diff --git a/Jenkinsfile b/Jenkinsfile
index 8688e750..092729cf 100644
--- a/Jenkinsfile
+++ b/Jenkinsfile
@@ -118,7 +118,7 @@ try {
           dir="${projectName}"
           [[ -d triqs_\$dir ]] && dir=triqs_\$dir || [[ -d \$dir ]]
           echo "160000 commit ${commit}\t\$dir" | git update-index --index-info
-          git commit --author='Flatiron Jenkins <jenkins@flatironinstitute.org>' --allow-empty -m 'Autoupdate ${projectName}' -m '${env.BUILD_TAG}'
+          git commit --author='Flatiron Jenkins <jenkins@flatironinstitute.org>' -m 'Autoupdate ${projectName}' -m '${env.BUILD_TAG}'
           git push origin ${env.BRANCH_NAME} || { git pull --rebase origin ${env.BRANCH_NAME} && git push origin ${env.BRANCH_NAME} ; }
         """
       } catch (err) {