diff --git a/CHANGELOG.md b/CHANGELOG.md
index df804949a5..67a804b512 100644
--- a/CHANGELOG.md
+++ b/CHANGELOG.md
@@ -11,9 +11,13 @@ and this project adheres to [Semantic Versioning](https://semver.org/spec/v2.0.0
 
 ### Breaking changes
 
-* The default template alias `builtin_op_log_root(op_id: OperationId)` was replaced by `format_root_operation(root: Operation)`.
-
-* The default template alias `builtin_log_root(change_id: ChangeId, commit_id: CommitId)` was replaced by `format_root_commit(root: Commit)`.
+* The default template aliases were replaced as follows:
+  * `builtin_op_log_root(op_id: OperationId)` ->
+    `format_root_operation(root: Operation)`
+  * `builtin_log_root(change_id: ChangeId, commit_id: CommitId)` ->
+    `format_root_commit(root: Commit)`
+  * `builtin_change_id_with_hidden_and_divergent_info` ->
+    `format_short_change_id_with_hidden_and_divergent_info(commit: Commit)`
 
 ### New features
 
diff --git a/cli/src/config/templates.toml b/cli/src/config/templates.toml
index 01410fad79..f188f43b2e 100644
--- a/cli/src/config/templates.toml
+++ b/cli/src/config/templates.toml
@@ -1,28 +1,6 @@
 [templates]
-commit_summary = '''
-separate(" ",
-  builtin_change_id_with_hidden_and_divergent_info,
-  format_short_commit_id(commit_id),
-  separate(commit_summary_separator,
-    branches,
-    separate(" ",
-      if(conflict, label("conflict", "(conflict)")),
-      if(empty, label("empty", "(empty)")),
-      if(description, description.first_line(), description_placeholder),
-    )
-  )
-)
-'''
-
-commit_summary_no_branches = '''
-separate(" ",
-  builtin_change_id_with_hidden_and_divergent_info,
-  format_short_commit_id(commit_id),
-  if(conflict, label("conflict", "(conflict)")),
-  if(empty, label("empty", "(empty)")),
-  if(description, description.first_line(), description_placeholder),
-)
-'''
+commit_summary = 'format_commit_summary_with_refs(self, branches)'
+commit_summary_no_branches = 'format_commit_summary_with_refs(self, "")'
 
 config_list = '''
 label(if(overridden, "overridden"),
@@ -46,7 +24,7 @@ if(root,
   label(if(current_working_copy, "working_copy"),
     concat(
       separate(" ",
-        builtin_change_id_with_hidden_and_divergent_info,
+        format_short_change_id_with_hidden_and_divergent_info(self),
         if(author.email(), author.username(), email_placeholder),
         format_timestamp(committer.timestamp()),
         branches,
@@ -56,7 +34,10 @@ if(root,
         format_short_commit_id(commit_id),
         if(conflict, label("conflict", "conflict")),
         if(empty, label("empty", "(empty)")),
-        if(description, description.first_line(), description_placeholder),
+        if(description,
+          description.first_line(),
+          label(if(empty, "empty"), description_placeholder),
+        ),
       ) ++ "\n",
     ),
   )
@@ -68,7 +49,7 @@ if(root,
   label(if(current_working_copy, "working_copy"),
     concat(
       separate(" ",
-        builtin_change_id_with_hidden_and_divergent_info,
+        format_short_change_id_with_hidden_and_divergent_info(self),
         format_short_signature(author),
         format_timestamp(committer.timestamp()),
         branches,
@@ -80,7 +61,10 @@ if(root,
       ) ++ "\n",
       separate(" ",
         if(empty, label("empty", "(empty)")),
-        if(description, description.first_line(), description_placeholder),
+        if(description,
+          description.first_line(),
+          label(if(empty, "empty"), description_placeholder),
+        ),
       ) ++ "\n",
     ),
   )
@@ -96,7 +80,8 @@ concat(
   "Author: " ++ format_detailed_signature(author) ++ "\n",
   "Committer: " ++ format_detailed_signature(committer)  ++ "\n",
   "\n",
-  indent("    ", coalesce(description, description_placeholder ++ "\n")),
+  indent("    ",
+    coalesce(description, label(if(empty, "empty"), description_placeholder) ++ "\n")),
   "\n",
 )
 '''
@@ -112,9 +97,7 @@ label(if(current_operation, "current_operation"),
 '''
 builtin_op_log_comfortable = 'builtin_op_log_compact ++ "\n"'
 
-
-description_placeholder = '''
-  label(if(empty, "empty ") ++ "description placeholder", "(no description set)")'''
+description_placeholder = 'label("description placeholder", "(no description set)")'
 email_placeholder = 'label("email placeholder", "(no email set)")'
 name_placeholder = 'label("name placeholder", "(no name set)")'
 commit_summary_separator = 'label("separator", " | ")'
@@ -133,6 +116,24 @@ commit_summary_separator = 'label("separator", " | ")'
   time_range.start().ago() ++ label("time", ", lasted ") ++ time_range.duration()'''
 'format_timestamp(timestamp)' = 'timestamp.local().format("%Y-%m-%d %H:%M:%S")'
 
