diff --git a/config/gitlab.yml.example b/config/gitlab.yml.example
index ddee467b14b..35c7c425a5a 100644
--- a/config/gitlab.yml.example
+++ b/config/gitlab.yml.example
@@ -80,7 +80,7 @@ production: &base
     # This happens when the commit is pushed or merged into the default branch of a project.
     # When not specified the default issue_closing_pattern as specified below will be used.
     # Tip: you can test your closing pattern at http://rubular.com.
-    # issue_closing_pattern: '((?:[Cc]los(?:e[sd]?|ing)|[Ff]ix(?:e[sd]|ing)?) +(?:(?:issues? +)?%{issue_ref}(?:(?:, *| +and +)?))+)'
+    # issue_closing_pattern: '((?:[Cc]los(?:e[sd]?|ing)|[Ff]ix(?:e[sd]|ing)?|[Rr]esolv(?:e[sd]?|ing))(:?) +(?:(?:issues? +)?%{issue_ref}(?:(?:, *| +and +)?)|([A-Z][A-Z0-9_]+-\d+))+)'
 
     ## Default project features settings
     default_projects_features:
diff --git a/config/initializers/1_settings.rb b/config/initializers/1_settings.rb
index 8488482e4ab..72c4d8d61ce 100644
--- a/config/initializers/1_settings.rb
+++ b/config/initializers/1_settings.rb
@@ -177,7 +177,6 @@ Settings.gitlab['signin_enabled'] ||= true if Settings.gitlab['signin_enabled'].
 Settings.gitlab['restricted_visibility_levels'] = Settings.send(:verify_constant_array, Gitlab::VisibilityLevel, Settings.gitlab['restricted_visibility_levels'], [])
 Settings.gitlab['username_changing_enabled'] = true if Settings.gitlab['username_changing_enabled'].nil?
 Settings.gitlab['issue_closing_pattern'] = '((?:[Cc]los(?:e[sd]?|ing)|[Ff]ix(?:e[sd]|ing)?|[Rr]esolv(?:e[sd]?|ing))(:?) +(?:(?:issues? +)?%{issue_ref}(?:(?:, *| +and +)?)|([A-Z][A-Z0-9_]+-\d+))+)' if Settings.gitlab['issue_closing_pattern'].nil?
-puts Settings.gitlab['issue_closing_pattern']
 Settings.gitlab['default_projects_features'] ||= {}
 Settings.gitlab['webhook_timeout'] ||= 10
 Settings.gitlab['max_attachment_size'] ||= 10
diff --git a/spec/lib/gitlab/closing_issue_extractor_spec.rb b/spec/lib/gitlab/closing_issue_extractor_spec.rb
index a1f51429a79..e9b8ce6b5bb 100644
--- a/spec/lib/gitlab/closing_issue_extractor_spec.rb
+++ b/spec/lib/gitlab/closing_issue_extractor_spec.rb
@@ -22,11 +22,21 @@ describe Gitlab::ClosingIssueExtractor, lib: true do
         expect(subject.closed_by_message(message)).to eq([issue])
       end
 
+      it do
+        message = "Awesome commit (Closes: #{reference})"
+        expect(subject.closed_by_message(message)).to eq([issue])
+      end
+
       it do
         message = "Awesome commit (closes #{reference})"
         expect(subject.closed_by_message(message)).to eq([issue])
       end
 
+      it do
+        message = "Awesome commit (closes: #{reference})"
+        expect(subject.closed_by_message(message)).to eq([issue])
+      end
+
       it do
         message = "Closed #{reference}"
         expect(subject.closed_by_message(message)).to eq([issue])
@@ -37,106 +47,211 @@ describe Gitlab::ClosingIssueExtractor, lib: true do
         expect(subject.closed_by_message(message)).to eq([issue])
       end
 
+      it do
+        message = "closed: #{reference}"
+        expect(subject.closed_by_message(message)).to eq([issue])
+      end
+
       it do
         message = "Closing #{reference}"
         expect(subject.closed_by_message(message)).to eq([issue])
       end
 
+      it do
+        message = "Closing: #{reference}"
+        expect(subject.closed_by_message(message)).to eq([issue])
+      end
+
       it do
         message = "closing #{reference}"
         expect(subject.closed_by_message(message)).to eq([issue])
       end
 
+      it do
+        message = "closing: #{reference}"
+        expect(subject.closed_by_message(message)).to eq([issue])
+      end
+
       it do
         message = "Close #{reference}"
         expect(subject.closed_by_message(message)).to eq([issue])
       end
 
