diff --git a/runtime/lua/vim/_core/ui2/messages.lua b/runtime/lua/vim/_core/ui2/messages.lua
index 4182fd573b..7a6bd6e4c0 100644
--- a/runtime/lua/vim/_core/ui2/messages.lua
+++ b/runtime/lua/vim/_core/ui2/messages.lua
@@ -390,6 +390,13 @@ function M.show_msg(tgt, kind, content, replace_last, append, id)
     M.virt[tgt][M.virt.idx.dupe][1] = dupe > 0 and { 0, ('(%d)'):format(dupe) } or nil
     M.virt[tgt][M.virt.idx.spill][1] = tgt == 'cmd' and M.virt.cmd[M.virt.idx.spill][1] or nil
     set_virttext(tgt --[[@as 'cmd'|'msg']], tgt)
+    if tgt == 'cmd' then
+      -- make sure repeated long messages are cropped to keep the ruler intact
+      -- (if this is not scheduled, it breaks messages during textlock)
+      vim.schedule(function()
+        set_virttext('last', 'cmd')
+      end)
+    end
   end
 
   -- Reset message state the next event loop iteration.
diff --git a/test/functional/ui/messages2_spec.lua b/test/functional/ui/messages2_spec.lua
index 334b42365d..30acb62925 100644
--- a/test/functional/ui/messages2_spec.lua
+++ b/test/functional/ui/messages2_spec.lua
@@ -1200,6 +1200,15 @@ describe('messages2', function()
       -----------------------------------0,0-1          All|
     ]])
     feed('<C-L>')
+    -- message with repetition indicator keeps ruler intact
+    command('echo "-"->repeat(&columns)')
+    command('echo "-"->repeat(&columns)')
+    screen:expect([[
+      ^                                                     |
+      {1:~                                                    }|*12
+      --------------------------------(1)0,0-1          All|
+    ]])
+    feed('<C-L>')
     -- when the ruler is configured smaller, there is more space for messages
     command('set rulerformat=%l | redraw | echo "-"->repeat(&columns)')
     screen:expect([[