diff --git a/do-rebase b/do-rebase
index 93a7f0f..ca10bf9 100755
--- a/do-rebase
+++ b/do-rebase
@@ -6,7 +6,8 @@ shopt -qs expand_aliases
 export LC_COLLATE=C
 export LC_ALL=C
 
-format_patch_ops="--zero-commit --no-signature --no-numbered --stat=80 --summary -O.git.diff.order --patience -l0"
+diff_ops="-O.git.diff.order --patience -l0"
+format_patch_ops="--zero-commit --no-signature --no-numbered --stat=80 --summary $diff_ops"
 alias othergit="GIT_DIR=$PWD/.rhboot.git GIT_WORK_TREE=$PWD git"
 alias formatpatch="othergit format-patch $format_patch_ops"
 
@@ -126,6 +127,7 @@ fi
 
 if [ ! -d $PWD/.rhboot.git ]; then
 	othergit init
+	othergit config core.abbrev 11
 	if ! othergit remote add \
 		 rhboot $gitrepo \
 		  >/dev/null 2>&1 ; then
@@ -154,7 +156,7 @@ unset LC_ALL
 git rm -q 0*.patch
 
 > release-to-master.patch
-othergit diff --full-index --binary grub-2.02..refs/remotes/rhboot/master > release-to-master.patch
+othergit diff --full-index --binary $diff_ops grub-2.02..refs/remotes/rhboot/master > release-to-master.patch
 git add release-to-master.patch
 
 > grub.patches