diff --git a/ident.c b/ident.c
index 085cfbe231..bb1b174352 100644
--- a/ident.c
+++ b/ident.c
@@ -11,6 +11,7 @@ static struct strbuf git_default_name = STRBUF_INIT;
 static struct strbuf git_default_email = STRBUF_INIT;
 static struct strbuf git_default_date = STRBUF_INIT;
 static int default_email_is_bogus;
+static int default_name_is_bogus;
 
 #define IDENT_NAME_GIVEN 01
 #define IDENT_MAIL_GIVEN 02
@@ -24,15 +25,22 @@ static int author_ident_explicitly_given;
 #define get_gecos(struct_passwd) ((struct_passwd)->pw_gecos)
 #endif
 
-static struct passwd *xgetpwuid_self(void)
+static struct passwd *xgetpwuid_self(int *is_bogus)
 {
 	struct passwd *pw;
 
 	errno = 0;
 	pw = getpwuid(getuid());
-	if (!pw)
-		die(_("unable to look up current user in the passwd file: %s"),
-		    errno ? strerror(errno) : _("no such user"));
+	if (!pw) {
+		static struct passwd fallback;
+		fallback.pw_name = "unknown";
+#ifndef NO_GECOS_IN_PWENT
+		fallback.pw_gecos = "Unknown";
+#endif
+		pw = &fallback;
+		if (is_bogus)
+			*is_bogus = 1;
+	}
 	return pw;
 }
 
@@ -122,7 +130,7 @@ static void copy_email(const struct passwd *pw, struct strbuf *email,
 const char *ident_default_name(void)
 {
 	if (!git_default_name.len) {
-		copy_gecos(xgetpwuid_self(), &git_default_name);
+		copy_gecos(xgetpwuid_self(&default_name_is_bogus), &git_default_name);
 		strbuf_trim(&git_default_name);
 	}
 	return git_default_name.buf;
@@ -138,8 +146,8 @@ const char *ident_default_email(void)
 			committer_ident_explicitly_given |= IDENT_MAIL_GIVEN;
 			author_ident_explicitly_given |= IDENT_MAIL_GIVEN;
 		} else
-			copy_email(xgetpwuid_self(), &git_default_email,
-				   &default_email_is_bogus);
+			copy_email(xgetpwuid_self(&default_email_is_bogus),
+				   &git_default_email, &default_email_is_bogus);
 		strbuf_trim(&git_default_email);
 	}
 	return git_default_email.buf;
@@ -327,10 +335,16 @@ const char *fmt_ident(const char *name, const char *email,
 				fputs(env_hint, stderr);
 			die("empty ident name (for <%s>) not allowed", email);
 		}
-		pw = xgetpwuid_self();
+		pw = xgetpwuid_self(NULL);
 		name = pw->pw_name;
 	}
 
+	if (want_name && strict &&
+	    name == git_default_name.buf && default_name_is_bogus) {
+		fputs(env_hint, stderr);
+		die("unable to auto-detect name (got '%s')", name);
+	}
+
 	if (strict && email == git_default_email.buf && default_email_is_bogus) {
 		fputs(env_hint, stderr);
 		die("unable to auto-detect email address (got '%s')", email);