diff --git a/scripts/hooks/block-no-verify.js b/scripts/hooks/block-no-verify.js
index 4189565fa..1d19e5c35 100644
--- a/scripts/hooks/block-no-verify.js
+++ b/scripts/hooks/block-no-verify.js
@@ -649,7 +649,14 @@ function sedScriptParts(words, budget) {
   while (i < words.length) {
     const raw = words[i].value;
     budget.spend(raw.length + 1);
-    if (raw === '--') break; // remaining operands are files (data)
+    if (raw === '--') {
+      // Options end here, but the operands do not: with no script option
+      // given, the first operand after -- is still the script (GNU sed 4.9
+      // verified). Keep collecting them.
+      i++;
+      while (i < words.length) { positionals.push(words[i].value); budget.spend(words[i].value.length + 1); i++; }
+      break;
+    }
     if (raw === '--expression') {
       if (!words[i + 1]) return null;
       scripts.push(words[i + 1].value); i += 2; continue;
diff --git a/tests/hooks/block-no-verify.test.js b/tests/hooks/block-no-verify.test.js
index 4f040ce07..56549e721 100644
--- a/tests/hooks/block-no-verify.test.js
+++ b/tests/hooks/block-no-verify.test.js
@@ -2172,6 +2172,10 @@ const sedCases = [
   ['later -e after a positional script operand is scanned', "sed 's/x/y/' -e 'e git commit --no-verify'", 2],
   ['later --expression= after positionals is scanned', "sed 's/x/y/' --expression='s/x/git commit --no-verify/e'", 2],
   ['-- ends options: later tokens are file operands', "sed -e 's/x/y/' -- 'git commit --no-verify'", 0],
+  // With no script option before --, the first operand after -- is still the
+  // script (Greptile P1 on this PR, GNU sed 4.9 verified).
+  ['first operand after -- is still the script', "printf x | sed -- 's/x/git commit --no-verify/e'", 2],
+  ['file operands after the -- script stay data', "sed -- 's/x/y/' 'git commit --no-verify'", 0],
   // GNU sed decodes escapes in exec-bearing fragments before execution
   // (Greptile P1 findings on this PR): decoding that surface faithfully is out
   // of scope, so escaped fragments are conservatively blocked instead.