patch, 6 partsMake trailer_info struct private (plus sequencer cleanup)

trailer.c, trailer.h

diff --git a/trailer.c b/trailer.c
index 3e4dab9c065..4700c441442 100644
--- a/trailer.c
+++ b/trailer.c
@@ -1146,17 +1146,15 @@ void trailer_iterator_init(struct trailer_iterator *iter, const char *msg)
 
 int trailer_iterator_advance(struct trailer_iterator *iter)
 {
-	while (iter->internal.cur < iter->internal.info.trailer_nr) {
-		char *trailer = iter->internal.info.trailers[iter->internal.cur++];
-		int separator_pos = find_separator(trailer, separators);
-
-		if (separator_pos < 1)
-			continue; /* not a real trailer */
+	if (iter->internal.cur < iter->internal.info.trailer_nr) {
+		char *line = iter->internal.info.trailers[iter->internal.cur++];
+		int separator_pos = find_separator(line, separators);
 
+		iter->raw = line;
 		strbuf_reset(&iter->key);
 		strbuf_reset(&iter->val);
 		parse_trailer(&iter->key, &iter->val, NULL,
-			      trailer, separator_pos);
+			      line, separator_pos);
 		/* Always unfold values during iteration. */
 		unfold_value(&iter->val);
 		return 1;
diff --git a/trailer.h b/trailer.h
index 9f42aa75994..ebafa3657e4 100644
--- a/trailer.h
+++ b/trailer.h
@@ -125,6 +125,14 @@ void format_trailers_from_commit(const struct process_trailer_options *,
  *   trailer_iterator_release(&iter);
  */
 struct trailer_iterator {
+	/*
+	 * Raw line (e.g., "foo: bar baz") before being parsed as a trailer
+	 * key/val pair as part of a trailer block. A trailer block can be
+	 * either 100% trailer lines, or mixed in with non-trailer lines (in
+	 * which case at least 25% must be trailer lines).
+	 */
+	const char *raw;
+
 	struct strbuf key;
 	struct strbuf val;
 

diff --git a/sequencer.c b/sequencer.c
index ea1441e6174..4c1f6c675e7 100644
--- a/sequencer.c
+++ b/sequencer.c
@@ -319,35 +319,32 @@ static const char *get_todo_path(const struct replay_opts *opts)
 static int has_conforming_footer(struct strbuf *sb, struct strbuf *sob,
 	size_t ignore_footer)
 {
-	struct process_trailer_options opts = PROCESS_TRAILER_OPTIONS_INIT;
-	struct trailer_info info;
-	size_t i;
+	struct trailer_iterator iter;
+	size_t i = 0;
 	int found_sob = 0, found_sob_last = 0;
 	char saved_char;
 
-	opts.no_divider = 1;
-
 	if (ignore_footer) {
 		saved_char = sb->buf[sb->len - ignore_footer];
 		sb->buf[sb->len - ignore_footer] = '\0';
 	}
 
-	trailer_info_get(&opts, sb->buf, &info);
+	trailer_iterator_init(&iter, sb->buf);
 
 	if (ignore_footer)
 		sb->buf[sb->len - ignore_footer] = saved_char;
 
-	if (info.trailer_block_start == info.trailer_block_end)
-		return 0;
+	while (trailer_iterator_advance(&iter)) {
+		i++;
+		if (sob && !strncmp(iter.raw, sob->buf, sob->len))
+			found_sob = i;
+	}
+	trailer_iterator_release(&iter);
 
-	for (i = 0; i < info.trailer_nr; i++)
-		if (sob && !strncmp(info.trailers[i], sob->buf, sob->len)) {
-			found_sob = 1;
-			if (i == info.trailer_nr - 1)
-				found_sob_last = 1;
-		}
+	if (!i)
+		return 0;
 
-	trailer_info_release(&info);
+	found_sob_last = (int)i == found_sob;
 
 	if (found_sob_last)
 		return 3;

builtin/interpret-trailers.c, trailer.c, trailer.h

diff --git a/builtin/interpret-trailers.c b/builtin/interpret-trailers.c
index 11f4ce9e4a2..f3240682e35 100644
--- a/builtin/interpret-trailers.c
+++ b/builtin/interpret-trailers.c
@@ -141,7 +141,7 @@ static void interpret_trailers(const struct process_trailer_options *opts,
 	LIST_HEAD(head);
 	struct strbuf sb = STRBUF_INIT;
 	struct strbuf trailer_block = STRBUF_INIT;
-	struct trailer_info info;
+	struct trailer_info *info = trailer_info_new();
 	FILE *outfile = stdout;
 
 	trailer_config_init();
@@ -151,13 +151,13 @@ static void interpret_trailers(const struct process_trailer_options *opts,
 	if (opts->in_place)
 		outfile = create_in_place_tempfile(file);
 
-	parse_trailers(opts, &info, sb.buf, &head);
+	parse_trailers(opts, info, sb.buf, &head);
 
 	/* Print the lines before the trailers */
 	if (!opts->only_trailers)
-		fwrite(sb.buf, 1, info.trailer_block_start, outfile);
+		fwrite(sb.buf, 1, trailer_block_start(info), outfile);
 
-	if (!opts->only_trailers && !info.blank_line_before_trailer)
+	if (!opts->only_trailers && !blank_line_before_trailer_block(info))
 		fprintf(outfile, "\n");
 
 
@@ -178,8 +178,8 @@ static void interpret_trailers(const struct process_trailer_options *opts,
 
 	/* Print the lines after the trailers as is */
 	if (!opts->only_trailers)
-		fwrite(sb.buf + info.trailer_block_end, 1, sb.len - info.trailer_block_end, outfile);
-	trailer_info_release(&info);
+		fwrite(sb.buf + trailer_block_end(info), 1, sb.len - trailer_block_end(info), outfile);
+	trailer_info_release(info);
 
 	if (opts->in_place)
 		if (rename_tempfile(&trailers_tempfile, file))
diff --git a/trailer.c b/trailer.c
index 4700c441442..95b4c9b8f19 100644
--- a/trailer.c
+++ b/trailer.c
@@ -952,6 +952,12 @@ static void unfold_value(struct strbuf *val)
 	strbuf_release(&out);
 }
 
+struct trailer_info *trailer_info_new(void)
+{
+	struct trailer_info *info = xcalloc(1, sizeof(*info));
+	return info;
+}
+
 /*
  * Parse trailers in "str", populating the trailer info and "head"
  * linked list structure.
@@ -1000,6 +1006,21 @@ void free_trailers(struct list_head *trailers)
 	}
 }
 
+size_t trailer_block_start(struct trailer_info *info)
+{
+	return info->trailer_block_start;
+}
+
+size_t trailer_block_end(struct trailer_info *info)
+{
+	return info->trailer_block_end;
+}
+
+int blank_line_before_trailer_block(struct trailer_info *info)
+{
+	return info->blank_line_before_trailer;
+}
+
 void trailer_info_get(const struct process_trailer_options *opts,
 		      const char *str,
 		      struct trailer_info *info)
diff --git a/trailer.h b/trailer.h
index ebafa3657e4..9ac4be853c5 100644
--- a/trailer.h
+++ b/trailer.h
@@ -97,6 +97,10 @@ void parse_trailers(const struct process_trailer_options *,
 void trailer_info_get(const struct process_trailer_options *,
 		      const char *str,
 		      struct trailer_info *);
+size_t trailer_block_start(struct trailer_info *);
+size_t trailer_block_end(struct trailer_info *);
+int blank_line_before_trailer_block(struct trailer_info *);
+struct trailer_info *trailer_info_new(void);
 
 void trailer_info_release(struct trailer_info *info);
 

builtin/interpret-trailers.c, trailer.c, trailer.h

diff --git a/builtin/interpret-trailers.c b/builtin/interpret-trailers.c
index f3240682e35..6bf8cec005a 100644
--- a/builtin/interpret-trailers.c
+++ b/builtin/interpret-trailers.c
@@ -141,7 +141,7 @@ static void interpret_trailers(const struct process_trailer_options *opts,
 	LIST_HEAD(head);
 	struct strbuf sb = STRBUF_INIT;
 	struct strbuf trailer_block = STRBUF_INIT;
-	struct trailer_info *info = trailer_info_new();
+	struct trailer_info *info;
 	FILE *outfile = stdout;
 
 	trailer_config_init();
@@ -151,7 +151,7 @@ static void interpret_trailers(const struct process_trailer_options *opts,
 	if (opts->in_place)
 		outfile = create_in_place_tempfile(file);
 
-	parse_trailers(opts, info, sb.buf, &head);
+	info = parse_trailers(opts, sb.buf, &head);
 
 	/* Print the lines before the trailers */
 	if (!opts->only_trailers)
diff --git a/trailer.c b/trailer.c
index 95b4c9b8f19..9179dd802c6 100644
--- a/trailer.c
+++ b/trailer.c
@@ -952,7 +952,7 @@ static void unfold_value(struct strbuf *val)
 	strbuf_release(&out);
 }
 
-struct trailer_info *trailer_info_new(void)
+static struct trailer_info *trailer_info_new(void)
 {
 	struct trailer_info *info = xcalloc(1, sizeof(*info));
 	return info;
@@ -962,16 +962,16 @@ struct trailer_info *trailer_info_new(void)
  * Parse trailers in "str", populating the trailer info and "head"
  * linked list structure.
  */
-void parse_trailers(const struct process_trailer_options *opts,
-		    struct trailer_info *info,
-		    const char *str,
-		    struct list_head *head)
+struct trailer_info *parse_trailers(const struct process_trailer_options *opts,
+				    const char *str,
+				    struct list_head *head)
 {
+	struct trailer_info *info;
 	struct strbuf tok = STRBUF_INIT;
 	struct strbuf val = STRBUF_INIT;
 	size_t i;
 
-	trailer_info_get(opts, str, info);
+	info = trailer_info_get(opts, str);
 
 	for (i = 0; i < info->trailer_nr; i++) {
 		int separator_pos;
@@ -995,6 +995,8 @@ void parse_trailers(const struct process_trailer_options *opts,
 					 strbuf_detach(&val, NULL));
 		}
 	}
+
+	return info;
 }
 
 void free_trailers(struct list_head *trailers)
@@ -1021,10 +1023,10 @@ int blank_line_before_trailer_block(struct trailer_info *info)
 	return info->blank_line_before_trailer;
 }
 
-void trailer_info_get(const struct process_trailer_options *opts,
-		      const char *str,
-		      struct trailer_info *info)
+struct trailer_info *trailer_info_get(const struct process_trailer_options *opts,
+				      const char *str)
 {
+	struct trailer_info *info = trailer_info_new();
 	size_t end_of_log_message = 0, trailer_block_start = 0;
 	struct strbuf **trailer_lines, **ptr;
 	char **trailer_strings = NULL;
@@ -1063,6 +1065,8 @@ void trailer_info_get(const struct process_trailer_options *opts,
 	info->trailer_block_end = end_of_log_message;
 	info->trailers = trailer_strings;
 	info->trailer_nr = nr;
+
+	return info;
 }
 
 void trailer_info_release(struct trailer_info *info)
@@ -1071,6 +1075,7 @@ void trailer_info_release(struct trailer_info *info)
 	for (i = 0; i < info->trailer_nr; i++)
 		free(info->trailers[i]);
 	free(info->trailers);
+	free(info);
 }
 
 void format_trailers(const struct process_trailer_options *opts,
@@ -1138,21 +1143,19 @@ void format_trailers_from_commit(const struct process_trailer_options *opts,
 				 struct strbuf *out)
 {
 	LIST_HEAD(trailer_objects);
-	struct trailer_info info;
-
-	parse_trailers(opts, &info, msg, &trailer_objects);
+	struct trailer_info *info = parse_trailers(opts, msg, &trailer_objects);
 
 	/* If we want the whole block untouched, we can take the fast path. */
 	if (!opts->only_trailers && !opts->unfold && !opts->filter &&
 	    !opts->separator && !opts->key_only && !opts->value_only &&
 	    !opts->key_value_separator) {
-		strbuf_add(out, msg + info.trailer_block_start,
-			   info.trailer_block_end - info.trailer_block_start);
+		strbuf_add(out, msg + info->trailer_block_start,
+			   info->trailer_block_end - info->trailer_block_start);
 	} else
 		format_trailers(opts, &trailer_objects, out);
 
 	free_trailers(&trailer_objects);
-	trailer_info_release(&info);
+	trailer_info_release(info);
 }
 
 void trailer_iterator_init(struct trailer_iterator *iter, const char *msg)
@@ -1161,14 +1164,14 @@ void trailer_iterator_init(struct trailer_iterator *iter, const char *msg)
 	strbuf_init(&iter->key, 0);
 	strbuf_init(&iter->val, 0);
 	opts.no_divider = 1;
-	trailer_info_get(&opts, msg, &iter->internal.info);
+	iter->internal.info = trailer_info_get(&opts, msg);
 	iter->internal.cur = 0;
 }
 
 int trailer_iterator_advance(struct trailer_iterator *iter)
 {
-	if (iter->internal.cur < iter->internal.info.trailer_nr) {
-		char *line = iter->internal.info.trailers[iter->internal.cur++];
+	if (iter->internal.cur < iter->internal.info->trailer_nr) {
+		char *line = iter->internal.info->trailers[iter->internal.cur++];
 		int separator_pos = find_separator(line, separators);
 
 		iter->raw = line;
@@ -1185,7 +1188,7 @@ int trailer_iterator_advance(struct trailer_iterator *iter)
 
 void trailer_iterator_release(struct trailer_iterator *iter)
 {
-	trailer_info_release(&iter->internal.info);
+	trailer_info_release(iter->internal.info);
 	strbuf_release(&iter->val);
 	strbuf_release(&iter->key);
 }
diff --git a/trailer.h b/trailer.h
index 9ac4be853c5..b32213a9e23 100644
--- a/trailer.h
+++ b/trailer.h
@@ -89,18 +89,15 @@ void parse_trailers_from_command_line_args(struct list_head *arg_head,
 void process_trailers_lists(struct list_head *head,
 			    struct list_head *arg_head);
 
-void parse_trailers(const struct process_trailer_options *,
-		    struct trailer_info *,
-		    const char *str,
-		    struct list_head *head);
-
-void trailer_info_get(const struct process_trailer_options *,
-		      const char *str,
-		      struct trailer_info *);
+struct trailer_info *parse_trailers(const struct process_trailer_options *,
+				    const char *str,
+				    struct list_head *head);
+struct trailer_info *trailer_info_get(const struct process_trailer_options *,
+				      const char *str);
+
 size_t trailer_block_start(struct trailer_info *);
 size_t trailer_block_end(struct trailer_info *);
 int blank_line_before_trailer_block(struct trailer_info *);
-struct trailer_info *trailer_info_new(void);
 
 void trailer_info_release(struct trailer_info *info);
 
@@ -142,7 +139,7 @@ struct trailer_iterator {
 
 	/* private */
 	struct {
-		struct trailer_info info;
+		struct trailer_info *info;
 		size_t cur;
 	} internal;
 };

trailer.c, trailer.h

diff --git a/trailer.c b/trailer.c
index 9179dd802c6..6167b707ae0 100644
--- a/trailer.c
+++ b/trailer.c
@@ -11,6 +11,27 @@
  * Copyright (c) 2013, 2014 Christian Couder <chriscool@tuxfamily.org>
  */
 
+struct trailer_info {
+	/*
+	 * True if there is a blank line before the location pointed to by
+	 * trailer_block_start.
+	 */
+	int blank_line_before_trailer;
+
+	/*
+	 * Offsets to the trailer block start and end positions in the input
+	 * string. If no trailer block is found, these are both set to the
+	 * "true" end of the input (find_end_of_log_message()).
+	 */
+	size_t trailer_block_start, trailer_block_end;
+
+	/*
+	 * Array of trailers found.
+	 */
+	char **trailers;
+	size_t trailer_nr;
+};
+
 struct conf_info {
 	char *name;
 	char *key;
diff --git a/trailer.h b/trailer.h
index b32213a9e23..a63e97a2663 100644
--- a/trailer.h
+++ b/trailer.h
@@ -4,6 +4,8 @@
 #include "list.h"
 #include "strbuf.h"
 
+struct trailer_info;
+
 enum trailer_where {
 	WHERE_DEFAULT,
 	WHERE_END,
@@ -29,27 +31,6 @@ int trailer_set_where(enum trailer_where *item, const char *value);
 int trailer_set_if_exists(enum trailer_if_exists *item, const char *value);
 int trailer_set_if_missing(enum trailer_if_missing *item, const char *value);
 
-struct trailer_info {
-	/*
-	 * True if there is a blank line before the location pointed to by
-	 * trailer_block_start.
-	 */
-	int blank_line_before_trailer;
-
-	/*
-	 * Offsets to the trailer block start and end positions in the input
-	 * string. If no trailer block is found, these are both set to the
-	 * "true" end of the input (find_end_of_log_message()).
-	 */
-	size_t trailer_block_start, trailer_block_end;
-
-	/*
-	 * Array of trailers found.
-	 */
-	char **trailers;
-	size_t trailer_nr;
-};
-
 /*
  * A list that represents newly-added trailers, such as those provided
  * with the --trailer command line option of git-interpret-trailers.

