diff --git a/PBCommitMessageView.m b/PBCommitMessageView.m
index da24242c2..a01d2e0c5 100644
--- a/PBCommitMessageView.m
+++ b/PBCommitMessageView.m
@@ -18,8 +18,8 @@ - (void)drawRect:(NSRect)aRect
 	// draw a vertical line after the given size (used as an indicator
 	// for the first line of the commit message)
     if ([PBGitDefaults commitMessageViewHasVerticalLine]) {
-        float characterWidth = [@" " sizeWithAttributes:[self typingAttributes]].width;
-        float lineWidth = characterWidth * [PBGitDefaults commitMessageViewVerticalLineLength];
+        NSSize characterSize = [@" " sizeWithAttributes:[self typingAttributes]];
+        float lineWidth = characterSize.width * [PBGitDefaults commitMessageViewVerticalLineLength];
 
         [[NSColor lightGrayColor] set];
         float padding = [[self textContainer] lineFragmentPadding];
@@ -27,7 +27,24 @@ - (void)drawRect:(NSRect)aRect
         line.origin.x = padding + lineWidth;
         line.origin.y = 0;
         line.size.width = 1;
-        line.size.height = [self bounds].size.height;
+		if ([PBGitDefaults commitMessageViewHasSplitVerticalLine]) {
+			line.size.height = characterSize.height;
+			NSRectFill(line);
+			line.origin.y = characterSize.height;
+			lineWidth = characterSize.width * [PBGitDefaults commitMessageViewSplitVerticalLineLength];
+			line.size.width = padding + lineWidth - line.origin.x;
+			line.size.height = 1;
+			if (line.size.width < 0) {
+				line.origin.x = padding + lineWidth + 1;
+				line.size.width = -line.size.width;
+			}
+			NSRectFill(line);
+			line.origin.x = padding + lineWidth;
+			line.size.width = 1;
+			line.size.height = [self bounds].size.height - characterSize.height;
+		} else {
+			line.size.height = [self bounds].size.height;
+		}
         NSRectFill(line);
     }
 }
diff --git a/PBGitDefaults.h b/PBGitDefaults.h
index a95b5242e..4e265050c 100644
--- a/PBGitDefaults.h
+++ b/PBGitDefaults.h
@@ -13,6 +13,8 @@
 
 + (int) commitMessageViewVerticalLineLength;
 + (BOOL) commitMessageViewHasVerticalLine;
++ (int) commitMessageViewSplitVerticalLineLength;
++ (BOOL) commitMessageViewHasSplitVerticalLine;
 + (BOOL) isGistEnabled;
 + (BOOL) isGravatarEnabled;
 + (BOOL) confirmPublicGists;
diff --git a/PBGitDefaults.m b/PBGitDefaults.m
index 565646924..d2c726142 100644
--- a/PBGitDefaults.m
+++ b/PBGitDefaults.m
@@ -10,8 +10,11 @@
 #import "PBHistorySearchController.h"
 
 #define kDefaultVerticalLineLength 50
+#define kDefaultSplitVerticalLineLength 76
 #define kCommitMessageViewVerticalLineLength @"PBCommitMessageViewVerticalLineLength"
 #define kCommitMessageViewHasVerticalLine @"PBCommitMessageViewHasVerticalLine"
+#define kCommitMessageViewHasSplitVerticalLine @"PBCommitMessageViewHasSplitVerticalLine"
+#define kCommitMessageViewSplitVerticalLineLength @"PBCommitMessageViewSplitVerticalLineLength"
 #define kEnableGist @"PBEnableGist"
 #define kEnableGravatar @"PBEnableGravatar"
 #define kConfirmPublicGists @"PBConfirmPublicGists"
@@ -37,6 +40,10 @@ + (void)initialize
                       forKey:kCommitMessageViewVerticalLineLength];
     [defaultValues setObject:[NSNumber numberWithBool:YES]
                       forKey:kCommitMessageViewHasVerticalLine];
+	[defaultValues setObject:[NSNumber numberWithInt:kDefaultSplitVerticalLineLength]
+					  forKey:kCommitMessageViewSplitVerticalLineLength];
+	[defaultValues setObject:[NSNumber numberWithBool:NO]
+					  forKey:kCommitMessageViewHasSplitVerticalLine];
 	[defaultValues setObject:[NSNumber numberWithBool:YES]
 			  forKey:kEnableGist];
 	[defaultValues setObject:[NSNumber numberWithBool:YES]
@@ -70,6 +77,16 @@ + (BOOL) commitMessageViewHasVerticalLine
 	return [[NSUserDefaults standardUserDefaults] boolForKey:kCommitMessageViewHasVerticalLine];
 }
 
++ (int) commitMessageViewSplitVerticalLineLength
+{
+	return [[NSUserDefaults standardUserDefaults] integerForKey:kCommitMessageViewSplitVerticalLineLength];
+}
+
++ (BOOL) commitMessageViewHasSplitVerticalLine
+{
+	return [[NSUserDefaults standardUserDefaults] boolForKey:kCommitMessageViewHasSplitVerticalLine];
+}
+
 + (BOOL) isGistEnabled
 {
 	return [[NSUserDefaults standardUserDefaults] boolForKey:kEnableGist];