diff --git a/hgext/mq.py b/hgext/mq.py
--- a/hgext/mq.py
+++ b/hgext/mq.py
@@ -3482,9 +3482,10 @@
                    force=False, editor=False, extra=None):
             if extra is None:
                 extra = {}
-            self.abortifwdirpatched(
-                _('cannot commit over an applied mq patch'),
-                force)
+            if not repo.vfs.readlines('journal.desc')[1] == 'unshelve\n':
+                self.abortifwdirpatched(
+                    _('cannot commit over an applied mq patch'),
+                    force)
 
             return super(mqrepo, self).commit(text, user, date, match, force,
                                               editor, extra)
diff --git a/hgext/rebase.py b/hgext/rebase.py
--- a/hgext/rebase.py
+++ b/hgext/rebase.py
@@ -1634,10 +1634,11 @@
     # This check isn't strictly necessary, since mq detects commits over an
     # applied patch. But it prevents messing up the working directory when
     # a partially completed rebase is blocked by mq.
-    if 'qtip' in repo.tags():
-        mqapplied = set(repo[s.node].rev() for s in repo.mq.applied)
-        if set(destmap.values()) & mqapplied:
-            raise error.Abort(_('cannot rebase onto an applied mq patch'))
+    if not repo.vfs.readlines('journal.desc')[1] == 'unshelve\n':
+        if 'qtip' in repo.tags():
+            mqapplied = set(repo[s.node].rev() for s in repo.mq.applied)
+            if set(destmap.values()) & mqapplied:
+                raise error.Abort(_('cannot rebase onto an applied mq patch'))
 
     # Get "cycle" error early by exhausting the generator.
     sortedsrc = list(sortsource(destmap)) # a list of sorted revs