trailer.c, trailer.h

diff --git a/trailer.c b/trailer.c
index 6167b707ae0..33b6aa7e8bd 100644
--- a/trailer.c
+++ b/trailer.c
@@ -979,6 +979,52 @@ static struct trailer_info *trailer_info_new(void)
 	return info;
 }
 
+static struct trailer_info *trailer_info_get(const struct process_trailer_options *opts,
+					     const char *str)
+{
+	struct trailer_info *info = trailer_info_new();
+	size_t end_of_log_message = 0, trailer_block_start = 0;
+	struct strbuf **trailer_lines, **ptr;
+	char **trailer_strings = NULL;
+	size_t nr = 0, alloc = 0;
+	char **last = NULL;
+
+	trailer_config_init();
+
+	end_of_log_message = find_end_of_log_message(str, opts->no_divider);
+	trailer_block_start = find_trailer_block_start(str, end_of_log_message);
+
+	trailer_lines = strbuf_split_buf(str + trailer_block_start,
+					 end_of_log_message - trailer_block_start,
+					 '\n',
+					 0);
+	for (ptr = trailer_lines; *ptr; ptr++) {
+		if (last && isspace((*ptr)->buf[0])) {
+			struct strbuf sb = STRBUF_INIT;
+			strbuf_attach(&sb, *last, strlen(*last), strlen(*last));
+			strbuf_addbuf(&sb, *ptr);
+			*last = strbuf_detach(&sb, NULL);
+			continue;
+		}
+		ALLOC_GROW(trailer_strings, nr + 1, alloc);
+		trailer_strings[nr] = strbuf_detach(*ptr, NULL);
+		last = find_separator(trailer_strings[nr], separators) >= 1
+			? &trailer_strings[nr]
+			: NULL;
+		nr++;
+	}
+	strbuf_list_free(trailer_lines);
+
+	info->blank_line_before_trailer = ends_with_blank_line(str,
+							       trailer_block_start);
+	info->trailer_block_start = trailer_block_start;
+	info->trailer_block_end = end_of_log_message;
+	info->trailers = trailer_strings;
+	info->trailer_nr = nr;
+
+	return info;
+}
+
 /*
  * Parse trailers in "str", populating the trailer info and "head"
  * linked list structure.
@@ -1044,52 +1090,6 @@ int blank_line_before_trailer_block(struct trailer_info *info)
 	return info->blank_line_before_trailer;
 }
 
-struct trailer_info *trailer_info_get(const struct process_trailer_options *opts,
-				      const char *str)
-{
-	struct trailer_info *info = trailer_info_new();
-	size_t end_of_log_message = 0, trailer_block_start = 0;
-	struct strbuf **trailer_lines, **ptr;
-	char **trailer_strings = NULL;
-	size_t nr = 0, alloc = 0;
-	char **last = NULL;
-
-	trailer_config_init();
-
-	end_of_log_message = find_end_of_log_message(str, opts->no_divider);
-	trailer_block_start = find_trailer_block_start(str, end_of_log_message);
-
-	trailer_lines = strbuf_split_buf(str + trailer_block_start,
-					 end_of_log_message - trailer_block_start,
-					 '\n',
-					 0);
-	for (ptr = trailer_lines; *ptr; ptr++) {
-		if (last && isspace((*ptr)->buf[0])) {
-			struct strbuf sb = STRBUF_INIT;
-			strbuf_attach(&sb, *last, strlen(*last), strlen(*last));
-			strbuf_addbuf(&sb, *ptr);
-			*last = strbuf_detach(&sb, NULL);
-			continue;
-		}
-		ALLOC_GROW(trailer_strings, nr + 1, alloc);
-		trailer_strings[nr] = strbuf_detach(*ptr, NULL);
-		last = find_separator(trailer_strings[nr], separators) >= 1
-			? &trailer_strings[nr]
-			: NULL;
-		nr++;
-	}
-	strbuf_list_free(trailer_lines);
-
-	info->blank_line_before_trailer = ends_with_blank_line(str,
-							       trailer_block_start);
-	info->trailer_block_start = trailer_block_start;
-	info->trailer_block_end = end_of_log_message;
-	info->trailers = trailer_strings;
-	info->trailer_nr = nr;
-
-	return info;
-}
-
 void trailer_info_release(struct trailer_info *info)
 {
 	size_t i;
diff --git a/trailer.h b/trailer.h
index a63e97a2663..1b7422fa2b0 100644
--- a/trailer.h
+++ b/trailer.h
@@ -73,8 +73,6 @@ void process_trailers_lists(struct list_head *head,
 struct trailer_info *parse_trailers(const struct process_trailer_options *,
 				    const char *str,
 				    struct list_head *head);
-struct trailer_info *trailer_info_get(const struct process_trailer_options *,
-				      const char *str);
 
 size_t trailer_block_start(struct trailer_info *);
 size_t trailer_block_end(struct trailer_info *);

diff --git a/Makefile b/Makefile
index 4e255c81f22..d3a3f16f076 100644
--- a/Makefile
+++ b/Makefile
@@ -1343,10 +1343,10 @@ THIRD_PARTY_SOURCES += sha1collisiondetection/%
 THIRD_PARTY_SOURCES += sha1dc/%
 
 UNIT_TEST_PROGRAMS += t-basic
-UNIT_TEST_PROGRAMS += t-mem-pool
-UNIT_TEST_PROGRAMS += t-strbuf
 UNIT_TEST_PROGRAMS += t-ctype
+UNIT_TEST_PROGRAMS += t-mem-pool
 UNIT_TEST_PROGRAMS += t-prio-queue
+UNIT_TEST_PROGRAMS += t-strbuf
 UNIT_TEST_PROGS = $(patsubst %,$(UNIT_TEST_BIN)/%$X,$(UNIT_TEST_PROGRAMS))
 UNIT_TEST_OBJS = $(patsubst %,$(UNIT_TEST_DIR)/%.o,$(UNIT_TEST_PROGRAMS))
 UNIT_TEST_OBJS += $(UNIT_TEST_DIR)/test-lib.o

Makefile, t/unit-tests/t-trailer.c

diff --git a/Makefile b/Makefile
index d3a3f16f076..5418ddd03be 100644
--- a/Makefile
+++ b/Makefile
@@ -1347,6 +1347,7 @@ UNIT_TEST_PROGRAMS += t-ctype
 UNIT_TEST_PROGRAMS += t-mem-pool
 UNIT_TEST_PROGRAMS += t-prio-queue
 UNIT_TEST_PROGRAMS += t-strbuf
+UNIT_TEST_PROGRAMS += t-trailer
 UNIT_TEST_PROGS = $(patsubst %,$(UNIT_TEST_BIN)/%$X,$(UNIT_TEST_PROGRAMS))
 UNIT_TEST_OBJS = $(patsubst %,$(UNIT_TEST_DIR)/%.o,$(UNIT_TEST_PROGRAMS))
 UNIT_TEST_OBJS += $(UNIT_TEST_DIR)/test-lib.o
diff --git a/t/unit-tests/t-trailer.c b/t/unit-tests/t-trailer.c
new file mode 100644
index 00000000000..147a51b66b9
--- /dev/null
+++ b/t/unit-tests/t-trailer.c
@@ -0,0 +1,175 @@
+#include "test-lib.h"
+#include "trailer.h"
+
+static void t_trailer_iterator(const char *msg, size_t num_expected_trailers)
+{
+	struct trailer_iterator iter;
+	size_t i = 0;
+
+	trailer_iterator_init(&iter, msg);
+	while (trailer_iterator_advance(&iter)) {
+		i++;
+	}
+	trailer_iterator_release(&iter);
+
+	check_uint(i, ==, num_expected_trailers);
+}
+
+static void run_t_trailer_iterator(void)
+{
+	static struct test_cases {
+		const char *name;
+		const char *msg;
+		size_t num_expected_trailers;
+	} tc[] = {
+		{
+			"empty input",
+			"",
+			0
+		},
+		{
+			"no newline at beginning",
+			"Fixes: x\n"
+			"Acked-by: x\n"
+			"Reviewed-by: x\n",
+			0
+		},
+		{
+			"newline at beginning",
+			"\n"
+			"Fixes: x\n"
+			"Acked-by: x\n"
+			"Reviewed-by: x\n",
+			3
+		},
+		{
+			"without body text",
+			"subject: foo bar\n"
+			"\n"
+			"Fixes: x\n"
+			"Acked-by: x\n"
+			"Reviewed-by: x\n",
+			3
+		},
+		{
+			"with body text, without divider",
+			"my subject\n"
+			"\n"
+			"my body which is long\n"
+			"and contains some special\n"
+			"chars like : = ? !\n"
+			"hello\n"
+			"\n"
+			"Fixes: x\n"
+			"Acked-by: x\n"
+			"Reviewed-by: x\n"
+			"Signed-off-by: x\n",
+			4
+		},
+		{
+			"with body text, without divider (second trailer block)",
+			"my subject\n"
+			"\n"
+			"my body which is long\n"
+			"and contains some special\n"
+			"chars like : = ? !\n"
+			"hello\n"
+			"\n"
+			"Fixes: x\n"
+			"Acked-by: x\n"
+			"Reviewed-by: x\n"
+			"Signed-off-by: x\n"
+			"\n"
+			/*
+			 * Because this is the last trailer block, it takes
+			 * precedence over the first one encountered above.
+			 */
+			"Helped-by: x\n"
+			"Signed-off-by: x\n",
+			2
+		},
+		{
+			"with body text, with divider",
+			"my subject\n"
+			"\n"
+			"my body which is long\n"
+			"and contains some special\n"
+			"chars like : = ? !\n"
+			"hello\n"
+			"\n"
+			"---\n"
+			"\n"
+			/*
+			 * This trailer still counts because the iterator
+			 * always ignores the divider.
+			 */
+			"Signed-off-by: x\n",
+			1
+		},
+		{
+			"with non-trailer lines in trailer block",
+			"subject: foo bar\n"
+			"\n"
+			/*
+			 * Even though this trailer block has a non-trailer line
+			 * in it, it's still a valid trailer block because it's
+			 * at least 25% trailers and is Git-generated.
+			 */
+			"not a trailer line\n"
+			"not a trailer line\n"
+			"not a trailer line\n"
+			"Signed-off-by: x\n",
+			1
+		},
+		{
+			"with non-trailer lines (one too many) in trailer block",
+			"subject: foo bar\n"
+			"\n"
+			/*
+			 * This block has only 20% trailers, so it's below the
+			 * 25% threshold.
+			 */
+			"not a trailer line\n"
+			"not a trailer line\n"
+			"not a trailer line\n"
+			"not a trailer line\n"
+			"Signed-off-by: x\n",
+			0
+		},
+		{
+			"with non-trailer lines (only 1) in trailer block, but no Git-generated trailers",
+			"subject: foo bar\n"
+			"\n"
+			/*
+			 * This block has only 1 non-trailer out of 10 (IOW, 90%
+			 * trailers) but is not considered a trailer because the
+			 * 25% threshold only applies to cases where there was a
+			 * Git-generated trailer (see git_generated_prefixes[]
+			 * in trailer.c).
+			 */
+			"Reviewed-by: x\n"
+			"Reviewed-by: x\n"
+			"Reviewed-by: x\n"
+			"Helped-by: x\n"
+			"Helped-by: x\n"
+			"Helped-by: x\n"
+			"Acked-by: x\n"
+			"Acked-by: x\n"
+			"Acked-by: x\n"
+			"not a trailer line\n",
+			0
+		},
+	};
+
+	for (int i = 0; i < sizeof(tc) / sizeof(tc[0]); i++) {
+		TEST(t_trailer_iterator(tc[i].msg,
+					tc[i].num_expected_trailers),
+		     "%s", tc[i].name);
+	}
+}
+
+int cmd_main(int argc, const char **argv)
+{
+	run_t_trailer_iterator();
+	return test_done();
+}

t/unit-tests/t-trailer.c, trailer.c, trailer.h

diff --git a/t/unit-tests/t-trailer.c b/t/unit-tests/t-trailer.c
index 147a51b66b9..50c696b969b 100644
--- a/t/unit-tests/t-trailer.c
+++ b/t/unit-tests/t-trailer.c
@@ -119,7 +119,13 @@ static void run_t_trailer_iterator(void)
 			"not a trailer line\n"
 			"not a trailer line\n"
 			"Signed-off-by: x\n",
-			1
+			/*
+			 * Even though there is only really 1 real "trailer"
+			 * (Signed-off-by), we still have 4 trailer objects
+			 * because we still want to iterate through the entire
+			 * block.
+			 */
+			4
 		},
 		{
 			"with non-trailer lines (one too many) in trailer block",
diff --git a/trailer.c b/trailer.c
index 3e4dab9c065..4700c441442 100644
--- a/trailer.c
+++ b/trailer.c
@@ -1146,17 +1146,15 @@ void trailer_iterator_init(struct trailer_iterator *iter, const char *msg)
 
 int trailer_iterator_advance(struct trailer_iterator *iter)
 {
-	while (iter->internal.cur < iter->internal.info.trailer_nr) {
-		char *trailer = iter->internal.info.trailers[iter->internal.cur++];
-		int separator_pos = find_separator(trailer, separators);
-
-		if (separator_pos < 1)
-			continue; /* not a real trailer */
+	if (iter->internal.cur < iter->internal.info.trailer_nr) {
+		char *line = iter->internal.info.trailers[iter->internal.cur++];
+		int separator_pos = find_separator(line, separators);
 
+		iter->raw = line;
 		strbuf_reset(&iter->key);
 		strbuf_reset(&iter->val);
 		parse_trailer(&iter->key, &iter->val, NULL,
-			      trailer, separator_pos);
+			      line, separator_pos);
 		/* Always unfold values during iteration. */
 		unfold_value(&iter->val);
 		return 1;
diff --git a/trailer.h b/trailer.h
index 9f42aa75994..ebafa3657e4 100644
--- a/trailer.h
+++ b/trailer.h
@@ -125,6 +125,14 @@ void format_trailers_from_commit(const struct process_trailer_options *,
  *   trailer_iterator_release(&iter);
  */
 struct trailer_iterator {
+	/*
+	 * Raw line (e.g., "foo: bar baz") before being parsed as a trailer
+	 * key/val pair as part of a trailer block. A trailer block can be
+	 * either 100% trailer lines, or mixed in with non-trailer lines (in
+	 * which case at least 25% must be trailer lines).
+	 */
+	const char *raw;
+
 	struct strbuf key;
 	struct strbuf val;
 

diff --git a/sequencer.c b/sequencer.c
index ea1441e6174..4c1f6c675e7 100644
--- a/sequencer.c
+++ b/sequencer.c
@@ -319,35 +319,32 @@ static const char *get_todo_path(const struct replay_opts *opts)
 static int has_conforming_footer(struct strbuf *sb, struct strbuf *sob,
 	size_t ignore_footer)
 {
-	struct process_trailer_options opts = PROCESS_TRAILER_OPTIONS_INIT;
-	struct trailer_info info;
-	size_t i;
+	struct trailer_iterator iter;
+	size_t i = 0;
 	int found_sob = 0, found_sob_last = 0;
 	char saved_char;
 
-	opts.no_divider = 1;
-
 	if (ignore_footer) {
 		saved_char = sb->buf[sb->len - ignore_footer];
 		sb->buf[sb->len - ignore_footer] = '\0';
 	}
 
-	trailer_info_get(&opts, sb->buf, &info);
+	trailer_iterator_init(&iter, sb->buf);
 
 	if (ignore_footer)
 		sb->buf[sb->len - ignore_footer] = saved_char;
 
-	if (info.trailer_block_start == info.trailer_block_end)
-		return 0;
+	while (trailer_iterator_advance(&iter)) {
+		i++;
+		if (sob && !strncmp(iter.raw, sob->buf, sob->len))
+			found_sob = i;
+	}
+	trailer_iterator_release(&iter);
 
-	for (i = 0; i < info.trailer_nr; i++)
-		if (sob && !strncmp(info.trailers[i], sob->buf, sob->len)) {
-			found_sob = 1;
-			if (i == info.trailer_nr - 1)
-				found_sob_last = 1;
-		}
+	if (!i)
+		return 0;
 
