diff --git a/node/lib/util/cherry_pick_util.js b/node/lib/util/cherry_pick_util.js
index c7a64c216..9586a5525 100644
--- a/node/lib/util/cherry_pick_util.js
+++ b/node/lib/util/cherry_pick_util.js
@@ -515,6 +515,9 @@ exports.computeChanges = co.wrap(function *(repo, index, targetCommit) {
  * `repo`.  If `conflicts` is non-empty, return a non-empty string desribing
  * them.  Otherwise, return the empty string.
  *
+ * Half-open the conflicting repos and fetch all commits that are in the
+ * conflict; this will make it easier for users to resolve the conflict.
+ *
  * @param {NodeGit.Repository} repo
  * @param {NodeGit.Index}      index
  * @param {Object}             conflicts  from sub name to `Conflict`
@@ -523,11 +526,47 @@ exports.computeChanges = co.wrap(function *(repo, index, targetCommit) {
 exports.writeConflicts = co.wrap(function *(repo, index, conflicts) {
     let errorMessage = "";
     const names = Object.keys(conflicts).sort();
+    const opener = new Open.Opener(repo, null);
+    const fetcher = yield opener.fetcher();
     for (let name of names) {
-        yield ConflictUtil.addConflict(index, name, conflicts[name]);
+        let conflict = conflicts[name];
+        let configured = false;
+        try {
+            // We just want to see if it's configured
+            const url = yield fetcher.getSubmoduleUrl(name);
+            configured = true;
+        } catch (e) {
+            // nope, so we cannot fetch
+        }
+        if (configured) {
+            const bare = Open.SUB_OPEN_OPTION.FORCE_BARE;
+            const subRepo = yield opener.getSubrepo(name, bare);
+
+            for (const stage of [conflict.ancestor, conflict.our,
+                                 conflict.their]) {
+                if (stage !== null) {
+                    yield fetcher.fetchSha(subRepo, name, stage.id);
+                }
+            }
+        }
+        yield ConflictUtil.addConflict(index, name, conflict);
         errorMessage += `\
-Conflicting entries for submodule ${colors.red(name)}
+Conflicting entries for submodule ${colors.red(name)}.
 `;
+        if (conflict.our !== null && conflict.their !== null) {
+            // add-add
+            const root = repo.workdir();
+            const our = conflict.our.id;
+            const their = conflict.their.id;
+            errorMessage += `
+To choose your version of the ${name}, use the following magic:
+            git -C ${root} update-index --cache-info 160000,${our},${name}
+To choose their version of the ${name}, use the following magic:
+            git -C ${root} update-index --cache-info 160000,${their},${name}
+To compare, try:
+            git -C ${root}${name} diff ${their} ${our}
+`;
+        }
     }
     return errorMessage;
 });
diff --git a/node/lib/util/repo_ast_util.js b/node/lib/util/repo_ast_util.js
index a330aca2f..d2d6deda3 100644
--- a/node/lib/util/repo_ast_util.js
+++ b/node/lib/util/repo_ast_util.js
@@ -96,6 +96,9 @@ function diffObjects(first,
  * @return {String}
  */
 function colorExp(text) {
+    if (text === null) {
+        text = "(null)";
+    }
     return colors.green(text);
 }
 
@@ -108,6 +111,9 @@ function colorExp(text) {
  * @return {String}
  */
 function colorAct(text) {
+    if (text === null) {
+        text = "(null)";
+    }
     return colors.yellow(text);
 }
 
diff --git a/node/lib/util/test_util.js b/node/lib/util/test_util.js
index 4d47c5ba5..1f208d03e 100644
--- a/node/lib/util/test_util.js
+++ b/node/lib/util/test_util.js
@@ -281,3 +281,7 @@ exports.makeBareCopy = co.wrap(function *(repo, path) {
     yield NodeGit.Remote.delete(bare, "origin");
     return bare;
 });
+
+exports.quotemeta = function(str) {
+    return String(str).replace(/\W/g, "\\$&");
+};
diff --git a/node/test/util/cherry_pick_util.js b/node/test/util/cherry_pick_util.js
index 14cab55cc..bffec7bbe 100644
--- a/node/test/util/cherry_pick_util.js
+++ b/node/test/util/cherry_pick_util.js
@@ -41,8 +41,11 @@ const Open            = require("../../lib/util/open");
 const RepoASTTestUtil = require("../../lib/util/repo_ast_test_util");
 const Submodule       = require("../../lib/util/submodule");
 const SubmoduleChange = require("../../lib/util/submodule_change");
+const TestUtil        = require("../../lib/util/test_util");
 const UserError       = require("../../lib/util/user_error");
 
