diff --git a/CHANGELOG b/CHANGELOG
index f9221d73d0..c78f5bc336 100644
--- a/CHANGELOG
+++ b/CHANGELOG
@@ -8,6 +8,8 @@ git-annex (7.20181212) UNRELEASED; urgency=medium
   * init: When --version=5 is passed on a crippled filesystem,
     use a v5 direct mode repo as requested, rather than upgrading to v7
     adjusted unlocked. (Fixes test suite on crippled filesystems.)
+  * unused: Update suggested git log message to see where data was previously
+    used so it will also work with v7 unlocked pointer files.
 
  -- Joey Hess <id@joeyh.name>  Tue, 18 Dec 2018 12:24:52 -0400
 
diff --git a/Command/Unused.hs b/Command/Unused.hs
index 33967c4173..0181903c7a 100644
--- a/Command/Unused.hs
+++ b/Command/Unused.hs
@@ -139,7 +139,7 @@ unusedMsg' :: [(Int, Key)] -> [String] -> [String] -> String
 unusedMsg' u mheader mtrailer = unlines $
 	mheader ++
 	table u ++
-	["(To see where data was previously used, try: git log --stat -S'KEY')"] ++
+	["(To see where data was previously used, try: git log --stat --no-textconv -S'KEY')"] ++
 	mtrailer
 
 remoteUnusedMsg :: Maybe Remote -> RemoteName -> [(Int, Key)] -> String
diff --git a/doc/todo/unused_file_tracking_recommendation_changed_since_v7.mdwn b/doc/todo/unused_file_tracking_recommendation_changed_since_v7.mdwn
index e2328cee02..8036b61e2d 100644
--- a/doc/todo/unused_file_tracking_recommendation_changed_since_v7.mdwn
+++ b/doc/todo/unused_file_tracking_recommendation_changed_since_v7.mdwn
@@ -17,3 +17,5 @@ Indeed, -S doesn't find anything here. I suspect that is because git's
 smudge/clean interface kicks in in `--stat`. The above text should add
 the `--no-textconv` argument to avoid that. At least it works here. :)
 -- [[anarcat]]
+
+> Nice catch, thanks! [[done]] --[[Joey]]