-	trailer_info_release(&info);
+	found_sob_last = (int)i == found_sob;
 
 	if (found_sob_last)
 		return 3;

builtin/interpret-trailers.c, trailer.c, trailer.h

diff --git a/builtin/interpret-trailers.c b/builtin/interpret-trailers.c
index 11f4ce9e4a2..f3240682e35 100644
--- a/builtin/interpret-trailers.c
+++ b/builtin/interpret-trailers.c
@@ -141,7 +141,7 @@ static void interpret_trailers(const struct process_trailer_options *opts,
 	LIST_HEAD(head);
 	struct strbuf sb = STRBUF_INIT;
 	struct strbuf trailer_block = STRBUF_INIT;
-	struct trailer_info info;
+	struct trailer_info *info = trailer_info_new();
 	FILE *outfile = stdout;
 
 	trailer_config_init();
@@ -151,13 +151,13 @@ static void interpret_trailers(const struct process_trailer_options *opts,
 	if (opts->in_place)
 		outfile = create_in_place_tempfile(file);
 
-	parse_trailers(opts, &info, sb.buf, &head);
+	parse_trailers(opts, info, sb.buf, &head);
 
 	/* Print the lines before the trailers */
 	if (!opts->only_trailers)
-		fwrite(sb.buf, 1, info.trailer_block_start, outfile);
+		fwrite(sb.buf, 1, trailer_block_start(info), outfile);
 
-	if (!opts->only_trailers && !info.blank_line_before_trailer)
+	if (!opts->only_trailers && !blank_line_before_trailer_block(info))
 		fprintf(outfile, "\n");
 
 
@@ -178,8 +178,8 @@ static void interpret_trailers(const struct process_trailer_options *opts,
 
 	/* Print the lines after the trailers as is */
 	if (!opts->only_trailers)
-		fwrite(sb.buf + info.trailer_block_end, 1, sb.len - info.trailer_block_end, outfile);
-	trailer_info_release(&info);
+		fwrite(sb.buf + trailer_block_end(info), 1, sb.len - trailer_block_end(info), outfile);
+	trailer_info_release(info);
 
 	if (opts->in_place)
 		if (rename_tempfile(&trailers_tempfile, file))
diff --git a/trailer.c b/trailer.c
index 4700c441442..95b4c9b8f19 100644
--- a/trailer.c
+++ b/trailer.c
@@ -952,6 +952,12 @@ static void unfold_value(struct strbuf *val)
 	strbuf_release(&out);
 }
 
+struct trailer_info *trailer_info_new(void)
+{
+	struct trailer_info *info = xcalloc(1, sizeof(*info));
+	return info;
+}
+
 /*
  * Parse trailers in "str", populating the trailer info and "head"
  * linked list structure.
@@ -1000,6 +1006,21 @@ void free_trailers(struct list_head *trailers)
 	}
 }
 
+size_t trailer_block_start(struct trailer_info *info)
+{
+	return info->trailer_block_start;
+}
+
+size_t trailer_block_end(struct trailer_info *info)
+{
+	return info->trailer_block_end;
+}
+
+int blank_line_before_trailer_block(struct trailer_info *info)
+{
+	return info->blank_line_before_trailer;
+}
+
 void trailer_info_get(const struct process_trailer_options *opts,
 		      const char *str,
 		      struct trailer_info *info)
diff --git a/trailer.h b/trailer.h
index ebafa3657e4..9ac4be853c5 100644
--- a/trailer.h
+++ b/trailer.h
@@ -97,6 +97,10 @@ void parse_trailers(const struct process_trailer_options *,
 void trailer_info_get(const struct process_trailer_options *,
 		      const char *str,
 		      struct trailer_info *);
+size_t trailer_block_start(struct trailer_info *);
+size_t trailer_block_end(struct trailer_info *);
+int blank_line_before_trailer_block(struct trailer_info *);
+struct trailer_info *trailer_info_new(void);
 
 void trailer_info_release(struct trailer_info *info);
 

trailer.c, trailer.h

diff --git a/trailer.c b/trailer.c
index 9179dd802c6..6167b707ae0 100644
--- a/trailer.c
+++ b/trailer.c
@@ -11,6 +11,27 @@
  * Copyright (c) 2013, 2014 Christian Couder <chriscool@tuxfamily.org>
  */
 
+struct trailer_info {
+	/*
+	 * True if there is a blank line before the location pointed to by
+	 * trailer_block_start.
+	 */
+	int blank_line_before_trailer;
+
+	/*
+	 * Offsets to the trailer block start and end positions in the input
+	 * string. If no trailer block is found, these are both set to the
+	 * "true" end of the input (find_end_of_log_message()).
+	 */
+	size_t trailer_block_start, trailer_block_end;
+
+	/*
+	 * Array of trailers found.
+	 */
+	char **trailers;
+	size_t trailer_nr;
+};
+
 struct conf_info {
 	char *name;
 	char *key;
diff --git a/trailer.h b/trailer.h
index b32213a9e23..a63e97a2663 100644
--- a/trailer.h
+++ b/trailer.h
@@ -4,6 +4,8 @@
 #include "list.h"
 #include "strbuf.h"
 
+struct trailer_info;
+
 enum trailer_where {
 	WHERE_DEFAULT,
 	WHERE_END,
@@ -29,27 +31,6 @@ int trailer_set_where(enum trailer_where *item, const char *value);
 int trailer_set_if_exists(enum trailer_if_exists *item, const char *value);
 int trailer_set_if_missing(enum trailer_if_missing *item, const char *value);
 
-struct trailer_info {
-	/*
-	 * True if there is a blank line before the location pointed to by
-	 * trailer_block_start.
-	 */
-	int blank_line_before_trailer;
-
-	/*
-	 * Offsets to the trailer block start and end positions in the input
-	 * string. If no trailer block is found, these are both set to the
-	 * "true" end of the input (find_end_of_log_message()).
-	 */
-	size_t trailer_block_start, trailer_block_end;
-
-	/*
-	 * Array of trailers found.
-	 */
-	char **trailers;
-	size_t trailer_nr;
-};
-
 /*
  * A list that represents newly-added trailers, such as those provided
  * with the --trailer command line option of git-interpret-trailers.

builtin/interpret-trailers.c, trailer.c, trailer.h

diff --git a/builtin/interpret-trailers.c b/builtin/interpret-trailers.c
index f3240682e35..6bf8cec005a 100644
--- a/builtin/interpret-trailers.c
+++ b/builtin/interpret-trailers.c
@@ -141,7 +141,7 @@ static void interpret_trailers(const struct process_trailer_options *opts,
 	LIST_HEAD(head);
 	struct strbuf sb = STRBUF_INIT;
 	struct strbuf trailer_block = STRBUF_INIT;
-	struct trailer_info *info = trailer_info_new();
+	struct trailer_info *info;
 	FILE *outfile = stdout;
 
 	trailer_config_init();
@@ -151,7 +151,7 @@ static void interpret_trailers(const struct process_trailer_options *opts,
 	if (opts->in_place)
 		outfile = create_in_place_tempfile(file);
 
-	parse_trailers(opts, info, sb.buf, &head);
+	info = parse_trailers(opts, sb.buf, &head);
 
 	/* Print the lines before the trailers */
 	if (!opts->only_trailers)
diff --git a/trailer.c b/trailer.c
index 95b4c9b8f19..9179dd802c6 100644
--- a/trailer.c
+++ b/trailer.c
@@ -952,7 +952,7 @@ static void unfold_value(struct strbuf *val)
 	strbuf_release(&out);
 }
 
-struct trailer_info *trailer_info_new(void)
+static struct trailer_info *trailer_info_new(void)
 {
 	struct trailer_info *info = xcalloc(1, sizeof(*info));
 	return info;
@@ -962,16 +962,16 @@ struct trailer_info *trailer_info_new(void)
  * Parse trailers in "str", populating the trailer info and "head"
  * linked list structure.
  */
-void parse_trailers(const struct process_trailer_options *opts,
-		    struct trailer_info *info,
-		    const char *str,
-		    struct list_head *head)
+struct trailer_info *parse_trailers(const struct process_trailer_options *opts,
+				    const char *str,
+				    struct list_head *head)
 {
+	struct trailer_info *info;
 	struct strbuf tok = STRBUF_INIT;
 	struct strbuf val = STRBUF_INIT;
 	size_t i;
 
-	trailer_info_get(opts, str, info);
+	info = trailer_info_get(opts, str);
 
 	for (i = 0; i < info->trailer_nr; i++) {
 		int separator_pos;
@@ -995,6 +995,8 @@ void parse_trailers(const struct process_trailer_options *opts,
 					 strbuf_detach(&val, NULL));
 		}
 	}
+
+	return info;
 }
 
 void free_trailers(struct list_head *trailers)
@@ -1021,10 +1023,10 @@ int blank_line_before_trailer_block(struct trailer_info *info)
 	return info->blank_line_before_trailer;
 }
 
-void trailer_info_get(const struct process_trailer_options *opts,
-		      const char *str,
-		      struct trailer_info *info)
+struct trailer_info *trailer_info_get(const struct process_trailer_options *opts,
+				      const char *str)
 {
+	struct trailer_info *info = trailer_info_new();
 	size_t end_of_log_message = 0, trailer_block_start = 0;
 	struct strbuf **trailer_lines, **ptr;
 	char **trailer_strings = NULL;
@@ -1063,6 +1065,8 @@ void trailer_info_get(const struct process_trailer_options *opts,
 	info->trailer_block_end = end_of_log_message;
 	info->trailers = trailer_strings;
 	info->trailer_nr = nr;
+
+	return info;
 }
 
 void trailer_info_release(struct trailer_info *info)
@@ -1071,6 +1075,7 @@ void trailer_info_release(struct trailer_info *info)
 	for (i = 0; i < info->trailer_nr; i++)
 		free(info->trailers[i]);
 	free(info->trailers);
+	free(info);
 }
 
 void format_trailers(const struct process_trailer_options *opts,
@@ -1138,21 +1143,19 @@ void format_trailers_from_commit(const struct process_trailer_options *opts,
 				 struct strbuf *out)
 {
 	LIST_HEAD(trailer_objects);
-	struct trailer_info info;
-
-	parse_trailers(opts, &info, msg, &trailer_objects);
+	struct trailer_info *info = parse_trailers(opts, msg, &trailer_objects);
 
 	/* If we want the whole block untouched, we can take the fast path. */
 	if (!opts->only_trailers && !opts->unfold && !opts->filter &&
 	    !opts->separator && !opts->key_only && !opts->value_only &&
 	    !opts->key_value_separator) {
-		strbuf_add(out, msg + info.trailer_block_start,
-			   info.trailer_block_end - info.trailer_block_start);
+		strbuf_add(out, msg + info->trailer_block_start,
+			   info->trailer_block_end - info->trailer_block_start);
 	} else
 		format_trailers(opts, &trailer_objects, out);
 
 	free_trailers(&trailer_objects);
-	trailer_info_release(&info);
+	trailer_info_release(info);
 }
 
 void trailer_iterator_init(struct trailer_iterator *iter, const char *msg)
@@ -1161,14 +1164,14 @@ void trailer_iterator_init(struct trailer_iterator *iter, const char *msg)
 	strbuf_init(&iter->key, 0);
 	strbuf_init(&iter->val, 0);
 	opts.no_divider = 1;
-	trailer_info_get(&opts, msg, &iter->internal.info);
+	iter->internal.info = trailer_info_get(&opts, msg);
 	iter->internal.cur = 0;
 }
 
 int trailer_iterator_advance(struct trailer_iterator *iter)
 {
-	if (iter->internal.cur < iter->internal.info.trailer_nr) {
-		char *line = iter->internal.info.trailers[iter->internal.cur++];
+	if (iter->internal.cur < iter->internal.info->trailer_nr) {
+		char *line = iter->internal.info->trailers[iter->internal.cur++];
 		int separator_pos = find_separator(line, separators);
 
 		iter->raw = line;
@@ -1185,7 +1188,7 @@ int trailer_iterator_advance(struct trailer_iterator *iter)
 
 void trailer_iterator_release(struct trailer_iterator *iter)
 {
-	trailer_info_release(&iter->internal.info);
+	trailer_info_release(iter->internal.info);
 	strbuf_release(&iter->val);
 	strbuf_release(&iter->key);
 }
diff --git a/trailer.h b/trailer.h
index 9ac4be853c5..b32213a9e23 100644
--- a/trailer.h
+++ b/trailer.h
@@ -89,18 +89,15 @@ void parse_trailers_from_command_line_args(struct list_head *arg_head,
 void process_trailers_lists(struct list_head *head,
 			    struct list_head *arg_head);
 
-void parse_trailers(const struct process_trailer_options *,
-		    struct trailer_info *,
-		    const char *str,
-		    struct list_head *head);
-
-void trailer_info_get(const struct process_trailer_options *,
-		      const char *str,
-		      struct trailer_info *);
+struct trailer_info *parse_trailers(const struct process_trailer_options *,
+				    const char *str,
+				    struct list_head *head);
+struct trailer_info *trailer_info_get(const struct process_trailer_options *,
+				      const char *str);
+
 size_t trailer_block_start(struct trailer_info *);
 size_t trailer_block_end(struct trailer_info *);
 int blank_line_before_trailer_block(struct trailer_info *);
-struct trailer_info *trailer_info_new(void);
 
 void trailer_info_release(struct trailer_info *info);
 
@@ -142,7 +139,7 @@ struct trailer_iterator {
 
 	/* private */
 	struct {
-		struct trailer_info info;
+		struct trailer_info *info;
 		size_t cur;
 	} internal;
 };

trailer.c, trailer.h

diff --git a/trailer.c b/trailer.c
index 6167b707ae0..33b6aa7e8bd 100644
--- a/trailer.c
+++ b/trailer.c
@@ -979,6 +979,52 @@ static struct trailer_info *trailer_info_new(void)
 	return info;
 }
 
+static struct trailer_info *trailer_info_get(const struct process_trailer_options *opts,
+					     const char *str)
+{
+	struct trailer_info *info = trailer_info_new();
+	size_t end_of_log_message = 0, trailer_block_start = 0;
+	struct strbuf **trailer_lines, **ptr;
+	char **trailer_strings = NULL;
+	size_t nr = 0, alloc = 0;
+	char **last = NULL;
+
+	trailer_config_init();
+
+	end_of_log_message = find_end_of_log_message(str, opts->no_divider);
+	trailer_block_start = find_trailer_block_start(str, end_of_log_message);
+
+	trailer_lines = strbuf_split_buf(str + trailer_block_start,
+					 end_of_log_message - trailer_block_start,
+					 '\n',
+					 0);
+	for (ptr = trailer_lines; *ptr; ptr++) {
+		if (last && isspace((*ptr)->buf[0])) {
+			struct strbuf sb = STRBUF_INIT;
+			strbuf_attach(&sb, *last, strlen(*last), strlen(*last));
+			strbuf_addbuf(&sb, *ptr);
+			*last = strbuf_detach(&sb, NULL);
+			continue;
+		}
+		ALLOC_GROW(trailer_strings, nr + 1, alloc);
+		trailer_strings[nr] = strbuf_detach(*ptr, NULL);
+		last = find_separator(trailer_strings[nr], separators) >= 1
+			? &trailer_strings[nr]
+			: NULL;
+		nr++;
+	}
+	strbuf_list_free(trailer_lines);
+
+	info->blank_line_before_trailer = ends_with_blank_line(str,
+							       trailer_block_start);
+	info->trailer_block_start = trailer_block_start;
+	info->trailer_block_end = end_of_log_message;
+	info->trailers = trailer_strings;
+	info->trailer_nr = nr;
+
+	return info;
+}
+
 /*
  * Parse trailers in "str", populating the trailer info and "head"
  * linked list structure.
@@ -1044,52 +1090,6 @@ int blank_line_before_trailer_block(struct trailer_info *info)
 	return info->blank_line_before_trailer;
 }
 
-struct trailer_info *trailer_info_get(const struct process_trailer_options *opts,
-				      const char *str)
-{
-	struct trailer_info *info = trailer_info_new();
-	size_t end_of_log_message = 0, trailer_block_start = 0;
-	struct strbuf **trailer_lines, **ptr;
-	char **trailer_strings = NULL;
-	size_t nr = 0, alloc = 0;
-	char **last = NULL;
-
-	trailer_config_init();
-
-	end_of_log_message = find_end_of_log_message(str, opts->no_divider);
-	trailer_block_start = find_trailer_block_start(str, end_of_log_message);
-
-	trailer_lines = strbuf_split_buf(str + trailer_block_start,
-					 end_of_log_message - trailer_block_start,
-					 '\n',
-					 0);
-	for (ptr = trailer_lines; *ptr; ptr++) {
-		if (last && isspace((*ptr)->buf[0])) {
-			struct strbuf sb = STRBUF_INIT;
-			strbuf_attach(&sb, *last, strlen(*last), strlen(*last));
-			strbuf_addbuf(&sb, *ptr);
-			*last = strbuf_detach(&sb, NULL);
-			continue;
-		}
-		ALLOC_GROW(trailer_strings, nr + 1, alloc);
-		trailer_strings[nr] = strbuf_detach(*ptr, NULL);
-		last = find_separator(trailer_strings[nr], separators) >= 1
-			? &trailer_strings[nr]
-			: NULL;
-		nr++;
-	}
-	strbuf_list_free(trailer_lines);
-
-	info->blank_line_before_trailer = ends_with_blank_line(str,
-							       trailer_block_start);
-	info->trailer_block_start = trailer_block_start;
-	info->trailer_block_end = end_of_log_message;
-	info->trailers = trailer_strings;
-	info->trailer_nr = nr;
-
-	return info;
-}
-
 void trailer_info_release(struct trailer_info *info)
 {
 	size_t i;
diff --git a/trailer.h b/trailer.h
index a63e97a2663..1b7422fa2b0 100644
--- a/trailer.h
+++ b/trailer.h
@@ -73,8 +73,6 @@ void process_trailers_lists(struct list_head *head,
 struct trailer_info *parse_trailers(const struct process_trailer_options *,
 				    const char *str,
 				    struct list_head *head);
-struct trailer_info *trailer_info_get(const struct process_trailer_options *,
-				      const char *str);
 
 size_t trailer_block_start(struct trailer_info *);
 size_t trailer_block_end(struct trailer_info *);

diff --git a/Makefile b/Makefile
index 4e255c81f22..d3a3f16f076 100644
--- a/Makefile
+++ b/Makefile
@@ -1343,10 +1343,10 @@ THIRD_PARTY_SOURCES += sha1collisiondetection/%
 THIRD_PARTY_SOURCES += sha1dc/%
 
