diff --git a/src/main/python/ddadevops/release_mixin/infrastructure_api.py b/src/main/python/ddadevops/release_mixin/infrastructure_api.py
index d59722e..b09fd89 100644
--- a/src/main/python/ddadevops/release_mixin/infrastructure_api.py
+++ b/src/main/python/ddadevops/release_mixin/infrastructure_api.py
@@ -216,8 +216,12 @@ class GitApi():
         self.system_api.run_checked('git', 'branch', '--show-current')
         return ''.join(self.system_api.stdout).rstrip()
 
-    def init(self):
-        self.system_api.run_checked('git', 'init', '-b', 'main')
+    def init(self, default_branch: str = "main"):
+        self.system_api.run_checked('git', 'init', '-b', default_branch)
+    
+    def set_user_config(self, email: str, name: str):
+        self.system_api.run_checked('git', 'config', 'user.email', email)
+        self.system_api.run_checked('git', 'config', 'user.name', name)
 
     def add_file(self, file_path: Path):
         self.system_api.run_checked('git', 'add', file_path)
diff --git a/src/test/python/release_mixin/test_infrastructure_api.py b/src/test/python/release_mixin/test_infrastructure_api.py
index d5b54dc..f59651c 100644
--- a/src/test/python/release_mixin/test_infrastructure_api.py
+++ b/src/test/python/release_mixin/test_infrastructure_api.py
@@ -20,6 +20,7 @@ def test_git_api(tmp_path: Path, monkeypatch: pt.MonkeyPatch):
 
     git_api = GitApi()
     git_api.init()
+    git_api.set_user_config("ex.ample@mail.com", "Ex Ample")
     git_api.add_file(th.TEST_FILE_NAME)
     git_api.commit("MINOR release")
 
diff --git a/src/test/python/release_mixin/test_release_mixin.py b/src/test/python/release_mixin/test_release_mixin.py
index f2c9aa5..6066f88 100644
--- a/src/test/python/release_mixin/test_release_mixin.py
+++ b/src/test/python/release_mixin/test_release_mixin.py
@@ -41,6 +41,7 @@ def test_release_mixin(tmp_path: Path, monkeypatch: pt.MonkeyPatch):
 
     git_api = GitApi()
     git_api.init()
+    git_api.set_user_config("ex.ample@mail.com", "Ex Ample")
     git_api.add_file(th.TEST_FILE_NAME)
     git_api.commit("MAJOR release")