diff --git a/dump_things_service/audit/gitaudit.py b/dump_things_service/audit/gitaudit.py
index 4302680..926babc 100644
--- a/dump_things_service/audit/gitaudit.py
+++ b/dump_things_service/audit/gitaudit.py
@@ -67,9 +67,9 @@ class GitAuditBackend(AuditBackend):
         auto_flush_timeout: int = 60,
     ):
         self.path = path
-        self.index_path = None
-        self.cached_index_entries = []
-        self.current_change_set = {}
+        self.index_path: Path | None = None
+        self.cached_index_entries: list[str] = []
+        self.current_change_set: dict[Path, str] = {}
         self.lock = Lock()
         self.last_flush_time = 0
         if auto_flush_timeout < 1:
@@ -328,6 +328,10 @@ class GitAuditBackend(AuditBackend):
         if is_empty:
             call_git(['init', '--bare', str(self.path)], capture_output=True)
             self.repo = Repo(self.path)
+            call_git(['config', 'user.name', 'dump-things-service'], cwd=self.path)
+            call_git(
+                ['config', 'user.email', 'dump-things-service@localhost'], cwd=self.path
+            )
             apply_changeset(
                 self.repo,
                 {'README.txt': 'A git-based audit backend\n'},