 UNIT_TEST_PROGRAMS += t-basic
-UNIT_TEST_PROGRAMS += t-mem-pool
-UNIT_TEST_PROGRAMS += t-strbuf
 UNIT_TEST_PROGRAMS += t-ctype
+UNIT_TEST_PROGRAMS += t-mem-pool
 UNIT_TEST_PROGRAMS += t-prio-queue
+UNIT_TEST_PROGRAMS += t-strbuf
 UNIT_TEST_PROGS = $(patsubst %,$(UNIT_TEST_BIN)/%$X,$(UNIT_TEST_PROGRAMS))
 UNIT_TEST_OBJS = $(patsubst %,$(UNIT_TEST_DIR)/%.o,$(UNIT_TEST_PROGRAMS))
 UNIT_TEST_OBJS += $(UNIT_TEST_DIR)/test-lib.o

Makefile, t/unit-tests/t-trailer.c

diff --git a/Makefile b/Makefile
index d3a3f16f076..5418ddd03be 100644
--- a/Makefile
+++ b/Makefile
@@ -1347,6 +1347,7 @@ UNIT_TEST_PROGRAMS += t-ctype
 UNIT_TEST_PROGRAMS += t-mem-pool
 UNIT_TEST_PROGRAMS += t-prio-queue
 UNIT_TEST_PROGRAMS += t-strbuf
+UNIT_TEST_PROGRAMS += t-trailer
 UNIT_TEST_PROGS = $(patsubst %,$(UNIT_TEST_BIN)/%$X,$(UNIT_TEST_PROGRAMS))
 UNIT_TEST_OBJS = $(patsubst %,$(UNIT_TEST_DIR)/%.o,$(UNIT_TEST_PROGRAMS))
 UNIT_TEST_OBJS += $(UNIT_TEST_DIR)/test-lib.o
diff --git a/t/unit-tests/t-trailer.c b/t/unit-tests/t-trailer.c
new file mode 100644
index 00000000000..c1f897235c7
--- /dev/null
+++ b/t/unit-tests/t-trailer.c
@@ -0,0 +1,174 @@
+#include "test-lib.h"
+#include "trailer.h"
+
+static void t_trailer_iterator(const char *msg, size_t num_expected_trailers)
+{
+	struct trailer_iterator iter;
+	size_t i = 0;
+
+	trailer_iterator_init(&iter, msg);
+	while (trailer_iterator_advance(&iter))
+		i++;
+	trailer_iterator_release(&iter);
+
+	check_uint(i, ==, num_expected_trailers);
+}
+
+static void run_t_trailer_iterator(void)
+{
+	static struct test_cases {
+		const char *name;
+		const char *msg;
+		size_t num_expected_trailers;
+	} tc[] = {
+		{
+			"empty input",
+			"",
+			0
+		},
+		{
+			"no newline at beginning",
+			"Fixes: x\n"
+			"Acked-by: x\n"
+			"Reviewed-by: x\n",
+			0
+		},
+		{
+			"newline at beginning",
+			"\n"
+			"Fixes: x\n"
+			"Acked-by: x\n"
+			"Reviewed-by: x\n",
+			3
+		},
+		{
+			"without body text",
+			"subject: foo bar\n"
+			"\n"
+			"Fixes: x\n"
+			"Acked-by: x\n"
+			"Reviewed-by: x\n",
+			3
+		},
+		{
+			"with body text, without divider",
+			"my subject\n"
+			"\n"
+			"my body which is long\n"
+			"and contains some special\n"
+			"chars like : = ? !\n"
+			"hello\n"
+			"\n"
+			"Fixes: x\n"
+			"Acked-by: x\n"
+			"Reviewed-by: x\n"
+			"Signed-off-by: x\n",
+			4
+		},
+		{
+			"with body text, without divider (second trailer block)",
+			"my subject\n"
+			"\n"
+			"my body which is long\n"
+			"and contains some special\n"
+			"chars like : = ? !\n"
+			"hello\n"
+			"\n"
+			"Fixes: x\n"
+			"Acked-by: x\n"
+			"Reviewed-by: x\n"
+			"Signed-off-by: x\n"
+			"\n"
+			/*
+			 * Because this is the last trailer block, it takes
+			 * precedence over the first one encountered above.
+			 */
+			"Helped-by: x\n"
+			"Signed-off-by: x\n",
+			2
+		},
+		{
+			"with body text, with divider",
+			"my subject\n"
+			"\n"
+			"my body which is long\n"
+			"and contains some special\n"
+			"chars like : = ? !\n"
+			"hello\n"
+			"\n"
+			"---\n"
+			"\n"
+			/*
+			 * This trailer still counts because the iterator
+			 * always ignores the divider.
+			 */
+			"Signed-off-by: x\n",
+			1
+		},
+		{
+			"with non-trailer lines in trailer block",
+			"subject: foo bar\n"
+			"\n"
+			/*
+			 * Even though this trailer block has a non-trailer line
+			 * in it, it's still a valid trailer block because it's
+			 * at least 25% trailers and is Git-generated (see
+			 * git_generated_prefixes[] in trailer.c).
+			 */
+			"not a trailer line\n"
+			"not a trailer line\n"
+			"not a trailer line\n"
+			"Signed-off-by: x\n",
+			1
+		},
+		{
+			"with non-trailer lines (one too many) in trailer block",
+			"subject: foo bar\n"
+			"\n"
+			/*
+			 * This block has only 20% trailers, so it's below the
+			 * 25% threshold.
+			 */
+			"not a trailer line\n"
+			"not a trailer line\n"
+			"not a trailer line\n"
+			"not a trailer line\n"
+			"Signed-off-by: x\n",
+			0
+		},
+		{
+			"with non-trailer lines (only 1) in trailer block, but no Git-generated trailers",
+			"subject: foo bar\n"
+			"\n"
+			/*
+			 * This block has only 1 non-trailer out of 10 (IOW, 90%
+			 * trailers) but is not considered a trailer block
+			 * because the 25% threshold only applies to cases where
+			 * there was a Git-generated trailer.
+			 */
+			"Reviewed-by: x\n"
+			"Reviewed-by: x\n"
+			"Reviewed-by: x\n"
+			"Helped-by: x\n"
+			"Helped-by: x\n"
+			"Helped-by: x\n"
+			"Acked-by: x\n"
+			"Acked-by: x\n"
+			"Acked-by: x\n"
+			"not a trailer line\n",
+			0
+		},
+	};
+
+	for (int i = 0; i < sizeof(tc) / sizeof(tc[0]); i++) {
+		TEST(t_trailer_iterator(tc[i].msg,
+					tc[i].num_expected_trailers),
+		     "%s", tc[i].name);
+	}
+}
+
+int cmd_main(int argc, const char **argv)
+{
+	run_t_trailer_iterator();
+	return test_done();
+}

t/unit-tests/t-trailer.c, trailer.c, trailer.h

diff --git a/t/unit-tests/t-trailer.c b/t/unit-tests/t-trailer.c
index c1f897235c7..262e2838273 100644
--- a/t/unit-tests/t-trailer.c
+++ b/t/unit-tests/t-trailer.c
@@ -1,7 +1,7 @@
 #include "test-lib.h"
 #include "trailer.h"
 
-static void t_trailer_iterator(const char *msg, size_t num_expected_trailers)
+static void t_trailer_iterator(const char *msg, size_t num_expected_objects)
 {
 	struct trailer_iterator iter;
 	size_t i = 0;
@@ -11,7 +11,7 @@ static void t_trailer_iterator(const char *msg, size_t num_expected_trailers)
 		i++;
 	trailer_iterator_release(&iter);
 
-	check_uint(i, ==, num_expected_trailers);
+	check_uint(i, ==, num_expected_objects);
 }
 
 static void run_t_trailer_iterator(void)
@@ -19,7 +19,7 @@ static void run_t_trailer_iterator(void)
 	static struct test_cases {
 		const char *name;
 		const char *msg;
-		size_t num_expected_trailers;
+		size_t num_expected_objects;
 	} tc[] = {
 		{
 			"empty input",
@@ -119,7 +119,13 @@ static void run_t_trailer_iterator(void)
 			"not a trailer line\n"
 			"not a trailer line\n"
 			"Signed-off-by: x\n",
-			1
+			/*
+			 * Even though there is only really 1 real "trailer"
+			 * (Signed-off-by), we still have 4 trailer objects
+			 * because we still want to iterate through the entire
+			 * block.
+			 */
+			4
 		},
 		{
 			"with non-trailer lines (one too many) in trailer block",
@@ -162,7 +168,7 @@ static void run_t_trailer_iterator(void)
 
 	for (int i = 0; i < sizeof(tc) / sizeof(tc[0]); i++) {
 		TEST(t_trailer_iterator(tc[i].msg,
-					tc[i].num_expected_trailers),
+					tc[i].num_expected_objects),
 		     "%s", tc[i].name);
 	}
 }
diff --git a/trailer.c b/trailer.c
index 3e4dab9c065..4700c441442 100644
--- a/trailer.c
+++ b/trailer.c
@@ -1146,17 +1146,15 @@ void trailer_iterator_init(struct trailer_iterator *iter, const char *msg)
 
 int trailer_iterator_advance(struct trailer_iterator *iter)
 {
-	while (iter->internal.cur < iter->internal.info.trailer_nr) {
-		char *trailer = iter->internal.info.trailers[iter->internal.cur++];
-		int separator_pos = find_separator(trailer, separators);
-
-		if (separator_pos < 1)
-			continue; /* not a real trailer */
+	if (iter->internal.cur < iter->internal.info.trailer_nr) {
+		char *line = iter->internal.info.trailers[iter->internal.cur++];
+		int separator_pos = find_separator(line, separators);
 
+		iter->raw = line;
 		strbuf_reset(&iter->key);
 		strbuf_reset(&iter->val);
 		parse_trailer(&iter->key, &iter->val, NULL,
-			      trailer, separator_pos);
+			      line, separator_pos);
 		/* Always unfold values during iteration. */
 		unfold_value(&iter->val);
 		return 1;
diff --git a/trailer.h b/trailer.h
index 9f42aa75994..ebafa3657e4 100644
--- a/trailer.h
+++ b/trailer.h
@@ -125,6 +125,14 @@ void format_trailers_from_commit(const struct process_trailer_options *,
  *   trailer_iterator_release(&iter);
  */
 struct trailer_iterator {
+	/*
+	 * Raw line (e.g., "foo: bar baz") before being parsed as a trailer
+	 * key/val pair as part of a trailer block. A trailer block can be
+	 * either 100% trailer lines, or mixed in with non-trailer lines (in
+	 * which case at least 25% must be trailer lines).
+	 */
+	const char *raw;
+
 	struct strbuf key;
 	struct strbuf val;
 

diff --git a/sequencer.c b/sequencer.c
index ea1441e6174..4c1f6c675e7 100644
--- a/sequencer.c
+++ b/sequencer.c
@@ -319,35 +319,32 @@ static const char *get_todo_path(const struct replay_opts *opts)
 static int has_conforming_footer(struct strbuf *sb, struct strbuf *sob,
 	size_t ignore_footer)
 {
-	struct process_trailer_options opts = PROCESS_TRAILER_OPTIONS_INIT;
-	struct trailer_info info;
-	size_t i;
+	struct trailer_iterator iter;
+	size_t i = 0;
 	int found_sob = 0, found_sob_last = 0;
 	char saved_char;
 
-	opts.no_divider = 1;
-
 	if (ignore_footer) {
 		saved_char = sb->buf[sb->len - ignore_footer];
 		sb->buf[sb->len - ignore_footer] = '\0';
 	}
 
-	trailer_info_get(&opts, sb->buf, &info);
+	trailer_iterator_init(&iter, sb->buf);
 
 	if (ignore_footer)
 		sb->buf[sb->len - ignore_footer] = saved_char;
 
-	if (info.trailer_block_start == info.trailer_block_end)
-		return 0;
+	while (trailer_iterator_advance(&iter)) {
+		i++;
+		if (sob && !strncmp(iter.raw, sob->buf, sob->len))
+			found_sob = i;
+	}
+	trailer_iterator_release(&iter);
 
-	for (i = 0; i < info.trailer_nr; i++)
-		if (sob && !strncmp(info.trailers[i], sob->buf, sob->len)) {
-			found_sob = 1;
-			if (i == info.trailer_nr - 1)
-				found_sob_last = 1;
-		}
+	if (!i)
+		return 0;
 
-	trailer_info_release(&info);
+	found_sob_last = (int)i == found_sob;
 
 	if (found_sob_last)
 		return 3;

builtin/interpret-trailers.c, trailer.c, trailer.h

diff --git a/builtin/interpret-trailers.c b/builtin/interpret-trailers.c
index 11f4ce9e4a2..f3240682e35 100644
--- a/builtin/interpret-trailers.c
+++ b/builtin/interpret-trailers.c
@@ -141,7 +141,7 @@ static void interpret_trailers(const struct process_trailer_options *opts,
 	LIST_HEAD(head);
 	struct strbuf sb = STRBUF_INIT;
 	struct strbuf trailer_block = STRBUF_INIT;
-	struct trailer_info info;
+	struct trailer_info *info = trailer_info_new();
 	FILE *outfile = stdout;
 
 	trailer_config_init();
@@ -151,13 +151,13 @@ static void interpret_trailers(const struct process_trailer_options *opts,
 	if (opts->in_place)
 		outfile = create_in_place_tempfile(file);
 
-	parse_trailers(opts, &info, sb.buf, &head);
+	parse_trailers(opts, info, sb.buf, &head);
 
 	/* Print the lines before the trailers */
 	if (!opts->only_trailers)
-		fwrite(sb.buf, 1, info.trailer_block_start, outfile);
+		fwrite(sb.buf, 1, trailer_block_start(info), outfile);
 
-	if (!opts->only_trailers && !info.blank_line_before_trailer)
+	if (!opts->only_trailers && !blank_line_before_trailer_block(info))
 		fprintf(outfile, "\n");
 
 
@@ -178,8 +178,8 @@ static void interpret_trailers(const struct process_trailer_options *opts,
 
 	/* Print the lines after the trailers as is */
 	if (!opts->only_trailers)
-		fwrite(sb.buf + info.trailer_block_end, 1, sb.len - info.trailer_block_end, outfile);
-	trailer_info_release(&info);
+		fwrite(sb.buf + trailer_block_end(info), 1, sb.len - trailer_block_end(info), outfile);
+	trailer_info_release(info);
 
 	if (opts->in_place)
 		if (rename_tempfile(&trailers_tempfile, file))
diff --git a/trailer.c b/trailer.c
index 4700c441442..95b4c9b8f19 100644
--- a/trailer.c
+++ b/trailer.c
@@ -952,6 +952,12 @@ static void unfold_value(struct strbuf *val)
 	strbuf_release(&out);
 }
 
+struct trailer_info *trailer_info_new(void)
+{
+	struct trailer_info *info = xcalloc(1, sizeof(*info));
+	return info;
+}
+
 /*
  * Parse trailers in "str", populating the trailer info and "head"
  * linked list structure.
@@ -1000,6 +1006,21 @@ void free_trailers(struct list_head *trailers)
 	}
 }
 
