diff --git a/hgext/absorb.py b/hgext/absorb.py
--- a/hgext/absorb.py
+++ b/hgext/absorb.py
@@ -34,6 +34,7 @@
 from __future__ import absolute_import
 
 import collections
+import itertools
 
 from mercurial.i18n import _
 from mercurial import (
@@ -662,16 +663,19 @@
         4. call commit, to commit changes to hg database
     """
 
-    def __init__(self, stack, ui=None, opts=None):
+    def __init__(self, stack, fixuptargets=[], ui=None, opts=None):
         """([ctx], ui or None) -> None
 
         stack: should be linear, and sorted by topo order - oldest first.
+        fixuptargets: changeset contexts that need to be fixed up, but are not
+            used for fixup computation.
         all commits in stack are considered mutable.
         """
         assert stack
         self.ui = ui or nullui()
         self.opts = opts or {}
         self.stack = stack
+        self.fixuptargets = fixuptargets
         self.repo = stack[-1].repo().unfiltered()
 
         # following fields will be filled later
@@ -777,7 +781,7 @@
         # p1 which overrides the parent of the next commit, "None" means use
         # the original parent unchanged
         nextp1 = None
-        for ctx in self.stack:
+        for ctx in itertools.chain(self.stack, self.fixuptargets):
             memworkingcopy = self._getnewfilecontents(ctx)
             if not memworkingcopy and not lastcommitted:
                 # nothing changed, nothing commited
@@ -1011,7 +1015,10 @@
         pats = ()
     if opts is None:
         opts = {}
-    state = fixupstate(stack, ui=ui, opts=opts)
+    fixuptargets = []
+    if targetctx.rev() is not None:
+        fixuptargets.append(targetctx)
+    state = fixupstate(stack, fixuptargets=fixuptargets, ui=ui, opts=opts)
     matcher = scmutil.match(targetctx, pats, opts)
     if opts.get(b'interactive'):
         diff = patch.diff(repo, stack[-1].node(), targetctx.node(), matcher)
diff --git a/tests/test-absorb-rev.t b/tests/test-absorb-rev.t
--- a/tests/test-absorb-rev.t
+++ b/tests/test-absorb-rev.t
@@ -71,10 +71,10 @@
 Run absorb:
 
   $ hg absorb --apply-changes -s .
-  1 new orphan changesets
   2 of 2 chunk(s) applied
 
 Check that the pending wdir change was left alone:
+TODO: The absorbed commit should have disappeared when it became empty.
 
   $ hg status
   M a
@@ -87,19 +87,11 @@
    4d
    5e
   +6
-  $ hg update -Cq .
-
-Rebase the absorbed revision on top of the destination (as evolve would):
-TODO: the evolve-type operation should happen automatically for the changeset
-being absorbed, and even through that the pending wdir change should be left
-alone.
-
-  $ hg rebase -d tip -r .
-  rebasing 5:1631091f9648 "commit to absorb"
-  note: not rebasing 5:1631091f9648 "commit to absorb", its destination already has all its changes
 
   $ hg log -G -T '{node|short} {desc} {instabilities}'
-  @  2f7ba78d6abc commit 5
+  @  9a0ec5cae1a1 commit to absorb
+  |
+  o  2f7ba78d6abc commit 5
   |
   o  04c8ba6df782 commit 4
   |
@@ -109,12 +101,15 @@
   |
   o  241ace8326d0 commit 1
   
-  $ hg annotate -c a
-  241ace8326d0: 1a
-  9b19176bb127: 2b
-  484c6ac0cea3: 3
-  04c8ba6df782: 4d
-  2f7ba78d6abc: 5e
+  $ hg annotate -c a -r 'wdir()'
+  241ace8326d0 : 1a
+  9b19176bb127 : 2b
+  484c6ac0cea3 : 3
+  04c8ba6df782 : 4d
+  2f7ba78d6abc : 5e
+  9a0ec5cae1a1+: 6
+
+  $ hg diff -c .
 
 Do it again, but this time with an unrelated commit checked out (plus working
 directory changes on top):
@@ -145,7 +140,6 @@
   2 changesets affected
   2f7ba78 commit 5
   04c8ba6 commit 4
-  1 new orphan changesets
   1 of 1 chunk(s) applied
 
   $ hg annotate -c a -r 'wdir()'
@@ -153,19 +147,16 @@
   dbce69d9fe03 : committed unrelated
   dbce69d9fe03+: pending wdir change
 
-
-  $ hg update -Cq .
-
-  $ hg rebase -d tip -r ${TOABSORB}
-  rebasing \d+:[0-9a-f]+ "commit to absorb 2" (re)
-  note: not rebasing \d+:[0-9a-f]+ "commit to absorb 2", its destination already has all its changes (re)
+  $ hg update -Cq tip
 
   $ hg log -G -T '{node|short} {desc} {instabilities}'
+  @  59655ff113fb commit to absorb 2
+  |
   o  789b01face13 commit 5
   |
   o  9c83c60f49f2 commit 4
   |
-  | @  dbce69d9fe03 unrelated commit
+  | o  dbce69d9fe03 unrelated commit
   | |
   o |  484c6ac0cea3 commit 3
   | |
@@ -174,7 +165,7 @@
   o  241ace8326d0 commit 1
   
 
-  $ hg annotate -c a -r tip
+  $ hg annotate -c a
   241ace8326d0: 1a
   9b19176bb127: 2b
   484c6ac0cea3: 3