diff --git a/dolphin/plugins/git/gitcommitdialog.cpp b/dolphin/plugins/git/gitcommitdialog.cpp
index 0e15efa7..b34729b8 100644
--- a/dolphin/plugins/git/gitcommitdialog.cpp
+++ b/dolphin/plugins/git/gitcommitdialog.cpp
@@ -87,12 +87,15 @@ void GitCommitDialog::setupWidgets(const QStringList &changedfiles, const QStrin
 {
     m_changedfiles->setText(changedfiles.join(QLatin1String("\n")));
     if (m_diffdocument) {
-        // NOTE: can't set the text in read-only mode
-        m_diffdocument->setReadWrite(true);
-        m_diffdocument->setText(diff);
-        // NOTE: after KTextEditor::Document::setText() the cursor is at the end
-        m_diffdocument->activeView()->setCursorPosition(KTextEditor::Cursor::start());
-        m_diffdocument->setReadWrite(false);
+        // by not re-setting the text the cursor position and selection is preserved
+        if (m_diffdocument->text() != diff) {
+            // NOTE: can't set the text in read-only mode
+            m_diffdocument->setReadWrite(true);
+            m_diffdocument->setText(diff);
+            // NOTE: after KTextEditor::Document::setText() the cursor is at the end
+            m_diffdocument->activeView()->setCursorPosition(KTextEditor::Cursor::start());
+            m_diffdocument->setReadWrite(false);
+        }
     } else {
         m_difffiles->setText(diff);
     }