diff --git a/modules/ui/commit.js b/modules/ui/commit.js
index 7bf6ad7f1..2fbb88134 100644
--- a/modules/ui/commit.js
+++ b/modules/ui/commit.js
@@ -435,8 +435,7 @@ export function uiCommit(context) {
             return t('commit.outstanding_errors_message', { count: errors.length });
 
         } else {
-            var n = d3_select('#preset-input-comment').node();
-            var hasChangesetComment = n && n.value.length > 0;
+            var hasChangesetComment = _changeset && _changeset.tags.comment && _changeset.tags.comment.trim().length;
             if (!hasChangesetComment) {
                 return t('commit.comment_needed_message');
             }