoFileOptions(repo *models.Repository) *repofiles.DeleteRepoFile
 		TreePath:     "README.md",
 		Message:      "Deletes README.md",
 		SHA:          "4b4851ad51df6a7d9f25c979345979eaeb5b349f",
-		Author:       nil,
-		Committer:    nil,
+		Author: &repofiles.IdentityOptions{
+			Name:  "Bob Smith",
+			Email: "bob@smith.com",
+		},
+		Committer: nil,
 	}
 }
 
 func getExpectedDeleteFileResponse(u *url.URL) *api.FileResponse {
+	// Just returns fields that don't change, i.e. fields with commit SHAs and dates can't be determined
 	return &api.FileResponse{
 		Content: nil,
 		Commit: &api.FileCommitResponse{
-			CommitMeta: api.CommitMeta{
-				URL: u.String() + "api/v1/repos/user2/repo1/git/commits/65f1bf27bc3bf70f64657658635e66094edbcb4d",
-				SHA: "65f1bf27bc3bf70f64657658635e66094edbcb4d",
-			},
-			HTMLURL: u.String() + "user2/repo1/commit/65f1bf27bc3bf70f64657658635e66094edbcb4d",
 			Author: &api.CommitUser{
 				Identity: api.Identity{
-					Name:  "user1",
-					Email: "address1@example.com",
+					Name:  "Bob Smith",
+					Email: "bob@smith.com",
 				},
-				Date: "2017-03-19T20:47:59Z",
 			},
 			Committer: &api.CommitUser{
 				Identity: api.Identity{
-					Name:  "Ethan Koenig",
-					Email: "ethantkoenig@gmail.com",
+					Name:  "Bob Smith",
+					Email: "bob@smith.com",
 				},
-				Date: "2017-03-19T20:47:59Z",
-			},
-			Parents: []*api.CommitMeta{},
-			Message: "Initial commit\n",
-			Tree: &api.CommitMeta{
-				URL: u.String() + "api/v1/repos/user2/repo1/git/trees/2a2f1d4670728a2e10049e345bd7a276468beab6",
-				SHA: "2a2f1d4670728a2e10049e345bd7a276468beab6",
 			},
+			Message: "Deletes README.md\n",
 		},
 		Verification: &api.PayloadCommitVerification{
 			Verified:  false,
@@ -89,7 +81,12 @@ func testDeleteRepoFile(t *testing.T, u *url.URL) {
 		fileResponse, err := repofiles.DeleteRepoFile(repo, doer, opts)
 		assert.Nil(t, err)
 		expectedFileResponse := getExpectedDeleteFileResponse(u)
-		assert.EqualValues(t, expectedFileResponse, fileResponse)
+		assert.NotNil(t, fileResponse)
+		assert.Nil(t, fileResponse.Content)
+		assert.EqualValues(t, expectedFileResponse.Commit.Message, fileResponse.Commit.Message)
+		assert.EqualValues(t, expectedFileResponse.Commit.Author.Identity, fileResponse.Commit.Author.Identity)
+		assert.EqualValues(t, expectedFileResponse.Commit.Committer.Identity, fileResponse.Commit.Committer.Identity)
+		assert.EqualValues(t, expectedFileResponse.Verification, fileResponse.Verification)
 	})
 
 	t.Run("Verify README.md has been deleted", func(t *testing.T) {
@@ -124,7 +121,12 @@ func testDeleteRepoFileWithoutBranchNames(t *testing.T, u *url.URL) {
 		fileResponse, err := repofiles.DeleteRepoFile(repo, doer, opts)
 		assert.Nil(t, err)
 		expectedFileResponse := getExpectedDeleteFileResponse(u)
-		assert.EqualValues(t, expectedFileResponse, fileResponse)
+		assert.NotNil(t, fileResponse)
+		assert.Nil(t, fileResponse.Content)
+		assert.EqualValues(t, expectedFileResponse.Commit.Message, fileResponse.Commit.Message)
+		assert.EqualValues(t, expectedFileResponse.Commit.Author.Identity, fileResponse.Commit.Author.Identity)
+		assert.EqualValues(t, expectedFileResponse.Commit.Committer.Identity, fileResponse.Commit.Committer.Identity)
+		assert.EqualValues(t, expectedFileResponse.Verification, fileResponse.Verification)
 	})
 }
 
diff --git a/modules/repofiles/delete.go b/modules/repofiles/delete.go
index 91910fa860..3d9b06b1c1 100644
--- a/modules/repofiles/delete.go
+++ b/modules/repofiles/delete.go
@@ -198,6 +198,11 @@ func DeleteRepoFile(repo *models.Repository, doer *models.User, opts *DeleteRepo
 		return nil, fmt.Errorf("PushUpdate: %v", err)
 	}
 
+	commit, err = t.GetCommit(commitHash)
+	if err != nil {
+		return nil, err
+	}
+
 	file, err := GetFileResponseFromCommit(repo, commit, opts.NewBranch, treePath)
 	if err != nil {
 		return nil, err
diff --git a/modules/structs/repo_file.go b/modules/structs/repo_file.go
index c447d26724..e5be9ce108 100644
--- a/modules/structs/repo_file.go
+++ b/modules/structs/repo_file.go
@@ -8,7 +8,7 @@ package structs
 // FileOptions options for all file APIs
 type FileOptions struct {
 	// message (optional) for the commit of this file. if not supplied, a default message will be used
-	Message string `json:"message" binding:"Required"`
+	Message string `json:"message"`
 	// branch (optional) to base this file from. if not given, the default branch is used
 	BranchName string `json:"branch"`
 	// new_branch (optional) will make a new branch from `branch` before creating the file
diff --git a/routers/api/v1/repo/file.go b/routers/api/v1/repo/file.go
index 20f80f37f4..d510756283 100644
--- a/routers/api/v1/repo/file.go
+++ b/routers/api/v1/repo/file.go
@@ -204,6 +204,11 @@ func CreateFile(ctx *context.APIContext, apiOpts api.CreateFileOptions) {
 			Email: apiOpts.Author.Email,
 		},
 	}
+
+	if opts.Message == "" {
+		opts.Message = ctx.Tr("repo.editor.add", opts.TreePath)
+	}
+
 	if fileResponse, err := createOrUpdateFile(ctx, opts); err != nil {
 		ctx.Error(http.StatusInternalServerError, "CreateFile", err)
 	} else {
@@ -264,6 +269,10 @@ func UpdateFile(ctx *context.APIContext, apiOpts api.UpdateFileOptions) {
 		},
 	}
 
+	if opts.Message == "" {
+		opts.Message = ctx.Tr("repo.editor.update", opts.TreePath)
+	}
+
 	if fileResponse, err := createOrUpdateFile(ctx, opts); err != nil {
 		ctx.Error(http.StatusInternalServerError, "UpdateFile", err)
 	} else {
@@ -346,6 +355,10 @@ func DeleteFile(ctx *context.APIContext, apiOpts api.DeleteFileOptions) {
 		},
 	}
 
+	if opts.Message == "" {
+		opts.Message = ctx.Tr("repo.editor.delete", opts.TreePath)
+	}
+
 	if fileResponse, err := repofiles.DeleteRepoFile(ctx.Repo.Repository, ctx.User, opts); err != nil {
 		ctx.Error(http.StatusInternalServerError, "DeleteFile", err)
 	} else {