+size_t trailer_block_start(struct trailer_info *info)
+{
+	return info->trailer_block_start;
+}
+
+size_t trailer_block_end(struct trailer_info *info)
+{
+	return info->trailer_block_end;
+}
+
+int blank_line_before_trailer_block(struct trailer_info *info)
+{
+	return info->blank_line_before_trailer;
+}
+
 void trailer_info_get(const struct process_trailer_options *opts,
 		      const char *str,
 		      struct trailer_info *info)
diff --git a/trailer.h b/trailer.h
index ebafa3657e4..9ac4be853c5 100644
--- a/trailer.h
+++ b/trailer.h
@@ -97,6 +97,10 @@ void parse_trailers(const struct process_trailer_options *,
 void trailer_info_get(const struct process_trailer_options *,
 		      const char *str,
 		      struct trailer_info *);
+size_t trailer_block_start(struct trailer_info *);
+size_t trailer_block_end(struct trailer_info *);
+int blank_line_before_trailer_block(struct trailer_info *);
+struct trailer_info *trailer_info_new(void);
 
 void trailer_info_release(struct trailer_info *info);
 

builtin/interpret-trailers.c, trailer.c, trailer.h

diff --git a/builtin/interpret-trailers.c b/builtin/interpret-trailers.c
index f3240682e35..6bf8cec005a 100644
--- a/builtin/interpret-trailers.c
+++ b/builtin/interpret-trailers.c
@@ -141,7 +141,7 @@ static void interpret_trailers(const struct process_trailer_options *opts,
 	LIST_HEAD(head);
 	struct strbuf sb = STRBUF_INIT;
 	struct strbuf trailer_block = STRBUF_INIT;
-	struct trailer_info *info = trailer_info_new();
+	struct trailer_info *info;
 	FILE *outfile = stdout;
 
 	trailer_config_init();
@@ -151,7 +151,7 @@ static void interpret_trailers(const struct process_trailer_options *opts,
 	if (opts->in_place)
 		outfile = create_in_place_tempfile(file);
 
-	parse_trailers(opts, info, sb.buf, &head);
+	info = parse_trailers(opts, sb.buf, &head);
 
 	/* Print the lines before the trailers */
 	if (!opts->only_trailers)
diff --git a/trailer.c b/trailer.c
index 95b4c9b8f19..9179dd802c6 100644
--- a/trailer.c
+++ b/trailer.c
@@ -952,7 +952,7 @@ static void unfold_value(struct strbuf *val)
 	strbuf_release(&out);
 }
 
-struct trailer_info *trailer_info_new(void)
+static struct trailer_info *trailer_info_new(void)
 {
 	struct trailer_info *info = xcalloc(1, sizeof(*info));
 	return info;
@@ -962,16 +962,16 @@ struct trailer_info *trailer_info_new(void)
  * Parse trailers in "str", populating the trailer info and "head"
  * linked list structure.
  */
-void parse_trailers(const struct process_trailer_options *opts,
-		    struct trailer_info *info,
-		    const char *str,
-		    struct list_head *head)
+struct trailer_info *parse_trailers(const struct process_trailer_options *opts,
+				    const char *str,
+				    struct list_head *head)
 {
+	struct trailer_info *info;
 	struct strbuf tok = STRBUF_INIT;
 	struct strbuf val = STRBUF_INIT;
 	size_t i;
 
-	trailer_info_get(opts, str, info);
+	info = trailer_info_get(opts, str);
 
 	for (i = 0; i < info->trailer_nr; i++) {
 		int separator_pos;
@@ -995,6 +995,8 @@ void parse_trailers(const struct process_trailer_options *opts,
 					 strbuf_detach(&val, NULL));
 		}
 	}
+
+	return info;
 }
 
 void free_trailers(struct list_head *trailers)
@@ -1021,10 +1023,10 @@ int blank_line_before_trailer_block(struct trailer_info *info)
 	return info->blank_line_before_trailer;
 }
 
-void trailer_info_get(const struct process_trailer_options *opts,
-		      const char *str,
-		      struct trailer_info *info)
+struct trailer_info *trailer_info_get(const struct process_trailer_options *opts,
+				      const char *str)
 {
+	struct trailer_info *info = trailer_info_new();
 	size_t end_of_log_message = 0, trailer_block_start = 0;
 	struct strbuf **trailer_lines, **ptr;
 	char **trailer_strings = NULL;
@@ -1063,6 +1065,8 @@ void trailer_info_get(const struct process_trailer_options *opts,
 	info->trailer_block_end = end_of_log_message;
 	info->trailers = trailer_strings;
 	info->trailer_nr = nr;
+
+	return info;
 }
 
 void trailer_info_release(struct trailer_info *info)
@@ -1071,6 +1075,7 @@ void trailer_info_release(struct trailer_info *info)
 	for (i = 0; i < info->trailer_nr; i++)
 		free(info->trailers[i]);
 	free(info->trailers);
+	free(info);
 }
 
 void format_trailers(const struct process_trailer_options *opts,
@@ -1138,21 +1143,19 @@ void format_trailers_from_commit(const struct process_trailer_options *opts,
 				 struct strbuf *out)
 {
 	LIST_HEAD(trailer_objects);
-	struct trailer_info info;
-
-	parse_trailers(opts, &info, msg, &trailer_objects);
+	struct trailer_info *info = parse_trailers(opts, msg, &trailer_objects);
 
 	/* If we want the whole block untouched, we can take the fast path. */
 	if (!opts->only_trailers && !opts->unfold && !opts->filter &&
 	    !opts->separator && !opts->key_only && !opts->value_only &&
 	    !opts->key_value_separator) {
-		strbuf_add(out, msg + info.trailer_block_start,
-			   info.trailer_block_end - info.trailer_block_start);
+		strbuf_add(out, msg + info->trailer_block_start,
+			   info->trailer_block_end - info->trailer_block_start);
 	} else
 		format_trailers(opts, &trailer_objects, out);
 
 	free_trailers(&trailer_objects);
-	trailer_info_release(&info);
+	trailer_info_release(info);
 }
 
 void trailer_iterator_init(struct trailer_iterator *iter, const char *msg)
@@ -1161,14 +1164,14 @@ void trailer_iterator_init(struct trailer_iterator *iter, const char *msg)
 	strbuf_init(&iter->key, 0);
 	strbuf_init(&iter->val, 0);
 	opts.no_divider = 1;
-	trailer_info_get(&opts, msg, &iter->internal.info);
+	iter->internal.info = trailer_info_get(&opts, msg);
 	iter->internal.cur = 0;
 }
 
 int trailer_iterator_advance(struct trailer_iterator *iter)
 {
-	if (iter->internal.cur < iter->internal.info.trailer_nr) {
-		char *line = iter->internal.info.trailers[iter->internal.cur++];
+	if (iter->internal.cur < iter->internal.info->trailer_nr) {
+		char *line = iter->internal.info->trailers[iter->internal.cur++];
 		int separator_pos = find_separator(line, separators);
 
 		iter->raw = line;
@@ -1185,7 +1188,7 @@ int trailer_iterator_advance(struct trailer_iterator *iter)
 
 void trailer_iterator_release(struct trailer_iterator *iter)
 {
-	trailer_info_release(&iter->internal.info);
+	trailer_info_release(iter->internal.info);
 	strbuf_release(&iter->val);
 	strbuf_release(&iter->key);
 }
diff --git a/trailer.h b/trailer.h
index 9ac4be853c5..b32213a9e23 100644
--- a/trailer.h
+++ b/trailer.h
@@ -89,18 +89,15 @@ void parse_trailers_from_command_line_args(struct list_head *arg_head,
 void process_trailers_lists(struct list_head *head,
 			    struct list_head *arg_head);
 
-void parse_trailers(const struct process_trailer_options *,
-		    struct trailer_info *,
-		    const char *str,
-		    struct list_head *head);
-
-void trailer_info_get(const struct process_trailer_options *,
-		      const char *str,
-		      struct trailer_info *);
+struct trailer_info *parse_trailers(const struct process_trailer_options *,
+				    const char *str,
+				    struct list_head *head);
+struct trailer_info *trailer_info_get(const struct process_trailer_options *,
+				      const char *str);
+
 size_t trailer_block_start(struct trailer_info *);
 size_t trailer_block_end(struct trailer_info *);
 int blank_line_before_trailer_block(struct trailer_info *);
-struct trailer_info *trailer_info_new(void);
 
 void trailer_info_release(struct trailer_info *info);
 
@@ -142,7 +139,7 @@ struct trailer_iterator {
 
 	/* private */
 	struct {
-		struct trailer_info info;
+		struct trailer_info *info;
 		size_t cur;
 	} internal;
 };

trailer.c, trailer.h

diff --git a/trailer.c b/trailer.c
index 9179dd802c6..6167b707ae0 100644
--- a/trailer.c
+++ b/trailer.c
@@ -11,6 +11,27 @@
  * Copyright (c) 2013, 2014 Christian Couder <chriscool@tuxfamily.org>
  */
 
+struct trailer_info {
+	/*
+	 * True if there is a blank line before the location pointed to by
+	 * trailer_block_start.
+	 */
+	int blank_line_before_trailer;
+
+	/*
+	 * Offsets to the trailer block start and end positions in the input
+	 * string. If no trailer block is found, these are both set to the
+	 * "true" end of the input (find_end_of_log_message()).
+	 */
+	size_t trailer_block_start, trailer_block_end;
+
+	/*
+	 * Array of trailers found.
+	 */
+	char **trailers;
+	size_t trailer_nr;
+};
+
 struct conf_info {
 	char *name;
 	char *key;
diff --git a/trailer.h b/trailer.h
index b32213a9e23..a63e97a2663 100644
--- a/trailer.h
+++ b/trailer.h
@@ -4,6 +4,8 @@
 #include "list.h"
 #include "strbuf.h"
 
+struct trailer_info;
+
 enum trailer_where {
 	WHERE_DEFAULT,
 	WHERE_END,
@@ -29,27 +31,6 @@ int trailer_set_where(enum trailer_where *item, const char *value);
 int trailer_set_if_exists(enum trailer_if_exists *item, const char *value);
 int trailer_set_if_missing(enum trailer_if_missing *item, const char *value);
 
-struct trailer_info {
-	/*
-	 * True if there is a blank line before the location pointed to by
-	 * trailer_block_start.
-	 */
-	int blank_line_before_trailer;
-
-	/*
-	 * Offsets to the trailer block start and end positions in the input
-	 * string. If no trailer block is found, these are both set to the
-	 * "true" end of the input (find_end_of_log_message()).
-	 */
-	size_t trailer_block_start, trailer_block_end;
-
-	/*
-	 * Array of trailers found.
-	 */
-	char **trailers;
-	size_t trailer_nr;
-};
-
 /*
  * A list that represents newly-added trailers, such as those provided
  * with the --trailer command line option of git-interpret-trailers.

trailer.c, trailer.h

diff --git a/trailer.c b/trailer.c
index 6167b707ae0..33b6aa7e8bd 100644
--- a/trailer.c
+++ b/trailer.c
@@ -979,6 +979,52 @@ static struct trailer_info *trailer_info_new(void)
 	return info;
 }
 
+static struct trailer_info *trailer_info_get(const struct process_trailer_options *opts,
+					     const char *str)
+{
+	struct trailer_info *info = trailer_info_new();
+	size_t end_of_log_message = 0, trailer_block_start = 0;
+	struct strbuf **trailer_lines, **ptr;
+	char **trailer_strings = NULL;
+	size_t nr = 0, alloc = 0;
+	char **last = NULL;
+
+	trailer_config_init();
+
+	end_of_log_message = find_end_of_log_message(str, opts->no_divider);
+	trailer_block_start = find_trailer_block_start(str, end_of_log_message);
+
+	trailer_lines = strbuf_split_buf(str + trailer_block_start,
+					 end_of_log_message - trailer_block_start,
+					 '\n',
+					 0);
+	for (ptr = trailer_lines; *ptr; ptr++) {
+		if (last && isspace((*ptr)->buf[0])) {
+			struct strbuf sb = STRBUF_INIT;
+			strbuf_attach(&sb, *last, strlen(*last), strlen(*last));
+			strbuf_addbuf(&sb, *ptr);
+			*last = strbuf_detach(&sb, NULL);
+			continue;
+		}
+		ALLOC_GROW(trailer_strings, nr + 1, alloc);
+		trailer_strings[nr] = strbuf_detach(*ptr, NULL);
+		last = find_separator(trailer_strings[nr], separators) >= 1
+			? &trailer_strings[nr]
+			: NULL;
+		nr++;
+	}
+	strbuf_list_free(trailer_lines);
+
+	info->blank_line_before_trailer = ends_with_blank_line(str,
+							       trailer_block_start);
+	info->trailer_block_start = trailer_block_start;
+	info->trailer_block_end = end_of_log_message;
+	info->trailers = trailer_strings;
+	info->trailer_nr = nr;
+
+	return info;
+}
+
 /*
  * Parse trailers in "str", populating the trailer info and "head"
  * linked list structure.
@@ -1044,52 +1090,6 @@ int blank_line_before_trailer_block(struct trailer_info *info)
 	return info->blank_line_before_trailer;
 }
 
-struct trailer_info *trailer_info_get(const struct process_trailer_options *opts,
-				      const char *str)
-{
-	struct trailer_info *info = trailer_info_new();
-	size_t end_of_log_message = 0, trailer_block_start = 0;
-	struct strbuf **trailer_lines, **ptr;
-	char **trailer_strings = NULL;
-	size_t nr = 0, alloc = 0;
-	char **last = NULL;
-
-	trailer_config_init();
-
-	end_of_log_message = find_end_of_log_message(str, opts->no_divider);
-	trailer_block_start = find_trailer_block_start(str, end_of_log_message);
-
-	trailer_lines = strbuf_split_buf(str + trailer_block_start,
-					 end_of_log_message - trailer_block_start,
-					 '\n',
-					 0);
-	for (ptr = trailer_lines; *ptr; ptr++) {
-		if (last && isspace((*ptr)->buf[0])) {
-			struct strbuf sb = STRBUF_INIT;
-			strbuf_attach(&sb, *last, strlen(*last), strlen(*last));
-			strbuf_addbuf(&sb, *ptr);
-			*last = strbuf_detach(&sb, NULL);
-			continue;
-		}
-		ALLOC_GROW(trailer_strings, nr + 1, alloc);
-		trailer_strings[nr] = strbuf_detach(*ptr, NULL);
-		last = find_separator(trailer_strings[nr], separators) >= 1
-			? &trailer_strings[nr]
-			: NULL;
-		nr++;
-	}
-	strbuf_list_free(trailer_lines);
-
-	info->blank_line_before_trailer = ends_with_blank_line(str,
-							       trailer_block_start);
-	info->trailer_block_start = trailer_block_start;
-	info->trailer_block_end = end_of_log_message;
-	info->trailers = trailer_strings;
-	info->trailer_nr = nr;
-
-	return info;
-}
-
 void trailer_info_release(struct trailer_info *info)
 {
 	size_t i;
diff --git a/trailer.h b/trailer.h
index a63e97a2663..1b7422fa2b0 100644
--- a/trailer.h
+++ b/trailer.h
@@ -73,8 +73,6 @@ void process_trailers_lists(struct list_head *head,
 struct trailer_info *parse_trailers(const struct process_trailer_options *,
 				    const char *str,
 				    struct list_head *head);
-struct trailer_info *trailer_info_get(const struct process_trailer_options *,
-				      const char *str);
 
 size_t trailer_block_start(struct trailer_info *);
 size_t trailer_block_end(struct trailer_info *);

diff --git a/t/unit-tests/t-trailer.c b/t/unit-tests/t-trailer.c
index 262e2838273..2abba913d00 100644
--- a/t/unit-tests/t-trailer.c
+++ b/t/unit-tests/t-trailer.c
@@ -1,14 +1,27 @@
 #include "test-lib.h"
 #include "trailer.h"
 