+const qm = TestUtil.quotemeta;
+
 /**
  * Return a commit map as expected from  a manipulator for `RepoASTTestUtil`
  * from a result having the `newMetaCommit` and `submoduleCommits` properties
@@ -558,11 +561,12 @@ describe("writeConflicts", function () {
             },
             expected: "x=E:I *README.md=~*~*S:1;W README.md=hello world",
             result: `\
-Conflicting entries for submodule ${colors.red("README.md")}
+Conflicting entries for submodule ${colors.red("README.md")}.
 `,
         },
         "two conflicts": {
             state: "x=S",
+
             conflicts: {
                 z: new Conflict(null,
                                 null,
@@ -573,8 +577,8 @@ Conflicting entries for submodule ${colors.red("README.md")}
             },
             expected: "x=E:I *z=~*~*S:1,*a=~*~*S:1",
             result: `\
-Conflicting entries for submodule ${colors.red("a")}
-Conflicting entries for submodule ${colors.red("z")}
+Conflicting entries for submodule ${colors.red("a")}.
+Conflicting entries for submodule ${colors.red("z")}.
 `,
         },
     };
@@ -737,7 +741,7 @@ a
 ;
 `,
             errorMessage: `\
-Submodule ${colors.red("s")} is conflicted.
+Submodule ${qm(colors.red("s"))} is conflicted.*
 `,
         },
         "conflict in a sub pick, success in another": {
@@ -755,7 +759,7 @@ a
 ;
 `,
             errorMessage: `\
-Submodule ${colors.red("s")} is conflicted.
+Submodule ${qm(colors.red("s"))} is conflicted.
 `,
         },
     };
@@ -768,7 +772,15 @@ Submodule ${colors.red("s")} is conflicted.
             const eightCommitSha = reverseCommitMap["8"];
             const eightCommit = yield x.getCommit(eightCommitSha);
             const result  = yield CherryPickUtil.rewriteCommit(x, eightCommit);
-            assert.equal(result.errorMessage, c.errorMessage || null);
+            const errorMessage = c.errorMessage || null;
+
+
+            if (null === result.errorMessage) {
+                assert(null === errorMessage);
+            } else {
+                const re = new RegExp(c.errorMessage);
+                assert.match(result.errorMessage, re);
+            }
             return mapCommits(maps, result);
         });
 
diff --git a/node/test/util/merge_full_open.js b/node/test/util/merge_full_open.js
index 35ff79a83..6235ffb10 100644
--- a/node/test/util/merge_full_open.js
+++ b/node/test/util/merge_full_open.js
@@ -38,6 +38,7 @@ const MergeUtil       = require("../../lib//util/merge_util");
 const MergeCommon     = require("../../lib//util/merge_common");
 const RepoASTTestUtil = require("../../lib/util/repo_ast_test_util");
 const Open            = require("../../lib/util/open");
+const TestUtil        = require("../../lib/util/test_util");
 
