diff --git a/crates/gitbutler-branch-actions/tests/virtual_branches/init.rs b/crates/gitbutler-branch-actions/tests/virtual_branches/init.rs
index acc3a107f8..09c198b65c 100644
--- a/crates/gitbutler-branch-actions/tests/virtual_branches/init.rs
+++ b/crates/gitbutler-branch-actions/tests/virtual_branches/init.rs
@@ -9,7 +9,7 @@ fn twice() {
 
     {
         let project = projects
-            .add(test_project.path())
+            .add(test_project.path(), None, None)
             .expect("failed to add project");
         let ctx = CommandContext::open(&project, AppSettings::default()).unwrap();
 
@@ -27,7 +27,7 @@ fn twice() {
     }
 
     {
-        let project = projects.add(test_project.path()).unwrap();
+        let project = projects.add(test_project.path(), None, None).unwrap();
         let ctx = CommandContext::open(&project, AppSettings::default()).unwrap();
         gitbutler_branch_actions::set_base_branch(
             &ctx,
diff --git a/crates/gitbutler-branch-actions/tests/virtual_branches/mod.rs b/crates/gitbutler-branch-actions/tests/virtual_branches/mod.rs
index f312aef153..15e8949556 100644
--- a/crates/gitbutler-branch-actions/tests/virtual_branches/mod.rs
+++ b/crates/gitbutler-branch-actions/tests/virtual_branches/mod.rs
@@ -34,7 +34,7 @@ impl Default for Test {
 
         let test_project = TestProject::default();
         let project = projects
-            .add(test_project.path())
+            .add(test_project.path(), None, None)
             .expect("failed to add project");
         let ctx = CommandContext::open(&project, AppSettings::default()).unwrap();
 
diff --git a/crates/gitbutler-cli/src/command/project.rs b/crates/gitbutler-cli/src/command/project.rs
index 6c9a8fec67..55ddc5bcc2 100644
--- a/crates/gitbutler-cli/src/command/project.rs
+++ b/crates/gitbutler-cli/src/command/project.rs
@@ -30,7 +30,7 @@ pub fn add(
         .context("Only non-bare repositories can be added")?
         .to_owned()
         .canonicalize()?;
-    let project = ctrl.add(path)?;
+    let project = ctrl.add(path, None, None)?;
     let ctx = CommandContext::open(&project, AppSettings::default())?;
     if let Some(refname) = refname {
         gitbutler_branch_actions::set_base_branch(&ctx, &refname)?;
diff --git a/crates/gitbutler-project/src/controller.rs b/crates/gitbutler-project/src/controller.rs
index ec1af7a196..04e6b1c7f4 100644
--- a/crates/gitbutler-project/src/controller.rs
+++ b/crates/gitbutler-project/src/controller.rs
@@ -21,7 +21,12 @@ impl Controller {
         }
     }
 
-    pub fn add<P: AsRef<Path>>(&self, path: P) -> Result<Project> {
+    pub fn add<P: AsRef<Path>>(
+        &self,
+        path: P,
+        name: Option<String>,
+        email: Option<String>,
+    ) -> Result<Project> {
         let path = path.as_ref();
         let all_projects = self
             .projects_storage
@@ -86,6 +91,21 @@ impl Controller {
             tracing::error!(project_id = %project.id, ?error, "failed to create {:?} on project add", project.gb_dir());
         }
 
+        let repo = git2::Repository::open(&project.path)?;
+        let config = repo.config()?;
+
+        let name_key = "user.name";
+        if config.get_entry(name_key).map_or(true, |e| !e.has_value()) {
+            let mut local = config.open_level(git2::ConfigLevel::Local)?;
+            local.set_str(name_key, &name.unwrap_or("Firstname Lastname".to_string()))?;
+        }
+
+        let email_key = "user.email";
+        if config.get_entry(email_key).map_or(true, |e| !e.has_value()) {
+            let mut local = config.open_level(git2::ConfigLevel::Local)?;
+            local.set_str(email_key, &email.unwrap_or("name@example.com".to_string()))?;
+        }
+
         Ok(project)
     }
 