-static void t_trailer_iterator(const char *msg, size_t num_expected_objects)
+struct trailer_assertions {
+	const char *raw;
+	const char *key;
+	const char *val;
+};
+
+static void t_trailer_iterator(const char *msg, size_t num_expected_objects,
+			       struct trailer_assertions *trailer_assertions)
 {
 	struct trailer_iterator iter;
 	size_t i = 0;
 
 	trailer_iterator_init(&iter, msg);
-	while (trailer_iterator_advance(&iter))
+	while (trailer_iterator_advance(&iter)) {
+		if (num_expected_objects) {
+			check_str(iter.raw, trailer_assertions[i].raw);
+			check_str(iter.key.buf, trailer_assertions[i].key);
+			check_str(iter.val.buf, trailer_assertions[i].val);
+		}
 		i++;
+	}
 	trailer_iterator_release(&iter);
 
 	check_uint(i, ==, num_expected_objects);
@@ -16,22 +29,26 @@ static void t_trailer_iterator(const char *msg, size_t num_expected_objects)
 
 static void run_t_trailer_iterator(void)
 {
+
 	static struct test_cases {
 		const char *name;
 		const char *msg;
 		size_t num_expected_objects;
+		struct trailer_assertions trailer_assertions[10];
 	} tc[] = {
 		{
 			"empty input",
 			"",
-			0
+			0,
+			{{0}},
 		},
 		{
 			"no newline at beginning",
 			"Fixes: x\n"
 			"Acked-by: x\n"
 			"Reviewed-by: x\n",
-			0
+			0,
+			{{0}},
 		},
 		{
 			"newline at beginning",
@@ -39,7 +56,27 @@ static void run_t_trailer_iterator(void)
 			"Fixes: x\n"
 			"Acked-by: x\n"
 			"Reviewed-by: x\n",
-			3
+			3,
+			{
+				{
+					.raw = "Fixes: x\n",
+					.key = "Fixes",
+					.val = "x",
+				},
+				{
+					.raw = "Acked-by: x\n",
+					.key = "Acked-by",
+					.val = "x",
+				},
+				{
+					.raw = "Reviewed-by: x\n",
+					.key = "Reviewed-by",
+					.val = "x",
+				},
+				{
+					0
+				},
+			},
 		},
 		{
 			"without body text",
@@ -48,7 +85,27 @@ static void run_t_trailer_iterator(void)
 			"Fixes: x\n"
 			"Acked-by: x\n"
 			"Reviewed-by: x\n",
-			3
+			3,
+			{
+				{
+					.raw = "Fixes: x\n",
+					.key = "Fixes",
+					.val = "x",
+				},
+				{
+					.raw = "Acked-by: x\n",
+					.key = "Acked-by",
+					.val = "x",
+				},
+				{
+					.raw = "Reviewed-by: x\n",
+					.key = "Reviewed-by",
+					.val = "x",
+				},
+				{
+					0
+				},
+			},
 		},
 		{
 			"with body text, without divider",
@@ -63,7 +120,32 @@ static void run_t_trailer_iterator(void)
 			"Acked-by: x\n"
 			"Reviewed-by: x\n"
 			"Signed-off-by: x\n",
-			4
+			4,
+			{
+				{
+					.raw = "Fixes: x\n",
+					.key = "Fixes",
+					.val = "x",
+				},
+				{
+					.raw = "Acked-by: x\n",
+					.key = "Acked-by",
+					.val = "x",
+				},
+				{
+					.raw = "Reviewed-by: x\n",
+					.key = "Reviewed-by",
+					.val = "x",
+				},
+				{
+					.raw = "Signed-off-by: x\n",
+					.key = "Signed-off-by",
+					.val = "x",
+				},
+				{
+					0
+				},
+			},
 		},
 		{
 			"with body text, without divider (second trailer block)",
@@ -85,7 +167,22 @@ static void run_t_trailer_iterator(void)
 			 */
 			"Helped-by: x\n"
 			"Signed-off-by: x\n",
-			2
+			2,
+			{
+				{
+					.raw = "Helped-by: x\n",
+					.key = "Helped-by",
+					.val = "x",
+				},
+				{
+					.raw = "Signed-off-by: x\n",
+					.key = "Signed-off-by",
+					.val = "x",
+				},
+				{
+					0
+				},
+			},
 		},
 		{
 			"with body text, with divider",
@@ -103,7 +200,17 @@ static void run_t_trailer_iterator(void)
 			 * always ignores the divider.
 			 */
 			"Signed-off-by: x\n",
-			1
+			1,
+			{
+				{
+					.raw = "Signed-off-by: x\n",
+					.key = "Signed-off-by",
+					.val = "x",
+				},
+				{
+					0
+				},
+			},
 		},
 		{
 			"with non-trailer lines in trailer block",
@@ -125,7 +232,32 @@ static void run_t_trailer_iterator(void)
 			 * because we still want to iterate through the entire
 			 * block.
 			 */
-			4
+			4,
+			{
+				{
+					.raw = "not a trailer line\n",
+					.key = "not a trailer line",
+					.val = "",
+				},
+				{
+					.raw = "not a trailer line\n",
+					.key = "not a trailer line",
+					.val = "",
+				},
+				{
+					.raw = "not a trailer line\n",
+					.key = "not a trailer line",
+					.val = "",
+				},
+				{
+					.raw = "Signed-off-by: x\n",
+					.key = "Signed-off-by",
+					.val = "x",
+				},
+				{
+					0
+				},
+			},
 		},
 		{
 			"with non-trailer lines (one too many) in trailer block",
@@ -140,7 +272,8 @@ static void run_t_trailer_iterator(void)
 			"not a trailer line\n"
 			"not a trailer line\n"
 			"Signed-off-by: x\n",
-			0
+			0,
+			{{0}},
 		},
 		{
 			"with non-trailer lines (only 1) in trailer block, but no Git-generated trailers",
@@ -162,13 +295,15 @@ static void run_t_trailer_iterator(void)
 			"Acked-by: x\n"
 			"Acked-by: x\n"
 			"not a trailer line\n",
-			0
+			0,
+			{{0}},
 		},
 	};
 
 	for (int i = 0; i < sizeof(tc) / sizeof(tc[0]); i++) {
 		TEST(t_trailer_iterator(tc[i].msg,
-					tc[i].num_expected_objects),
+					tc[i].num_expected_objects,
+					tc[i].trailer_assertions),
 		     "%s", tc[i].name);
 	}
 }

trailer.c, trailer.h

diff --git a/trailer.c b/trailer.c
index 33b6aa7e8bd..406745264aa 100644
--- a/trailer.c
+++ b/trailer.c
@@ -1026,12 +1026,12 @@ static struct trailer_info *trailer_info_get(const struct process_trailer_option
 }
 
 /*
- * Parse trailers in "str", populating the trailer info and "head"
+ * Parse trailers in "str", populating the trailer info and "trailer_objects"
  * linked list structure.
  */
 struct trailer_info *parse_trailers(const struct process_trailer_options *opts,
 				    const char *str,
-				    struct list_head *head)
+				    struct list_head *trailer_objects)
 {
 	struct trailer_info *info;
 	struct strbuf tok = STRBUF_INIT;
@@ -1051,13 +1051,13 @@ struct trailer_info *parse_trailers(const struct process_trailer_options *opts,
 				      separator_pos);
 			if (opts->unfold)
 				unfold_value(&val);
-			add_trailer_item(head,
+			add_trailer_item(trailer_objects,
 					 strbuf_detach(&tok, NULL),
 					 strbuf_detach(&val, NULL));
 		} else if (!opts->only_trailers) {
 			strbuf_addstr(&val, trailer);
 			strbuf_strip_suffix(&val, "\n");
-			add_trailer_item(head,
+			add_trailer_item(trailer_objects,
 					 NULL,
 					 strbuf_detach(&val, NULL));
 		}
diff --git a/trailer.h b/trailer.h
index 1b7422fa2b0..647d48aa2de 100644
--- a/trailer.h
+++ b/trailer.h
@@ -70,14 +70,63 @@ void parse_trailers_from_command_line_args(struct list_head *arg_head,
 void process_trailers_lists(struct list_head *head,
 			    struct list_head *arg_head);
 
+/*
+ * Given some input string "str", return a pointer to an opaque trailer_info
+ * structure. Also populate the trailer_objects list with parsed trailer
+ * objects. Internally this calls trailer_info_get() to get the opaque pointer,
+ * but does some extra work to populate the trailer_objects linked list.
+ *
+ * The opaque trailer_info pointer can be used to check the position of the
+ * trailer block as offsets relative to the beginning of "str" in
+ * trailer_block_start() and trailer_block_end().
+ * blank_line_before_trailer_block() returns 1 if there is a blank line just
+ * before the trailer block. All of these functions are useful for preserving
+ * the input before and after the trailer block, if we were to write out the
+ * original input (but with the trailer block itself modified); see
+ * builtin/interpret-trailers.c for an example.
+ *
+ * For iterating through the parsed trailer block (if you don't care about the
+ * position of the trailer block itself in the context of the larger string text
+ * from which it was parsed), please see trailer_iterator_init() which uses the
+ * trailer_info struct internally.
+ *
+ * Lastly, callers should call trailer_info_release() when they are done using
+ * the opaque pointer.
+ *
+ * NOTE: Callers should treat both trailer_info and trailer_objects as
+ * read-only items, because there is some overlap between the two (trailer_info
+ * has "char **trailers" string array, and trailer_objects will have the same
+ * data but as a linked list of trailer_item objects). This API does not perform
+ * any synchronization between the two. In the future we should be able to
+ * reduce the duplication and use just the linked list.
+ */
 struct trailer_info *parse_trailers(const struct process_trailer_options *,
 				    const char *str,
-				    struct list_head *head);
+				    struct list_head *trailer_objects);
 
+/*
+ * Return the offset of the start of the trailer block. That is, 0 is the start
+ * of the input ("str" in parse_trailers()) and some other positive number
+ * indicates how many bytes we have to skip over before we get to the beginning
+ * of the trailer block.
+ */
 size_t trailer_block_start(struct trailer_info *);
+
+/*
+ * Return the end of the trailer block, again relative to the start of the
+ * input.
+ */
 size_t trailer_block_end(struct trailer_info *);
+
+/*
+ * Return 1 if the trailer block had an extra newline (blank line) just before
+ * it.
+ */
 int blank_line_before_trailer_block(struct trailer_info *);
 
+/*
+ * Free trailer_info struct.
+ */
 void trailer_info_release(struct trailer_info *info);
 
 void trailer_config_init(void);

diff --git a/Makefile b/Makefile
index 4e255c81f22..d3a3f16f076 100644
--- a/Makefile
+++ b/Makefile
@@ -1343,10 +1343,10 @@ THIRD_PARTY_SOURCES += sha1collisiondetection/%
 THIRD_PARTY_SOURCES += sha1dc/%
 
 UNIT_TEST_PROGRAMS += t-basic
-UNIT_TEST_PROGRAMS += t-mem-pool
-UNIT_TEST_PROGRAMS += t-strbuf
 UNIT_TEST_PROGRAMS += t-ctype
+UNIT_TEST_PROGRAMS += t-mem-pool
 UNIT_TEST_PROGRAMS += t-prio-queue
+UNIT_TEST_PROGRAMS += t-strbuf
 UNIT_TEST_PROGS = $(patsubst %,$(UNIT_TEST_BIN)/%$X,$(UNIT_TEST_PROGRAMS))
 UNIT_TEST_OBJS = $(patsubst %,$(UNIT_TEST_DIR)/%.o,$(UNIT_TEST_PROGRAMS))
 UNIT_TEST_OBJS += $(UNIT_TEST_DIR)/test-lib.o

Makefile, t/unit-tests/t-trailer.c

diff --git a/Makefile b/Makefile
index d3a3f16f076..5418ddd03be 100644
--- a/Makefile
+++ b/Makefile
@@ -1347,6 +1347,7 @@ UNIT_TEST_PROGRAMS += t-ctype
 UNIT_TEST_PROGRAMS += t-mem-pool
 UNIT_TEST_PROGRAMS += t-prio-queue
 UNIT_TEST_PROGRAMS += t-strbuf
+UNIT_TEST_PROGRAMS += t-trailer
 UNIT_TEST_PROGS = $(patsubst %,$(UNIT_TEST_BIN)/%$X,$(UNIT_TEST_PROGRAMS))
 UNIT_TEST_OBJS = $(patsubst %,$(UNIT_TEST_DIR)/%.o,$(UNIT_TEST_PROGRAMS))
 UNIT_TEST_OBJS += $(UNIT_TEST_DIR)/test-lib.o
diff --git a/t/unit-tests/t-trailer.c b/t/unit-tests/t-trailer.c
new file mode 100644
index 00000000000..c1f897235c7
--- /dev/null
+++ b/t/unit-tests/t-trailer.c
@@ -0,0 +1,174 @@
+#include "test-lib.h"
+#include "trailer.h"
+
+static void t_trailer_iterator(const char *msg, size_t num_expected_trailers)
+{
+	struct trailer_iterator iter;
+	size_t i = 0;
+
+	trailer_iterator_init(&iter, msg);
+	while (trailer_iterator_advance(&iter))
+		i++;
+	trailer_iterator_release(&iter);
+
+	check_uint(i, ==, num_expected_trailers);
+}
+
+static void run_t_trailer_iterator(void)
+{
+	static struct test_cases {
+		const char *name;
+		const char *msg;
+		size_t num_expected_trailers;
+	} tc[] = {
+		{
+			"empty input",
+			"",
+			0
+		},
+		{
+			"no newline at beginning",
+			"Fixes: x\n"
+			"Acked-by: x\n"
+			"Reviewed-by: x\n",
+			0
+		},
+		{
+			"newline at beginning",
+			"\n"
+			"Fixes: x\n"
+			"Acked-by: x\n"
+			"Reviewed-by: x\n",
+			3
+		},
+		{
+			"without body text",
+			"subject: foo bar\n"
+			"\n"
+			"Fixes: x\n"
+			"Acked-by: x\n"
+			"Reviewed-by: x\n",
+			3
+		},
+		{
+			"with body text, without divider",
+			"my subject\n"
+			"\n"
+			"my body which is long\n"
+			"and contains some special\n"
+			"chars like : = ? !\n"
+			"hello\n"
+			"\n"
+			"Fixes: x\n"
+			"Acked-by: x\n"
+			"Reviewed-by: x\n"
+			"Signed-off-by: x\n",
+			4
+		},
+		{
+			"with body text, without divider (second trailer block)",
+			"my subject\n"
+			"\n"
+			"my body which is long\n"
+			"and contains some special\n"
+			"chars like : = ? !\n"
+			"hello\n"
+			"\n"
+			"Fixes: x\n"
+			"Acked-by: x\n"
+			"Reviewed-by: x\n"
+			"Signed-off-by: x\n"
+			"\n"
+			/*
+			 * Because this is the last trailer block, it takes
+			 * precedence over the first one encountered above.
+			 */
+			"Helped-by: x\n"
+			"Signed-off-by: x\n",
+			2
+		},
+		{
+			"with body text, with divider",
+			"my subject\n"
+			"\n"
+			"my body which is long\n"
+			"and contains some special\n"
+			"chars like : = ? !\n"
+			"hello\n"
+			"\n"
+			"---\n"
+			"\n"
+			/*
+			 * This trailer still counts because the iterator
+			 * always ignores the divider.
+			 */
+			"Signed-off-by: x\n",
+			1
+		},
+		{
+			"with non-trailer lines in trailer block",
+			"subject: foo bar\n"
+			"\n"
+			/*
+			 * Even though this trailer block has a non-trailer line
+			 * in it, it's still a valid trailer block because it's
+			 * at least 25% trailers and is Git-generated (see
+			 * git_generated_prefixes[] in trailer.c).
+			 */
+			"not a trailer line\n"
+			"not a trailer line\n"
+			"not a trailer line\n"
+			"Signed-off-by: x\n",
+			1
+		},
+		{
+			"with non-trailer lines (one too many) in trailer block",
+			"subject: foo bar\n"
+			"\n"
+			/*
+			 * This block has only 20% trailers, so it's below the
+			 * 25% threshold.
+			 */
+			"not a trailer line\n"
+			"not a trailer line\n"
+			"not a trailer line\n"
+			"not a trailer line\n"
+			"Signed-off-by: x\n",
+			0
+		},
+		{
+			"with non-trailer lines (only 1) in trailer block, but no Git-generated trailers",
+			"subject: foo bar\n"
+			"\n"
+			/*
+			 * This block has only 1 non-trailer out of 10 (IOW, 90%
+			 * trailers) but is not considered a trailer block
+			 * because the 25% threshold only applies to cases where
+			 * there was a Git-generated trailer.
+			 */
+			"Reviewed-by: x\n"
+			"Reviewed-by: x\n"
+			"Reviewed-by: x\n"
+			"Helped-by: x\n"
+			"Helped-by: x\n"
+			"Helped-by: x\n"
+			"Acked-by: x\n"
+			"Acked-by: x\n"
+			"Acked-by: x\n"
+			"not a trailer line\n",
+			0
+		},
+	};
+
+	for (int i = 0; i < sizeof(tc) / sizeof(tc[0]); i++) {
+		TEST(t_trailer_iterator(tc[i].msg,
+					tc[i].num_expected_trailers),
+		     "%s", tc[i].name);
+	}
+}
+
+int cmd_main(int argc, const char **argv)
+{
+	run_t_trailer_iterator();
+	return test_done();
+}

t/unit-tests/t-trailer.c, trailer.c, trailer.h

diff --git a/t/unit-tests/t-trailer.c b/t/unit-tests/t-trailer.c
index c1f897235c7..4f640d2a4b8 100644
--- a/t/unit-tests/t-trailer.c
+++ b/t/unit-tests/t-trailer.c
@@ -1,7 +1,7 @@
 #include "test-lib.h"
 #include "trailer.h"
 
-static void t_trailer_iterator(const char *msg, size_t num_expected_trailers)
+static void t_trailer_iterator(const char *msg, size_t num_expected)
 {
 	struct trailer_iterator iter;
 	size_t i = 0;
@@ -11,7 +11,7 @@ static void t_trailer_iterator(const char *msg, size_t num_expected_trailers)
 		i++;
 	trailer_iterator_release(&iter);
 
