diff --git a/git-strip-merge-pretty b/git-strip-merge-pretty
index 951ea7461..bc7c79d2a 100644
--- a/git-strip-merge-pretty
+++ b/git-strip-merge-pretty
@@ -126,7 +126,7 @@ branchshortsha="${branchsha:0:7}"
 #assumes that the commit message starts with hash1...hash2
 prevcommitmsg="$(git log -1 --pretty=%B)"
 prevcommitsha="${prevcommitmsg:10:7}"
-firstmsgchar="${prevcommitmsg:1:1}"
+firstmsgchar="${prevcommitmsg:0:1}"
 if [ $firstmsgchar = "(" ]; then
     prevcommitsha="${prevcommitmsg:1:7}"
 fi