diff --git a/builtin-update-ref.c b/builtin-update-ref.c
index 00333c7e7..83094abe0 100644
--- a/builtin-update-ref.c
+++ b/builtin-update-ref.c
@@ -12,6 +12,7 @@ int cmd_update_ref(int argc, const char **argv, char **envp)
 	unsigned char sha1[20], oldsha1[20];
 	int i;
 
+	setup_ident();
 	setup_git_directory();
 	git_config(git_default_config);
 
diff --git a/refs.c b/refs.c
index 2d9c1dc5d..56db39445 100644
--- a/refs.c
+++ b/refs.c
@@ -379,7 +379,6 @@ static int log_ref_write(struct ref_lock *lock,
 			lock->log_file, strerror(errno));
 	}
 
-	setup_ident();
 	committer = git_committer_info(1);
 	if (msg) {
 		maxlen = strlen(committer) + strlen(msg) + 2*40 + 5;