-	check_uint(i, ==, num_expected_trailers);
+	check_uint(i, ==, num_expected);
 }
 
 static void run_t_trailer_iterator(void)
@@ -19,7 +19,7 @@ static void run_t_trailer_iterator(void)
 	static struct test_cases {
 		const char *name;
 		const char *msg;
-		size_t num_expected_trailers;
+		size_t num_expected;
 	} tc[] = {
 		{
 			"empty input",
@@ -119,7 +119,13 @@ static void run_t_trailer_iterator(void)
 			"not a trailer line\n"
 			"not a trailer line\n"
 			"Signed-off-by: x\n",
-			1
+			/*
+			 * Even though there is only really 1 real "trailer"
+			 * (Signed-off-by), we still have 4 trailer objects
+			 * because we still want to iterate through the entire
+			 * block.
+			 */
+			4
 		},
 		{
 			"with non-trailer lines (one too many) in trailer block",
@@ -162,7 +168,7 @@ static void run_t_trailer_iterator(void)
 
 	for (int i = 0; i < sizeof(tc) / sizeof(tc[0]); i++) {
 		TEST(t_trailer_iterator(tc[i].msg,
-					tc[i].num_expected_trailers),
+					tc[i].num_expected),
 		     "%s", tc[i].name);
 	}
 }
diff --git a/trailer.c b/trailer.c
index 3e4dab9c065..4700c441442 100644
--- a/trailer.c
+++ b/trailer.c
@@ -1146,17 +1146,15 @@ void trailer_iterator_init(struct trailer_iterator *iter, const char *msg)
 
 int trailer_iterator_advance(struct trailer_iterator *iter)
 {
-	while (iter->internal.cur < iter->internal.info.trailer_nr) {
-		char *trailer = iter->internal.info.trailers[iter->internal.cur++];
-		int separator_pos = find_separator(trailer, separators);
-
-		if (separator_pos < 1)
-			continue; /* not a real trailer */
+	if (iter->internal.cur < iter->internal.info.trailer_nr) {
+		char *line = iter->internal.info.trailers[iter->internal.cur++];
+		int separator_pos = find_separator(line, separators);
 
+		iter->raw = line;
 		strbuf_reset(&iter->key);
 		strbuf_reset(&iter->val);
 		parse_trailer(&iter->key, &iter->val, NULL,
-			      trailer, separator_pos);
+			      line, separator_pos);
 		/* Always unfold values during iteration. */
 		unfold_value(&iter->val);
 		return 1;
diff --git a/trailer.h b/trailer.h
index 9f42aa75994..7e36da7d13c 100644
--- a/trailer.h
+++ b/trailer.h
@@ -125,6 +125,13 @@ void format_trailers_from_commit(const struct process_trailer_options *,
  *   trailer_iterator_release(&iter);
  */
 struct trailer_iterator {
+	/*
+	 * Raw line (e.g., "foo: bar baz") before being parsed as a trailer
+	 * key/val pair as part of a trailer block (as the "key" and "val"
+	 * fields below). If a line fails to parse as a trailer, then the "key"
+	 * will be the entire line and "val" will be the empty string.
+	 */
+	const char *raw;
 	struct strbuf key;
 	struct strbuf val;
 

diff --git a/sequencer.c b/sequencer.c
index ea1441e6174..4c1f6c675e7 100644
--- a/sequencer.c
+++ b/sequencer.c
@@ -319,35 +319,32 @@ static const char *get_todo_path(const struct replay_opts *opts)
 static int has_conforming_footer(struct strbuf *sb, struct strbuf *sob,
 	size_t ignore_footer)
 {
-	struct process_trailer_options opts = PROCESS_TRAILER_OPTIONS_INIT;
-	struct trailer_info info;
-	size_t i;
+	struct trailer_iterator iter;
+	size_t i = 0;
 	int found_sob = 0, found_sob_last = 0;
 	char saved_char;
 
-	opts.no_divider = 1;
-
 	if (ignore_footer) {
 		saved_char = sb->buf[sb->len - ignore_footer];
 		sb->buf[sb->len - ignore_footer] = '\0';
 	}
 
-	trailer_info_get(&opts, sb->buf, &info);
+	trailer_iterator_init(&iter, sb->buf);
 
 	if (ignore_footer)
 		sb->buf[sb->len - ignore_footer] = saved_char;
 
-	if (info.trailer_block_start == info.trailer_block_end)
-		return 0;
+	while (trailer_iterator_advance(&iter)) {
+		i++;
+		if (sob && !strncmp(iter.raw, sob->buf, sob->len))
+			found_sob = i;
+	}
+	trailer_iterator_release(&iter);
 
-	for (i = 0; i < info.trailer_nr; i++)
-		if (sob && !strncmp(info.trailers[i], sob->buf, sob->len)) {
-			found_sob = 1;
-			if (i == info.trailer_nr - 1)
-				found_sob_last = 1;
-		}
+	if (!i)
+		return 0;
 
-	trailer_info_release(&info);
+	found_sob_last = (int)i == found_sob;
 
 	if (found_sob_last)
 		return 3;

builtin/interpret-trailers.c, trailer.c, trailer.h

diff --git a/builtin/interpret-trailers.c b/builtin/interpret-trailers.c
index 11f4ce9e4a2..f3240682e35 100644
--- a/builtin/interpret-trailers.c
+++ b/builtin/interpret-trailers.c
@@ -141,7 +141,7 @@ static void interpret_trailers(const struct process_trailer_options *opts,
 	LIST_HEAD(head);
 	struct strbuf sb = STRBUF_INIT;
 	struct strbuf trailer_block = STRBUF_INIT;
-	struct trailer_info info;
+	struct trailer_info *info = trailer_info_new();
 	FILE *outfile = stdout;
 
 	trailer_config_init();
@@ -151,13 +151,13 @@ static void interpret_trailers(const struct process_trailer_options *opts,
 	if (opts->in_place)
 		outfile = create_in_place_tempfile(file);
 
-	parse_trailers(opts, &info, sb.buf, &head);
+	parse_trailers(opts, info, sb.buf, &head);
 
 	/* Print the lines before the trailers */
 	if (!opts->only_trailers)
-		fwrite(sb.buf, 1, info.trailer_block_start, outfile);
+		fwrite(sb.buf, 1, trailer_block_start(info), outfile);
 
-	if (!opts->only_trailers && !info.blank_line_before_trailer)
+	if (!opts->only_trailers && !blank_line_before_trailer_block(info))
 		fprintf(outfile, "\n");
 
 
@@ -178,8 +178,8 @@ static void interpret_trailers(const struct process_trailer_options *opts,
 
 	/* Print the lines after the trailers as is */
 	if (!opts->only_trailers)
-		fwrite(sb.buf + info.trailer_block_end, 1, sb.len - info.trailer_block_end, outfile);
-	trailer_info_release(&info);
+		fwrite(sb.buf + trailer_block_end(info), 1, sb.len - trailer_block_end(info), outfile);
+	trailer_info_release(info);
 
 	if (opts->in_place)
 		if (rename_tempfile(&trailers_tempfile, file))
diff --git a/trailer.c b/trailer.c
index 4700c441442..95b4c9b8f19 100644
--- a/trailer.c
+++ b/trailer.c
@@ -952,6 +952,12 @@ static void unfold_value(struct strbuf *val)
 	strbuf_release(&out);
 }
 
+struct trailer_info *trailer_info_new(void)
+{
+	struct trailer_info *info = xcalloc(1, sizeof(*info));
+	return info;
+}
+
 /*
  * Parse trailers in "str", populating the trailer info and "head"
  * linked list structure.
@@ -1000,6 +1006,21 @@ void free_trailers(struct list_head *trailers)
 	}
 }
 
+size_t trailer_block_start(struct trailer_info *info)
+{
+	return info->trailer_block_start;
+}
+
+size_t trailer_block_end(struct trailer_info *info)
+{
+	return info->trailer_block_end;
+}
+
+int blank_line_before_trailer_block(struct trailer_info *info)
+{
+	return info->blank_line_before_trailer;
+}
+
 void trailer_info_get(const struct process_trailer_options *opts,
 		      const char *str,
 		      struct trailer_info *info)
diff --git a/trailer.h b/trailer.h
index 7e36da7d13c..9ba96721398 100644
--- a/trailer.h
+++ b/trailer.h
@@ -97,6 +97,10 @@ void parse_trailers(const struct process_trailer_options *,
 void trailer_info_get(const struct process_trailer_options *,
 		      const char *str,
 		      struct trailer_info *);
+size_t trailer_block_start(struct trailer_info *);
+size_t trailer_block_end(struct trailer_info *);
+int blank_line_before_trailer_block(struct trailer_info *);
+struct trailer_info *trailer_info_new(void);
 
 void trailer_info_release(struct trailer_info *info);
 

builtin/interpret-trailers.c, trailer.c, trailer.h

diff --git a/builtin/interpret-trailers.c b/builtin/interpret-trailers.c
index f3240682e35..6bf8cec005a 100644
--- a/builtin/interpret-trailers.c
+++ b/builtin/interpret-trailers.c
@@ -141,7 +141,7 @@ static void interpret_trailers(const struct process_trailer_options *opts,
 	LIST_HEAD(head);
 	struct strbuf sb = STRBUF_INIT;
 	struct strbuf trailer_block = STRBUF_INIT;
-	struct trailer_info *info = trailer_info_new();
+	struct trailer_info *info;
 	FILE *outfile = stdout;
 
 	trailer_config_init();
@@ -151,7 +151,7 @@ static void interpret_trailers(const struct process_trailer_options *opts,
 	if (opts->in_place)
 		outfile = create_in_place_tempfile(file);
 
-	parse_trailers(opts, info, sb.buf, &head);
+	info = parse_trailers(opts, sb.buf, &head);
 
 	/* Print the lines before the trailers */
 	if (!opts->only_trailers)
diff --git a/trailer.c b/trailer.c
index 95b4c9b8f19..9179dd802c6 100644
--- a/trailer.c
+++ b/trailer.c
@@ -952,7 +952,7 @@ static void unfold_value(struct strbuf *val)
 	strbuf_release(&out);
 }
 
-struct trailer_info *trailer_info_new(void)
+static struct trailer_info *trailer_info_new(void)
 {
 	struct trailer_info *info = xcalloc(1, sizeof(*info));
 	return info;
@@ -962,16 +962,16 @@ struct trailer_info *trailer_info_new(void)
  * Parse trailers in "str", populating the trailer info and "head"
  * linked list structure.
  */
-void parse_trailers(const struct process_trailer_options *opts,
-		    struct trailer_info *info,
-		    const char *str,
-		    struct list_head *head)
+struct trailer_info *parse_trailers(const struct process_trailer_options *opts,
+				    const char *str,
+				    struct list_head *head)
 {
+	struct trailer_info *info;
 	struct strbuf tok = STRBUF_INIT;
 	struct strbuf val = STRBUF_INIT;
 	size_t i;
 
-	trailer_info_get(opts, str, info);
+	info = trailer_info_get(opts, str);
 
 	for (i = 0; i < info->trailer_nr; i++) {
 		int separator_pos;
@@ -995,6 +995,8 @@ void parse_trailers(const struct process_trailer_options *opts,
 					 strbuf_detach(&val, NULL));
 		}
 	}
+
+	return info;
 }
 
 void free_trailers(struct list_head *trailers)
@@ -1021,10 +1023,10 @@ int blank_line_before_trailer_block(struct trailer_info *info)
 	return info->blank_line_before_trailer;
 }
 
-void trailer_info_get(const struct process_trailer_options *opts,
-		      const char *str,
-		      struct trailer_info *info)
+struct trailer_info *trailer_info_get(const struct process_trailer_options *opts,
+				      const char *str)
 {
+	struct trailer_info *info = trailer_info_new();
 	size_t end_of_log_message = 0, trailer_block_start = 0;
 	struct strbuf **trailer_lines, **ptr;
 	char **trailer_strings = NULL;
@@ -1063,6 +1065,8 @@ void trailer_info_get(const struct process_trailer_options *opts,
 	info->trailer_block_end = end_of_log_message;
 	info->trailers = trailer_strings;
 	info->trailer_nr = nr;
+
+	return info;
 }
 
 void trailer_info_release(struct trailer_info *info)
@@ -1071,6 +1075,7 @@ void trailer_info_release(struct trailer_info *info)
 	for (i = 0; i < info->trailer_nr; i++)
 		free(info->trailers[i]);
 	free(info->trailers);
+	free(info);
 }
 
 void format_trailers(const struct process_trailer_options *opts,
@@ -1138,21 +1143,19 @@ void format_trailers_from_commit(const struct process_trailer_options *opts,
 				 struct strbuf *out)
 {
 	LIST_HEAD(trailer_objects);
-	struct trailer_info info;
-
-	parse_trailers(opts, &info, msg, &trailer_objects);
+	struct trailer_info *info = parse_trailers(opts, msg, &trailer_objects);
 
 	/* If we want the whole block untouched, we can take the fast path. */
 	if (!opts->only_trailers && !opts->unfold && !opts->filter &&
 	    !opts->separator && !opts->key_only && !opts->value_only &&
 	    !opts->key_value_separator) {
-		strbuf_add(out, msg + info.trailer_block_start,
-			   info.trailer_block_end - info.trailer_block_start);
+		strbuf_add(out, msg + info->trailer_block_start,
+			   info->trailer_block_end - info->trailer_block_start);
 	} else
 		format_trailers(opts, &trailer_objects, out);
 
 	free_trailers(&trailer_objects);
-	trailer_info_release(&info);
+	trailer_info_release(info);
 }
 
 void trailer_iterator_init(struct trailer_iterator *iter, const char *msg)
@@ -1161,14 +1164,14 @@ void trailer_iterator_init(struct trailer_iterator *iter, const char *msg)
 	strbuf_init(&iter->key, 0);
 	strbuf_init(&iter->val, 0);
 	opts.no_divider = 1;
-	trailer_info_get(&opts, msg, &iter->internal.info);
+	iter->internal.info = trailer_info_get(&opts, msg);
 	iter->internal.cur = 0;
 }
 
 int trailer_iterator_advance(struct trailer_iterator *iter)
 {
-	if (iter->internal.cur < iter->internal.info.trailer_nr) {
-		char *line = iter->internal.info.trailers[iter->internal.cur++];
+	if (iter->internal.cur < iter->internal.info->trailer_nr) {
+		char *line = iter->internal.info->trailers[iter->internal.cur++];
 		int separator_pos = find_separator(line, separators);
 
 		iter->raw = line;
@@ -1185,7 +1188,7 @@ int trailer_iterator_advance(struct trailer_iterator *iter)
 
 void trailer_iterator_release(struct trailer_iterator *iter)
 {
-	trailer_info_release(&iter->internal.info);
+	trailer_info_release(iter->internal.info);
 	strbuf_release(&iter->val);
 	strbuf_release(&iter->key);
 }
diff --git a/trailer.h b/trailer.h
index 9ba96721398..c8c0018c54d 100644
--- a/trailer.h
+++ b/trailer.h
@@ -89,18 +89,15 @@ void parse_trailers_from_command_line_args(struct list_head *arg_head,
 void process_trailers_lists(struct list_head *head,
 			    struct list_head *arg_head);
 
-void parse_trailers(const struct process_trailer_options *,
-		    struct trailer_info *,
-		    const char *str,
-		    struct list_head *head);
-
-void trailer_info_get(const struct process_trailer_options *,
-		      const char *str,
-		      struct trailer_info *);
+struct trailer_info *parse_trailers(const struct process_trailer_options *,
+				    const char *str,
+				    struct list_head *head);
+struct trailer_info *trailer_info_get(const struct process_trailer_options *,
+				      const char *str);
+
 size_t trailer_block_start(struct trailer_info *);
 size_t trailer_block_end(struct trailer_info *);
 int blank_line_before_trailer_block(struct trailer_info *);
-struct trailer_info *trailer_info_new(void);
 
 void trailer_info_release(struct trailer_info *info);
 
@@ -141,7 +138,7 @@ struct trailer_iterator {
 
 	/* private */
 	struct {
-		struct trailer_info info;
+		struct trailer_info *info;
 		size_t cur;
 	} internal;
 };

trailer.c, trailer.h

diff --git a/trailer.c b/trailer.c
index 9179dd802c6..6167b707ae0 100644
--- a/trailer.c
+++ b/trailer.c
@@ -11,6 +11,27 @@
  * Copyright (c) 2013, 2014 Christian Couder <chriscool@tuxfamily.org>
  */
 
+struct trailer_info {
+	/*
+	 * True if there is a blank line before the location pointed to by
+	 * trailer_block_start.
+	 */
+	int blank_line_before_trailer;
+
+	/*
+	 * Offsets to the trailer block start and end positions in the input
+	 * string. If no trailer block is found, these are both set to the
+	 * "true" end of the input (find_end_of_log_message()).
+	 */
+	size_t trailer_block_start, trailer_block_end;
+
+	/*
+	 * Array of trailers found.
+	 */
+	char **trailers;
+	size_t trailer_nr;
+};
+
 struct conf_info {
 	char *name;
 	char *key;
diff --git a/trailer.h b/trailer.h
index c8c0018c54d..4e0a6789d7f 100644
--- a/trailer.h
+++ b/trailer.h
@@ -4,6 +4,8 @@
 #include "list.h"
 #include "strbuf.h"
 