diff --git a/crates/gitbutler-project/tests/projects/main.rs b/crates/gitbutler-project/tests/projects/main.rs
index 84e4d16ccb..f220829227 100644
--- a/crates/gitbutler-project/tests/projects/main.rs
+++ b/crates/gitbutler-project/tests/projects/main.rs
@@ -16,7 +16,7 @@ mod add {
         let (controller, _tmp) = new();
         let repository = gitbutler_testsupport::TestProject::default();
         let path = repository.path();
-        let project = controller.add(path).unwrap();
+        let project = controller.add(path, None, None).unwrap();
         assert_eq!(project.path, path);
         assert_eq!(
             project.title,
@@ -32,7 +32,7 @@ mod add {
         fn non_bare_without_worktree() {
             let (controller, _tmp) = new();
             let root = repo_path_at("non-bare-without-worktree");
-            let err = controller.add(root).unwrap_err();
+            let err = controller.add(root, None, None).unwrap_err();
             assert_eq!(
                 err.to_string(),
                 "Cannot add non-bare repositories without a workdir"
@@ -43,7 +43,7 @@ mod add {
         fn submodule() {
             let (controller, _tmp) = new();
             let root = repo_path_at("with-submodule").join("submodule");
-            let err = controller.add(root).unwrap_err();
+            let err = controller.add(root, None, None).unwrap_err();
             assert_eq!(
                 err.to_string(),
                 "A git-repository without a `.git` directory cannot currently be added"
@@ -56,7 +56,7 @@ mod add {
             let tmp = tempfile::tempdir().unwrap();
             assert_eq!(
                 controller
-                    .add(tmp.path().join("missing"))
+                    .add(tmp.path().join("missing"), None, None)
                     .unwrap_err()
                     .to_string(),
                 "path not found"
@@ -70,7 +70,7 @@ mod add {
             let path = tmp.path();
             std::fs::write(path.join("file.txt"), "hello world").unwrap();
             assert_eq!(
-                controller.add(path).unwrap_err().to_string(),
+                controller.add(path, None, None).unwrap_err().to_string(),
                 "must be a Git repository"
             );
         }
@@ -79,7 +79,7 @@ mod add {
         fn empty() {
             let (controller, _tmp) = new();
             let tmp = tempfile::tempdir().unwrap();
-            let err = controller.add(tmp.path()).unwrap_err();
+            let err = controller.add(tmp.path(), None, None).unwrap_err();
             assert_eq!(err.to_string(), "must be a Git repository");
         }
 
@@ -88,9 +88,9 @@ mod add {
             let (controller, _tmp) = new();
             let repository = gitbutler_testsupport::TestProject::default();
             let path = repository.path();
-            controller.add(path).unwrap();
+            controller.add(path, None, None).unwrap();
             assert_eq!(
-                controller.add(path).unwrap_err().to_string(),
+                controller.add(path, None, None).unwrap_err().to_string(),
                 "project already exists"
             );
         }
@@ -104,7 +104,7 @@ mod add {
             let repo = git2::Repository::init_bare(&repo_dir).unwrap();
             create_initial_commit(&repo);
 
-            let err = controller.add(repo_dir).unwrap_err();
+            let err = controller.add(repo_dir, None, None).unwrap_err();
             assert_eq!(err.to_string(), "bare repositories are unsupported");
         }
 
@@ -119,7 +119,7 @@ mod add {
             create_initial_commit(&repo);
 
             let worktree = repo.worktree("feature", &worktree_dir, None).unwrap();
-            let err = controller.add(worktree.path()).unwrap_err();
+            let err = controller.add(worktree.path(), None, None).unwrap_err();
             assert_eq!(err.to_string(), "can only work in main worktrees");
         }
 
@@ -157,7 +157,7 @@ mod delete {
         let (controller, _tmp) = new();
         let repository = gitbutler_testsupport::TestProject::default();
         let path = repository.path();
-        let project = controller.add(path).unwrap();
+        let project = controller.add(path, None, None).unwrap();
         assert!(controller.delete(project.id).is_ok());
         assert!(controller.delete(project.id).is_ok()); // idempotent
         assert!(controller.get(project.id).is_err());
diff --git a/crates/gitbutler-stack/src/stack.rs b/crates/gitbutler-stack/src/stack.rs
index 455d138c70..ea2a8f5896 100644
--- a/crates/gitbutler-stack/src/stack.rs
+++ b/crates/gitbutler-stack/src/stack.rs
@@ -368,8 +368,10 @@ impl Stack {
             self.name.clone()
         } else if let Some(refname) = self.upstream.as_ref() {
             refname.branch().to_string()
+        } else if let Ok((author, _committer)) = ctx.repo().signatures() {
+            generate_branch_name(author)?
         } else {
-            let (author, _committer) = ctx.repo().signatures()?;
+            let author = git2::Signature::now("Firstname Lastname", "name@example.com")?;
             generate_branch_name(author)?
         };
 
diff --git a/crates/gitbutler-tauri/src/projects.rs b/crates/gitbutler-tauri/src/projects.rs
index 557c4920fa..4a980515aa 100644
--- a/crates/gitbutler-tauri/src/projects.rs
+++ b/crates/gitbutler-tauri/src/projects.rs
@@ -21,12 +21,16 @@ pub mod commands {
     }
 
