diff --git a/apt_ostree/cmd/compose/create.py b/apt_ostree/cmd/compose/create.py
index 9cdb791..d210cbb 100644
--- a/apt_ostree/cmd/compose/create.py
+++ b/apt_ostree/cmd/compose/create.py
@@ -22,7 +22,7 @@ from apt_ostree.utils import run_command
 @click.command(short_help="Create treefile")
 @pass_state_context
 @compose_options
-def create(state, repo, base, branch):
+def create(state, repo, base, branch, edit):
     if state.repo is None:
         click.secho("You did not supply an ostree repository", fg="red")
         sys.exit(1)
@@ -77,4 +77,7 @@ def create(state, repo, base, branch):
              "--output", str(workdir)], cwd=state.base)
 
     create_ostree(rootfs)
-    ostree_commit(state.repo, state.branch, rootfs)
+    ostree_commit(state,
+                  rootfs,
+                  subject="Commit by apt-ostree",
+                  msg="Initialized by apt-ostree")
diff --git a/apt_ostree/cmd/options.py b/apt_ostree/cmd/options.py
index 18446b1..74f77d7 100644
--- a/apt_ostree/cmd/options.py
+++ b/apt_ostree/cmd/options.py
@@ -40,6 +40,19 @@ def workspace_option(f):
     )(f)
 
 
+def edit_option(f):
+    def callback(ctxt, param, value):
+        state = ctxt.ensure_object(State)
+        state.edit = value
+        return value
+    return click.option(
+        "--edit",
+        is_flag=True,
+        help="Increase verbosity",
+        callback=callback
+    )(f)
+
+
 def repo_option(f):
     """ostree repo path option"""
     def callback(ctxt, param, value):
@@ -87,4 +100,5 @@ def compose_options(f):
     f = repo_option(f)
     f = base_option(f)
     f = branch_option(f)
+    f = edit_option(f)
     return f
diff --git a/apt_ostree/ostree.py b/apt_ostree/ostree.py
index 7935070..a05e016 100644
--- a/apt_ostree/ostree.py
+++ b/apt_ostree/ostree.py
@@ -12,15 +12,27 @@ from apt_ostree.log import log_step
 from apt_ostree.utils import run_command
 
 
-def ostree_commit(repo, branch, rootfs):
-    """Commit directory to ostree repository"""
-    with complete_step(f"Committing {branch} to {repo}"):
-        r = run_command(
-            ["ostree", "commit", f"--repo={repo}",
-             f"--branch={branch}", str(rootfs)],
-        )
+def ostree_commit(state,
+                  rootfs,
+                  subject=None,
+                  msg=None):
+    """Commit rootfs to ostree repository."""
+    cmd = ["ostree", "commit", f"--repo={state.repo}"]
+    if state.edit:
+        cmd += ["-e"]
+    else:
+        if subject:
+            cmd += [f"--subject={subject}"]
+        if msg:
+            cmd += [f"--body={msg}"]
+
+    cmd += [f"--branch={state.branch}", str(rootfs)]
+    with complete_step(f"Committing {state.branch} to {state.repo}"):
+        r = run_command(cmd)
         if r.returncode != 0:
-            click.secho(f"Failed to commit to ostree.", fg="red")
+            click.secho(
+                f"Failed to commit {state.branch}  to {state.repo}.",
+                fg="red")
             raise
 
-        log_step(f"Succesfully commited {branch} to {repo}.")
+        log_step(f"Succesfully commited {state.branch} to {state.repo}.")