diff --git a/payload.go b/payload.go
index 74c39aa..15d722f 100644
--- a/payload.go
+++ b/payload.go
@@ -26,7 +26,7 @@ type Payload interface {
 	// MessageHead returns the head of the commit message (i.e. the first line).
 	// The PayloadCommon of the outer PayloadUnion is passed in for added
 	// context, if necessary.
-	MessageHead(PayloadCommon) (string, error)
+	MessageHead(PayloadCommon) string
 
 	// Fingerprint returns the raw fingerprint which can be signed when
 	// accrediting this payload. The ChangedFile objects given describe the file
@@ -126,11 +126,7 @@ func (p PayloadUnion) Type() string {
 // MarshalText implements the encoding.TextMarshaler interface by returning the
 // form the payload in the git commit message.
 func (p PayloadUnion) MarshalText() ([]byte, error) {
-	msgHead, err := p.Payload().MessageHead(p.Common)
-	if err != nil {
-		return nil, fmt.Errorf("constructing message head: %w", err)
-	}
-
+	msgHead := abbrevCommitMessage(p.Payload().MessageHead(p.Common))
 	msgBodyB, err := yaml.Marshal(p)
 	if err != nil {
 		return nil, fmt.Errorf("marshaling payload %+v as yaml: %w", p, err)
diff --git a/payload_change.go b/payload_change.go
index 034ce31..c252e3d 100644
--- a/payload_change.go
+++ b/payload_change.go
@@ -58,8 +58,8 @@ func (proj *Project) NewPayloadChange(description string) (PayloadUnion, error)
 }
 
 // MessageHead implements the method for the Payload interface.
-func (payCh PayloadChange) MessageHead(PayloadCommon) (string, error) {
-	return abbrevCommitMessage(payCh.Description), nil
+func (payCh PayloadChange) MessageHead(PayloadCommon) string {
+	return payCh.Description
 }
 
 // Fingerprint implements the method for the Payload interface.
diff --git a/payload_comment.go b/payload_comment.go
index a4c1eb4..83970d8 100644
--- a/payload_comment.go
+++ b/payload_comment.go
@@ -2,8 +2,6 @@ package dehub
 
 import (
 	"errors"
-	"fmt"
-	"strings"
 )
 
 // PayloadComment describes the structure of a comment payload.
@@ -28,10 +26,8 @@ func (proj *Project) NewPayloadComment(comment string) (PayloadUnion, error) {
 }
 
 // MessageHead implements the method for the Payload interface.
-func (payCom PayloadComment) MessageHead(common PayloadCommon) (string, error) {
-	credIDs := strings.Join(common.credIDs(), ", ")
-	fullMsgHead := fmt.Sprintf("Comment by %s: %s", credIDs, payCom.Comment)
-	return abbrevCommitMessage(fullMsgHead), nil
+func (payCom PayloadComment) MessageHead(common PayloadCommon) string {
+	return `"` + payCom.Comment + `"`
 }
 
 // Fingerprint implements the method for the Payload interface.
diff --git a/payload_credential.go b/payload_credential.go
index 1800944..9b114d0 100644
--- a/payload_credential.go
+++ b/payload_credential.go
@@ -2,8 +2,6 @@ package dehub
 
 import (
 	"errors"
-	"fmt"
-	"strings"
 )
 
 // PayloadCredential describes the structure of a credential payload.
@@ -52,14 +50,8 @@ func (proj *Project) NewPayloadCredentialFromChanges(commits []Commit) (PayloadU
 }
 
 // MessageHead implements the method for the Payload interface.
-func (payCred PayloadCredential) MessageHead(common PayloadCommon) (string, error) {
-	fingerprintStr := common.Fingerprint.String()
-	if len(fingerprintStr) > 9 {
-		fingerprintStr = fingerprintStr[:6] + "..."
-	}
-	credIDs := strings.Join(common.credIDs(), ", ")
-	fullMsgHead := fmt.Sprintf("Credential of hash %s by %s", fingerprintStr, credIDs)
-	return abbrevCommitMessage(fullMsgHead), nil
+func (payCred PayloadCredential) MessageHead(common PayloadCommon) string {
+	return "Credential of " + common.Fingerprint.String()
 }
 
 // Fingerprint implements the method for the Payload interface.