diff --git a/hgext/rebase.py b/hgext/rebase.py
--- a/hgext/rebase.py
+++ b/hgext/rebase.py
@@ -854,7 +854,7 @@
     rbsrt = rebaseruntime(repo, ui, inmemory=True, opts=opts)
     confirm = opts.get('confirm')
     if confirm:
-        ui.status(_('starting rebase...\n'))
+        ui.status(_('starting in-memory rebase\n'))
     else:
         ui.status(_('starting dry-run rebase; repository will not be '
                     'changed\n'))
diff --git a/tests/test-rebase-inmemory.t b/tests/test-rebase-inmemory.t
--- a/tests/test-rebase-inmemory.t
+++ b/tests/test-rebase-inmemory.t
@@ -369,7 +369,7 @@
   $ hg rebase -s 2 -d . --keep --config ui.interactive=True --confirm << EOF
   > n
   > EOF
-  starting rebase...
+  starting in-memory rebase
   rebasing 2:177f92b77385 "c"
   rebasing 3:055a42cdd887 "d"
   rebasing 4:e860deea161a "e"
@@ -400,7 +400,7 @@
   $ hg rebase -s 2 -d . --keep --config ui.interactive=True --confirm << EOF
   > y
   > EOF
-  starting rebase...
+  starting in-memory rebase
   rebasing 2:177f92b77385 "c"
   rebasing 3:055a42cdd887 "d"
   rebasing 4:e860deea161a "e"
@@ -475,7 +475,7 @@
   $ hg rebase -s 4 -d . --keep --config ui.interactive=True --confirm << EOF
   > n
   > EOF
-  starting rebase...
+  starting in-memory rebase
   rebasing 4:e860deea161a "e"
   merging e
   hit a merge conflict
@@ -516,7 +516,7 @@
   $ hg rebase -s 4 -d . --keep --config ui.interactive=True --confirm << EOF
   > y
   > EOF
-  starting rebase...
+  starting in-memory rebase
   rebasing 4:e860deea161a "e"
   merging e
   hit a merge conflict