diff --git a/@commitlint/cz-commitlint/src/SectionBody.test.ts b/@commitlint/cz-commitlint/src/SectionBody.test.ts
index 161b548989..26f3750952 100644
--- a/@commitlint/cz-commitlint/src/SectionBody.test.ts
+++ b/@commitlint/cz-commitlint/src/SectionBody.test.ts
@@ -83,4 +83,12 @@ describe('combineCommitMessage', () => {
 		});
 		expect(commitMessage).toBe('This is issue body message.');
 	});
+
+	test('should return empty message when body is empty', () => {
+		setRules({});
+		const commitMessage = combineCommitMessage({
+			body: '',
+		});
+		expect(commitMessage).toBe('');
+	});
 });
diff --git a/@commitlint/cz-commitlint/src/SectionBody.ts b/@commitlint/cz-commitlint/src/SectionBody.ts
index 1ea38bf6c0..d5f00a3e18 100644
--- a/@commitlint/cz-commitlint/src/SectionBody.ts
+++ b/@commitlint/cz-commitlint/src/SectionBody.ts
@@ -19,7 +19,7 @@ export function combineCommitMessage(answers: Answers): string {
 	const leadingBlankFn = getLeadingBlankFn(getRule('body', 'leading-blank'));
 	const {body, breakingBody, issuesBody} = answers;
 
-	const commitBody = body || breakingBody || issuesBody || '-';
+	const commitBody = body || breakingBody || issuesBody || '';
 
 	if (commitBody) {
 		return leadingBlankFn(