+'format_commit_summary_with_refs(commit, refs)' = '''
+separate(" ",
+  format_short_change_id_with_hidden_and_divergent_info(commit),
+  format_short_commit_id(commit.commit_id()),
+  separate(commit_summary_separator,
+    refs,
+    separate(" ",
+      if(commit.conflict(), label("conflict", "(conflict)")),
+      if(commit.empty(), label("empty", "(empty)")),
+      if(commit.description(),
+        commit.description().first_line(),
+        label(if(commit.empty(), "empty"), description_placeholder),
+      ),
+    ),
+  ),
+)
+'''
+
 'format_root_commit(root)' = '''
 separate(" ",
   format_short_change_id(root.change_id()),
@@ -155,13 +156,13 @@ separate(" ",
 # We have "hidden" override "divergent", since a hidden revision does not cause
 # change id conflicts and is not affected by such conflicts; you have to use the
 # commit id to refer to a hidden revision regardless.
-builtin_change_id_with_hidden_and_divergent_info = '''
-if(hidden,
+'format_short_change_id_with_hidden_and_divergent_info(commit)' = '''
+if(commit.hidden(),
   label("hidden",
-    format_short_change_id(change_id) ++ " hidden"
+    format_short_change_id(commit.change_id()) ++ " hidden"
   ),
-  label(if(divergent, "divergent"),
-    format_short_change_id(change_id) ++ if(divergent, "??")
+  label(if(commit.divergent(), "divergent"),
+    format_short_change_id(commit.change_id()) ++ if(commit.divergent(), "??")
   )
 )
 '''
diff --git a/cli/tests/test_log_command.rs b/cli/tests/test_log_command.rs
index dbccba748b..176e7e43be 100644
--- a/cli/tests/test_log_command.rs
+++ b/cli/tests/test_log_command.rs
@@ -40,7 +40,6 @@ fn test_log_with_no_template() {
 
     For more information, try '--help'.
     Hint: The following template aliases are defined:
-    - builtin_change_id_with_hidden_and_divergent_info
     - builtin_log_comfortable
     - builtin_log_compact
     - builtin_log_detailed
diff --git a/cli/tests/test_obslog_command.rs b/cli/tests/test_obslog_command.rs
index 4647a6a45f..dec0cda0ad 100644
--- a/cli/tests/test_obslog_command.rs
+++ b/cli/tests/test_obslog_command.rs
@@ -275,7 +275,6 @@ fn test_obslog_with_no_template() {
 
     For more information, try '--help'.
     Hint: The following template aliases are defined:
-    - builtin_change_id_with_hidden_and_divergent_info
     - builtin_log_comfortable
     - builtin_log_compact
     - builtin_log_detailed
diff --git a/cli/tests/test_operations.rs b/cli/tests/test_operations.rs
index e0b54b9384..eee55db184 100644
--- a/cli/tests/test_operations.rs
+++ b/cli/tests/test_operations.rs
@@ -136,7 +136,6 @@ fn test_op_log_with_no_template() {
 
     For more information, try '--help'.
     Hint: The following template aliases are defined:
-    - builtin_change_id_with_hidden_and_divergent_info
     - builtin_log_comfortable
     - builtin_log_compact
     - builtin_log_detailed
diff --git a/cli/tests/test_show_command.rs b/cli/tests/test_show_command.rs
index 15cf1cffc1..16273bea9a 100644
--- a/cli/tests/test_show_command.rs
+++ b/cli/tests/test_show_command.rs
@@ -60,7 +60,6 @@ fn test_show_with_no_template() {
 
     For more information, try '--help'.
     Hint: The following template aliases are defined:
-    - builtin_change_id_with_hidden_and_divergent_info
     - builtin_log_comfortable
     - builtin_log_compact
     - builtin_log_detailed
diff --git a/cli/tests/test_templater.rs b/cli/tests/test_templater.rs
index 08e2308a3b..d58ad16f78 100644
--- a/cli/tests/test_templater.rs
+++ b/cli/tests/test_templater.rs
@@ -111,7 +111,7 @@ fn test_templater_parse_error() {
       | ^-----^
       |
       = Keyword "builtin" doesn't exist
-    Hint: Did you mean "builtin_change_id_with_hidden_and_divergent_info", "builtin_log_comfortable", "builtin_log_compact", "builtin_log_detailed", "builtin_log_node", "builtin_log_node_ascii", "builtin_log_oneline", "builtin_op_log_comfortable", "builtin_op_log_compact", "builtin_op_log_node", "builtin_op_log_node_ascii"?
+    Hint: Did you mean "builtin_log_comfortable", "builtin_log_compact", "builtin_log_detailed", "builtin_log_node", "builtin_log_node_ascii", "builtin_log_oneline", "builtin_op_log_comfortable", "builtin_op_log_compact", "builtin_op_log_node", "builtin_op_log_node_ascii"?
     "###);
 }