diff --git a/lib/spack/spack/test/conftest.py b/lib/spack/spack/test/conftest.py
index 82cdd848f3..ed2b6d8e4d 100644
--- a/lib/spack/spack/test/conftest.py
+++ b/lib/spack/spack/test/conftest.py
@@ -463,6 +463,8 @@ def mock_git_repository(tmpdir_factory):
     # Initialize the repository
     with repodir.as_cwd():
         git('init')
+        git('config', 'user.name', 'Spack')
+        git('config', 'user.email', 'spack@spack.io')
         url = 'file://' + str(repodir)
 
         # r0 is just the first commit