--- a/foodtruck/scm/base.py	Thu Feb 25 23:26:36 2016 -0800
+++ b/foodtruck/scm/base.py	Sat Feb 27 22:00:35 2016 -0800
@@ -15,9 +15,19 @@
         raise NotImplementedError()
 
     def commit(self, paths, message, *, author=None):
+        if not message:
+            raise ValueError("No message specified for committing changes.")
         author = author or self.config.get('author')
         self._doCommit(paths, message, author)
 
     def _doCommit(self, paths, message, author):
         raise NotImplementedError()
 
+
+def _s(strs):
+    """ Convert a byte array to string using UTF8 encoding. """
+    if strs is None:
+        return None
+    assert isinstance(strs, bytes)
+    return strs.decode('utf8')
+

--- a/foodtruck/scm/mercurial.py	Thu Feb 25 23:26:36 2016 -0800
+++ b/foodtruck/scm/mercurial.py	Sat Feb 27 22:00:35 2016 -0800
@@ -2,20 +2,12 @@
 import logging
 import tempfile
 import subprocess
-from .base import SourceControl, RepoStatus
+from .base import SourceControl, RepoStatus, _s
 
 
 logger = logging.getLogger(__name__)
 
 
-def _s(strs):
-    """ Convert a byte array to string using UTF8 encoding. """
-    if strs is None:
-        return None
-    assert isinstance(strs, bytes)
-    return strs.decode('utf8')
-
-
 class MercurialSourceControl(SourceControl):
     def __init__(self, root_dir, cfg):
         super(MercurialSourceControl, self).__init__(root_dir, cfg)
@@ -34,9 +26,6 @@
         return res
 
     def _doCommit(self, paths, message, author):
-        if not message:
-            raise ValueError("No commit message specified.")
-
         # Check if any of those paths needs to be added.
         st_out = self._run('status', *paths)
         add_paths = []