+struct trailer_info;
+
 enum trailer_where {
 	WHERE_DEFAULT,
 	WHERE_END,
@@ -29,27 +31,6 @@ int trailer_set_where(enum trailer_where *item, const char *value);
 int trailer_set_if_exists(enum trailer_if_exists *item, const char *value);
 int trailer_set_if_missing(enum trailer_if_missing *item, const char *value);
 
-struct trailer_info {
-	/*
-	 * True if there is a blank line before the location pointed to by
-	 * trailer_block_start.
-	 */
-	int blank_line_before_trailer;
-
-	/*
-	 * Offsets to the trailer block start and end positions in the input
-	 * string. If no trailer block is found, these are both set to the
-	 * "true" end of the input (find_end_of_log_message()).
-	 */
-	size_t trailer_block_start, trailer_block_end;
-
-	/*
-	 * Array of trailers found.
-	 */
-	char **trailers;
-	size_t trailer_nr;
-};
-
 /*
  * A list that represents newly-added trailers, such as those provided
  * with the --trailer command line option of git-interpret-trailers.

trailer.c, trailer.h

diff --git a/trailer.c b/trailer.c
index 6167b707ae0..33b6aa7e8bd 100644
--- a/trailer.c
+++ b/trailer.c
@@ -979,6 +979,52 @@ static struct trailer_info *trailer_info_new(void)
 	return info;
 }
 
+static struct trailer_info *trailer_info_get(const struct process_trailer_options *opts,
+					     const char *str)
+{
+	struct trailer_info *info = trailer_info_new();
+	size_t end_of_log_message = 0, trailer_block_start = 0;
+	struct strbuf **trailer_lines, **ptr;
+	char **trailer_strings = NULL;
+	size_t nr = 0, alloc = 0;
+	char **last = NULL;
+
+	trailer_config_init();
+
+	end_of_log_message = find_end_of_log_message(str, opts->no_divider);
+	trailer_block_start = find_trailer_block_start(str, end_of_log_message);
+
+	trailer_lines = strbuf_split_buf(str + trailer_block_start,
+					 end_of_log_message - trailer_block_start,
+					 '\n',
+					 0);
+	for (ptr = trailer_lines; *ptr; ptr++) {
+		if (last && isspace((*ptr)->buf[0])) {
+			struct strbuf sb = STRBUF_INIT;
+			strbuf_attach(&sb, *last, strlen(*last), strlen(*last));
+			strbuf_addbuf(&sb, *ptr);
+			*last = strbuf_detach(&sb, NULL);
+			continue;
+		}
+		ALLOC_GROW(trailer_strings, nr + 1, alloc);
+		trailer_strings[nr] = strbuf_detach(*ptr, NULL);
+		last = find_separator(trailer_strings[nr], separators) >= 1
+			? &trailer_strings[nr]
+			: NULL;
+		nr++;
+	}
+	strbuf_list_free(trailer_lines);
+
+	info->blank_line_before_trailer = ends_with_blank_line(str,
+							       trailer_block_start);
+	info->trailer_block_start = trailer_block_start;
+	info->trailer_block_end = end_of_log_message;
+	info->trailers = trailer_strings;
+	info->trailer_nr = nr;
+
+	return info;
+}
+
 /*
  * Parse trailers in "str", populating the trailer info and "head"
  * linked list structure.
@@ -1044,52 +1090,6 @@ int blank_line_before_trailer_block(struct trailer_info *info)
 	return info->blank_line_before_trailer;
 }
 
-struct trailer_info *trailer_info_get(const struct process_trailer_options *opts,
-				      const char *str)
-{
-	struct trailer_info *info = trailer_info_new();
-	size_t end_of_log_message = 0, trailer_block_start = 0;
-	struct strbuf **trailer_lines, **ptr;
-	char **trailer_strings = NULL;
-	size_t nr = 0, alloc = 0;
-	char **last = NULL;
-
-	trailer_config_init();
-
-	end_of_log_message = find_end_of_log_message(str, opts->no_divider);
-	trailer_block_start = find_trailer_block_start(str, end_of_log_message);
-
-	trailer_lines = strbuf_split_buf(str + trailer_block_start,
-					 end_of_log_message - trailer_block_start,
-					 '\n',
-					 0);
-	for (ptr = trailer_lines; *ptr; ptr++) {
-		if (last && isspace((*ptr)->buf[0])) {
-			struct strbuf sb = STRBUF_INIT;
-			strbuf_attach(&sb, *last, strlen(*last), strlen(*last));
-			strbuf_addbuf(&sb, *ptr);
-			*last = strbuf_detach(&sb, NULL);
-			continue;
-		}
-		ALLOC_GROW(trailer_strings, nr + 1, alloc);
-		trailer_strings[nr] = strbuf_detach(*ptr, NULL);
-		last = find_separator(trailer_strings[nr], separators) >= 1
-			? &trailer_strings[nr]
-			: NULL;
-		nr++;
-	}
-	strbuf_list_free(trailer_lines);
-
-	info->blank_line_before_trailer = ends_with_blank_line(str,
-							       trailer_block_start);
-	info->trailer_block_start = trailer_block_start;
-	info->trailer_block_end = end_of_log_message;
-	info->trailers = trailer_strings;
-	info->trailer_nr = nr;
-
-	return info;
-}
-
 void trailer_info_release(struct trailer_info *info)
 {
 	size_t i;
diff --git a/trailer.h b/trailer.h
index 4e0a6789d7f..b0ec7658c67 100644
--- a/trailer.h
+++ b/trailer.h
@@ -73,8 +73,6 @@ void process_trailers_lists(struct list_head *head,
 struct trailer_info *parse_trailers(const struct process_trailer_options *,
 				    const char *str,
 				    struct list_head *head);
-struct trailer_info *trailer_info_get(const struct process_trailer_options *,
-				      const char *str);
 
 size_t trailer_block_start(struct trailer_info *);
 size_t trailer_block_end(struct trailer_info *);

trailer.c, trailer.h

diff --git a/trailer.c b/trailer.c
index 33b6aa7e8bd..406745264aa 100644
--- a/trailer.c
+++ b/trailer.c
@@ -1026,12 +1026,12 @@ static struct trailer_info *trailer_info_get(const struct process_trailer_option
 }
 
 /*
- * Parse trailers in "str", populating the trailer info and "head"
+ * Parse trailers in "str", populating the trailer info and "trailer_objects"
  * linked list structure.
  */
 struct trailer_info *parse_trailers(const struct process_trailer_options *opts,
 				    const char *str,
-				    struct list_head *head)
+				    struct list_head *trailer_objects)
 {
 	struct trailer_info *info;
 	struct strbuf tok = STRBUF_INIT;
@@ -1051,13 +1051,13 @@ struct trailer_info *parse_trailers(const struct process_trailer_options *opts,
 				      separator_pos);
 			if (opts->unfold)
 				unfold_value(&val);
-			add_trailer_item(head,
+			add_trailer_item(trailer_objects,
 					 strbuf_detach(&tok, NULL),
 					 strbuf_detach(&val, NULL));
 		} else if (!opts->only_trailers) {
 			strbuf_addstr(&val, trailer);
 			strbuf_strip_suffix(&val, "\n");
-			add_trailer_item(head,
+			add_trailer_item(trailer_objects,
 					 NULL,
 					 strbuf_detach(&val, NULL));
 		}
diff --git a/trailer.h b/trailer.h
index b0ec7658c67..82104912d70 100644
--- a/trailer.h
+++ b/trailer.h
@@ -70,14 +70,63 @@ void parse_trailers_from_command_line_args(struct list_head *arg_head,
 void process_trailers_lists(struct list_head *head,
 			    struct list_head *arg_head);
 
+/*
+ * Given some input string "str", return a pointer to an opaque trailer_info
+ * structure. Also populate the trailer_objects list with parsed trailer
+ * objects. Internally this calls trailer_info_get() to get the opaque pointer,
+ * but does some extra work to populate the trailer_objects linked list.
+ *
+ * The opaque trailer_info pointer can be used to check the position of the
+ * trailer block as offsets relative to the beginning of "str" in
+ * trailer_block_start() and trailer_block_end().
+ * blank_line_before_trailer_block() returns 1 if there is a blank line just
+ * before the trailer block. All of these functions are useful for preserving
+ * the input before and after the trailer block, if we were to write out the
+ * original input (but with the trailer block itself modified); see
+ * builtin/interpret-trailers.c for an example.
+ *
+ * For iterating through the parsed trailer block (if you don't care about the
+ * position of the trailer block itself in the context of the larger string text
+ * from which it was parsed), please see trailer_iterator_init() which uses the
+ * trailer_info struct internally.
+ *
+ * Lastly, callers should call trailer_info_release() when they are done using
+ * the opaque pointer.
+ *
+ * NOTE: Callers should treat both trailer_info and trailer_objects as
+ * read-only items, because there is some overlap between the two (trailer_info
+ * has "char **trailers" string array, and trailer_objects will have the same
+ * data but as a linked list of trailer_item objects). This API does not perform
+ * any synchronization between the two. In the future we should be able to
+ * reduce the duplication and use just the linked list.
+ */
 struct trailer_info *parse_trailers(const struct process_trailer_options *,
 				    const char *str,
-				    struct list_head *head);
+				    struct list_head *trailer_objects);
 
+/*
+ * Return the offset of the start of the trailer block. That is, 0 is the start
+ * of the input ("str" in parse_trailers()) and some other positive number
+ * indicates how many bytes we have to skip over before we get to the beginning
+ * of the trailer block.
+ */
 size_t trailer_block_start(struct trailer_info *);
+
+/*
+ * Return the end of the trailer block, again relative to the start of the
+ * input.
+ */
 size_t trailer_block_end(struct trailer_info *);
+
+/*
+ * Return 1 if the trailer block had an extra newline (blank line) just before
+ * it.
+ */
 int blank_line_before_trailer_block(struct trailer_info *);
 
+/*
+ * Free trailer_info struct.
+ */
 void trailer_info_release(struct trailer_info *info);
 
 void trailer_config_init(void);

diff --git a/t/unit-tests/t-trailer.c b/t/unit-tests/t-trailer.c
index 4f640d2a4b8..2ecca359d96 100644
--- a/t/unit-tests/t-trailer.c
+++ b/t/unit-tests/t-trailer.c
@@ -1,14 +1,27 @@
 #include "test-lib.h"
 #include "trailer.h"
 
-static void t_trailer_iterator(const char *msg, size_t num_expected)
+struct contents {
+	const char *raw;
+	const char *key;
+	const char *val;
+};
+
+static void t_trailer_iterator(const char *msg, size_t num_expected,
+			       struct contents *contents)
 {
 	struct trailer_iterator iter;
 	size_t i = 0;
 
 	trailer_iterator_init(&iter, msg);
-	while (trailer_iterator_advance(&iter))
+	while (trailer_iterator_advance(&iter)) {
+		if (num_expected) {
+			check_str(iter.raw, contents[i].raw);
+			check_str(iter.key.buf, contents[i].key);
+			check_str(iter.val.buf, contents[i].val);
+		}
 		i++;
+	}
 	trailer_iterator_release(&iter);
 
 	check_uint(i, ==, num_expected);
@@ -16,22 +29,26 @@ static void t_trailer_iterator(const char *msg, size_t num_expected)
 
 static void run_t_trailer_iterator(void)
 {
+
 	static struct test_cases {
 		const char *name;
 		const char *msg;
 		size_t num_expected;
+		struct contents contents[10];
 	} tc[] = {
 		{
 			"empty input",
 			"",
-			0
+			0,
+			{{0}},
 		},
 		{
 			"no newline at beginning",
 			"Fixes: x\n"
 			"Acked-by: x\n"
 			"Reviewed-by: x\n",
-			0
+			0,
+			{{0}},
 		},
 		{
 			"newline at beginning",
@@ -39,7 +56,27 @@ static void run_t_trailer_iterator(void)
 			"Fixes: x\n"
 			"Acked-by: x\n"
 			"Reviewed-by: x\n",
-			3
+			3,
+			{
+				{
+					.raw = "Fixes: x\n",
+					.key = "Fixes",
+					.val = "x",
+				},
+				{
+					.raw = "Acked-by: x\n",
+					.key = "Acked-by",
+					.val = "x",
+				},
+				{
+					.raw = "Reviewed-by: x\n",
+					.key = "Reviewed-by",
+					.val = "x",
+				},
+				{
+					0
+				},
+			},
 		},
 		{
 			"without body text",
@@ -48,7 +85,27 @@ static void run_t_trailer_iterator(void)
 			"Fixes: x\n"
 			"Acked-by: x\n"
 			"Reviewed-by: x\n",
-			3
+			3,
+			{
+				{
+					.raw = "Fixes: x\n",
+					.key = "Fixes",
+					.val = "x",
+				},
+				{
+					.raw = "Acked-by: x\n",
+					.key = "Acked-by",
+					.val = "x",
+				},
+				{
+					.raw = "Reviewed-by: x\n",
+					.key = "Reviewed-by",
+					.val = "x",
+				},
+				{
+					0
+				},
+			},
 		},
 		{
 			"with body text, without divider",
@@ -63,7 +120,32 @@ static void run_t_trailer_iterator(void)
 			"Acked-by: x\n"
 			"Reviewed-by: x\n"
 			"Signed-off-by: x\n",
-			4
+			4,
+			{
+				{
+					.raw = "Fixes: x\n",
+					.key = "Fixes",
+					.val = "x",
+				},
+				{
+					.raw = "Acked-by: x\n",
+					.key = "Acked-by",
+					.val = "x",
+				},
+				{
+					.raw = "Reviewed-by: x\n",
+					.key = "Reviewed-by",
+					.val = "x",
+				},
+				{
+					.raw = "Signed-off-by: x\n",
+					.key = "Signed-off-by",
+					.val = "x",
+				},
+				{
+					0
+				},
+			},
 		},
 		{
 			"with body text, without divider (second trailer block)",
@@ -85,7 +167,22 @@ static void run_t_trailer_iterator(void)
 			 */
 			"Helped-by: x\n"
 			"Signed-off-by: x\n",
-			2
+			2,
+			{
+				{
+					.raw = "Helped-by: x\n",
+					.key = "Helped-by",
+					.val = "x",
+				},
+				{
+					.raw = "Signed-off-by: x\n",
+					.key = "Signed-off-by",
+					.val = "x",
+				},
+				{
+					0
+				},
+			},
 		},
 		{
 			"with body text, with divider",
@@ -103,7 +200,17 @@ static void run_t_trailer_iterator(void)
 			 * always ignores the divider.
 			 */
 			"Signed-off-by: x\n",
-			1
+			1,
+			{
+				{
+					.raw = "Signed-off-by: x\n",
+					.key = "Signed-off-by",
+					.val = "x",
+				},
+				{
+					0
+				},
+			},
 		},
 		{
 			"with non-trailer lines in trailer block",
@@ -125,7 +232,32 @@ static void run_t_trailer_iterator(void)
 			 * because we still want to iterate through the entire
 			 * block.
 			 */
-			4
+			4,
+			{
+				{
+					.raw = "not a trailer line\n",
+					.key = "not a trailer line",
+					.val = "",
+				},
+				{
+					.raw = "not a trailer line\n",
+					.key = "not a trailer line",
+					.val = "",
+				},
+				{
+					.raw = "not a trailer line\n",
+					.key = "not a trailer line",
+					.val = "",
+				},
+				{
+					.raw = "Signed-off-by: x\n",
+					.key = "Signed-off-by",
+					.val = "x",
+				},
+				{
+					0
+				},
+			},
 		},
 		{
 			"with non-trailer lines (one too many) in trailer block",
@@ -140,7 +272,8 @@ static void run_t_trailer_iterator(void)
 			"not a trailer line\n"
 			"not a trailer line\n"
 			"Signed-off-by: x\n",
-			0
+			0,
+			{{0}},
 		},
 		{
 			"with non-trailer lines (only 1) in trailer block, but no Git-generated trailers",
@@ -162,13 +295,15 @@ static void run_t_trailer_iterator(void)
 			"Acked-by: x\n"
 			"Acked-by: x\n"
 			"not a trailer line\n",
-			0
+			0,
+			{{0}},
 		},
 	};
 
 	for (int i = 0; i < sizeof(tc) / sizeof(tc[0]); i++) {
 		TEST(t_trailer_iterator(tc[i].msg,
-					tc[i].num_expected),
+					tc[i].num_expected,
+					tc[i].contents),
 		     "%s", tc[i].name);
 	}
 }