 /**
  * Return the commit map required by 'RepoASTTestUtil.testMultiRepoManipulator'
@@ -315,7 +316,7 @@ x=S:C2-1 s=Sa:a;C3-1 s=Sa:b;Bmaster=2;Bfoo=3`,
                 fails: true,
                 expected: `x=E:Qmessage\n#M 2: 3: 0 3;I *s=~*S:a*S:b`,
                 errorMessage: `\
-Conflicting entries for submodule ${colors.red("s")}
+Conflicting entries for submodule ${TestUtil.quotemeta(colors.red("s"))}.*
 `,
             },
             "conflict in submodule": {
@@ -325,7 +326,7 @@ x=U:C3-2 s=Sa:a;C4-2 s=Sa:b;Bmaster=3;Bfoo=4`,
                 fromCommit: "4",
                 fails: true,
                 errorMessage: `\
-Submodule ${colors.red("s")} is conflicted.
+Submodule ${TestUtil.quotemeta(colors.red("s"))} is conflicted.
 `,
                 expected: `
 x=E:Qmessage\n#M 3: 4: 0 4;
@@ -410,7 +411,14 @@ x=S:C2-1 r=Sa:1,s=Sa:1,t=Sa:1;
                                                          message,
                                                          editMessage);
                     const errorMessage = c.errorMessage || null;
-                    assert.equal(result.errorMessage, errorMessage);
+
+                    if (null === result.errorMessage) {
+                        assert(null === errorMessage);
+                    } else {
+                        const re = new RegExp(c.errorMessage);
+                        assert.match(result.errorMessage, re);
+                    }
+
                     if (upToDate) {
                         assert.isNull(result.metaCommit);
                         return;                                       // RETURN
diff --git a/node/test/util/rebase_util.js b/node/test/util/rebase_util.js
index 568f07f81..bee60fb4b 100644
--- a/node/test/util/rebase_util.js
+++ b/node/test/util/rebase_util.js
@@ -38,6 +38,7 @@ const RebaseUtil          = require("../../lib/util/rebase_util");
 const RepoASTTestUtil     = require("../../lib/util/repo_ast_test_util");
 const SequencerState      = require("../../lib/util/sequencer_state");
 const SequencerStateUtil  = require("../../lib/util/sequencer_state_util");
+const TestUtil        = require("../../lib/util/test_util");
 
 const CommitAndRef = SequencerState.CommitAndRef;
 const REBASE = SequencerState.TYPE.REBASE;
@@ -338,13 +339,35 @@ x=S:C2-1 s=Sa:1,t=Sb:1;C3-2 s=Sa:j;C4-2 t=Sb:k;Bmaster=3;Bfoo=4;Bold=3`,
             expected: `
 x=E:C3M-4 s=Sa:j;Bmaster=3M`,
         },
-        "adding subs on both": {
+        "adding unrelated subs on both": {
             initial: `
 q=B|r=B|s=B|x=S:C2-1 s=Ss:1;C3-2 q=Sq:1;C4-2 r=Sr:1;Bmaster=3;Bfoo=4;Bold=3`,
             onto: "4",
             expected: `
 x=E:C3M-4 q=Sq:1;Bmaster=3M`,
         },
+        "adding same sub on both": {
+            initial: `
+q=B|r=B|s=B|x=S:C2-1 s=Ss:1;C3-2 r=Sr:1,s=Ss:2;C4-2 r=Sr:1,q=Sq:1;Bmaster=3;
+Bfoo=4;Bold=3`,
+            onto: "4",
+            expected: `
+x=E:C3M-4 s=Ss:2;Bmaster=3M`,
+        },
+        "add/add conflict": {
+            initial: `
+q=B|r=B:C5-1;C6-5;Bother=6|
+s=B|
+x=S:C2-1 s=Ss:1;C3-2 r=Sr:6,s=Ss:2;C4-2 r=Sr:5,q=Sq:1;
+Bmaster=3;Bfoo=4;Bold=3`,
+            onto: "4",
+            errorMessage:
+            "Conflicting entries for submodule .*",
+            expected: `
+            x=E:H=4;QR 3:refs/heads/master 4: 0 3;
+            I s=Ss:2,
+            *r=~*S:5*S:6`,
+        },
         "open sub ffwd'd": {
             initial: `
 a=B:CX-1;Bmaster=X|
@@ -368,7 +391,7 @@ t
 >>>>>>> message
 ;`,
             errorMessage: `\
-Submodule ${colors.red("s")} is conflicted.
+Submodule ${TestUtil.quotemeta(colors.red("s"))} is conflicted.*
 `,
         },
         "does not close open submodules when rewinding": {
@@ -399,10 +422,14 @@ a=B|x=S:C2-1 s=Sa:1;Bmaster=2;Os;C3-1 t=Sa:1;Bfoo=3;Bold=2`,
             const onto = yield repo.getCommit(reverseCommitMap[c.onto]);
             const errorMessage = c.errorMessage || null;
             const result = yield RebaseUtil.rebase(repo, onto);
-            if (null !== result.errorMessage) {
+
+            if (null === result.errorMessage) {
+                assert(errorMessage === null);
+            } else {
                 assert.isString(result.errorMessage);
+                const re = new RegExp(errorMessage);
+                assert.match(result.errorMessage, re);
             }
-            assert.equal(result.errorMessage, errorMessage);
             return result;
         });
         const rebase = makeRebaser(rebaseOp);