     #[tauri::command(async)]
-    #[instrument(skip(projects), err(Debug))]
+    #[instrument(skip(projects, users), err(Debug))]
     pub fn add_project(
         projects: State<'_, Controller>,
+        users: State<'_, gitbutler_user::Controller>,
         path: &path::Path,
     ) -> Result<projects::Project, Error> {
-        Ok(projects.add(path)?)
+        let user = users.get_user()?;
+        let name = user.as_ref().and_then(|u| u.name.clone());
+        let email = user.as_ref().and_then(|u| u.email.clone());
+        Ok(projects.add(path, name, email)?)
     }
 
     #[tauri::command(async)]
diff --git a/crates/gitbutler-testsupport/src/lib.rs b/crates/gitbutler-testsupport/src/lib.rs
index 1f709df88e..8d4051735c 100644
--- a/crates/gitbutler-testsupport/src/lib.rs
+++ b/crates/gitbutler-testsupport/src/lib.rs
@@ -201,7 +201,11 @@ pub mod read_only {
         // Assure the project is valid the first time.
         let project = if was_inserted {
             let tmp = tempfile::TempDir::new()?;
-            gitbutler_project::Controller::from_path(tmp.path()).add(project_worktree_dir)?
+            gitbutler_project::Controller::from_path(tmp.path()).add(
+                project_worktree_dir,
+                None,
+                None,
+            )?
         } else {
             Project {
                 id: ProjectId::generate(),
diff --git a/crates/gitbutler-testsupport/src/suite.rs b/crates/gitbutler-testsupport/src/suite.rs
index d064d3e1c0..f0ab0a8f8f 100644
--- a/crates/gitbutler-testsupport/src/suite.rs
+++ b/crates/gitbutler-testsupport/src/suite.rs
@@ -72,7 +72,7 @@ impl Suite {
 
         (
             self.projects
-                .add(repository.path().parent().unwrap())
+                .add(repository.path().parent().unwrap(), None, None)
                 .expect("failed to add project"),
             tmp,
         )
diff --git a/crates/gitbutler-workspace/tests/branch_trees.rs b/crates/gitbutler-workspace/tests/branch_trees.rs
index 35c2c318cf..ad6a833f66 100644
--- a/crates/gitbutler-workspace/tests/branch_trees.rs
+++ b/crates/gitbutler-workspace/tests/branch_trees.rs
@@ -44,7 +44,7 @@ mod compute_updated_branch_head {
         let data_dir = gitbutler_testsupport::paths::data_dir();
         let projects = gitbutler_project::Controller::from_path(data_dir.path());
         let project = projects
-            .add(test_repository.repository.path())
+            .add(test_repository.repository.path(), None, None)
             .expect("failed to add project");
         let ctx = CommandContext::open(&project, but_settings::AppSettings::default()).unwrap();
         set_test_target(&ctx).unwrap();
@@ -77,7 +77,7 @@ mod compute_updated_branch_head {
         let data_dir = gitbutler_testsupport::paths::data_dir();
         let projects = gitbutler_project::Controller::from_path(data_dir.path());
         let project = projects
-            .add(test_repository.repository.path())
+            .add(test_repository.repository.path(), None, None)
             .expect("failed to add project");
         let ctx = CommandContext::open(&project, but_settings::AppSettings::default()).unwrap();
         set_test_target(&ctx).unwrap();
@@ -115,7 +115,7 @@ mod compute_updated_branch_head {
         let data_dir = gitbutler_testsupport::paths::data_dir();
         let projects = gitbutler_project::Controller::from_path(data_dir.path());
         let project = projects
-            .add(test_repository.repository.path())
+            .add(test_repository.repository.path(), None, None)
             .expect("failed to add project");
         let ctx = CommandContext::open(&project, but_settings::AppSettings::default()).unwrap();
         set_test_target(&ctx).unwrap();
diff --git a/crates/gitbutler-workspace/tests/mod.rs b/crates/gitbutler-workspace/tests/mod.rs
index 58d8eb6396..08b4daad38 100644
--- a/crates/gitbutler-workspace/tests/mod.rs
+++ b/crates/gitbutler-workspace/tests/mod.rs
@@ -22,7 +22,7 @@ mod checkout_branch_trees {
         let projects = gitbutler_project::Controller::from_path(data_dir.path());
 
         let project = projects
-            .add(test_project.path())
+            .add(test_project.path(), None, None)
             .expect("failed to add project");
 
         let ctx = CommandContext::open(&project, AppSettings::default()).unwrap();