diff --git a/docs/content/doc/usage/linked-references.en-us.md b/docs/content/doc/usage/linked-references.en-us.md
index a5f88363d..d2836f857 100644
--- a/docs/content/doc/usage/linked-references.en-us.md
+++ b/docs/content/doc/usage/linked-references.en-us.md
@@ -136,7 +136,8 @@ the `!` marker to identify pull requests. For example:
 > This is pull request [!1234](#), and links to a pull request in Gitea.
 
 The `!` and `#` can be used interchangeably for issues and pull request _except_
-for this case, where a distinction is required.
+for this case, where a distinction is required. If the repository uses external
+tracker, commit message for squash merge will use `!` as reference by default.
 
 ## Issues and Pull Requests References Summary
 
diff --git a/models/pull.go b/models/pull.go
index 94cb2a2a0..870a0960d 100644
--- a/models/pull.go
+++ b/models/pull.go
@@ -385,6 +385,13 @@ func (pr *PullRequest) GetDefaultSquashMessage() string {
 		log.Error("LoadIssue: %v", err)
 		return ""
 	}
+	if err := pr.LoadBaseRepo(); err != nil {
+		log.Error("LoadBaseRepo: %v", err)
+		return ""
+	}
+	if pr.BaseRepo.UnitEnabled(UnitTypeExternalTracker) {
+		return fmt.Sprintf("%s (!%d)", pr.Issue.Title, pr.Issue.Index)
+	}
 	return fmt.Sprintf("%s (#%d)", pr.Issue.Title, pr.Issue.Index)
 }