+      it do
+        message = "Close: #{reference}"
+        expect(subject.closed_by_message(message)).to eq([issue])
+      end
+
       it do
         message = "close #{reference}"
         expect(subject.closed_by_message(message)).to eq([issue])
       end
 
+      it do
+        message = "close: #{reference}"
+        expect(subject.closed_by_message(message)).to eq([issue])
+      end
+
       it do
         message = "Awesome commit (Fixes #{reference})"
         expect(subject.closed_by_message(message)).to eq([issue])
       end
 
+      it do
+        message = "Awesome commit (Fixes: #{reference})"
+        expect(subject.closed_by_message(message)).to eq([issue])
+      end
+
       it do
         message = "Awesome commit (fixes #{reference})"
         expect(subject.closed_by_message(message)).to eq([issue])
       end
 
+      it do
+        message = "Awesome commit (Fixes: #{reference})"
+        expect(subject.closed_by_message(message)).to eq([issue])
+      end
+
       it do
         message = "Fixed #{reference}"
         expect(subject.closed_by_message(message)).to eq([issue])
       end
 
+      it do
+        message = "Fixed: #{reference}"
+        expect(subject.closed_by_message(message)).to eq([issue])
+      end
+
       it do
         message = "fixed #{reference}"
         expect(subject.closed_by_message(message)).to eq([issue])
       end
 
+      it do
+        message = "fixed: #{reference}"
+        expect(subject.closed_by_message(message)).to eq([issue])
+      end
+
       it do
         message = "Fixing #{reference}"
         expect(subject.closed_by_message(message)).to eq([issue])
       end
 
+      it do
+        message = "Fixing: #{reference}"
+        expect(subject.closed_by_message(message)).to eq([issue])
+      end
+
       it do
         message = "fixing #{reference}"
         expect(subject.closed_by_message(message)).to eq([issue])
       end
 
+      it do
+        message = "fixing: #{reference}"
+        expect(subject.closed_by_message(message)).to eq([issue])
+      end
+
       it do
         message = "Fix #{reference}"
         expect(subject.closed_by_message(message)).to eq([issue])
       end
 
+      it do
+        message = "Fix: #{reference}"
+        expect(subject.closed_by_message(message)).to eq([issue])
+      end
+
       it do
         message = "fix #{reference}"
         expect(subject.closed_by_message(message)).to eq([issue])
       end
 
+      it do
+        message = "fix: #{reference}"
+        expect(subject.closed_by_message(message)).to eq([issue])
+      end
+
       it do
         message = "Awesome commit (Resolves #{reference})"
         expect(subject.closed_by_message(message)).to eq([issue])
       end
 
+      it do
+        message = "Awesome commit (Resolves: #{reference})"
+        expect(subject.closed_by_message(message)).to eq([issue])
+      end
+
       it do
         message = "Awesome commit (resolves #{reference})"
         expect(subject.closed_by_message(message)).to eq([issue])
       end
 
+      it do
+        message = "Awesome commit (resolves: #{reference})"
+        expect(subject.closed_by_message(message)).to eq([issue])
+      end
+
       it do
         message = "Resolved #{reference}"
         expect(subject.closed_by_message(message)).to eq([issue])
       end
 
+      it do
+        message = "Resolved: #{reference}"
+        expect(subject.closed_by_message(message)).to eq([issue])
+      end
+
       it do
         message = "resolved #{reference}"
         expect(subject.closed_by_message(message)).to eq([issue])
       end
 
+      it do
+        message = "resolved: #{reference}"
+        expect(subject.closed_by_message(message)).to eq([issue])
+      end
+
       it do
         message = "Resolving #{reference}"
         expect(subject.closed_by_message(message)).to eq([issue])
       end
 
+      it do
+        message = "Resolving: #{reference}"
+        expect(subject.closed_by_message(message)).to eq([issue])
+      end
+
       it do
         message = "resolving #{reference}"
         expect(subject.closed_by_message(message)).to eq([issue])
       end
 
+      it do
+        message = "resolving: #{reference}"
+        expect(subject.closed_by_message(message)).to eq([issue])
+      end
+
       it do
         message = "Resolve #{reference}"
         expect(subject.closed_by_message(message)).to eq([issue])
       end
 
+      it do
+        message = "Resolve: #{reference}"
+        expect(subject.closed_by_message(message)).to eq([issue])
+      end
+
       it do
         message = "resolve #{reference}"
         expect(subject.closed_by_message(message)).to eq([issue])
       end
 
+      it do
+        message = "resolve: #{reference}"
+        expect(subject.closed_by_message(message)).to eq([issue])
+      end
+
       context 'with an external issue tracker reference' do
         it 'extracts the referenced issue' do
           jira_project = create(:jira_project, name: 'JIRA_EXT1')