diff --git a/lib/repository.js b/lib/repository.js
index 5e75f4752..3a073b81d 100644
--- a/lib/repository.js
+++ b/lib/repository.js
@@ -541,7 +541,7 @@ Repository.prototype.treeBuilder = function() {
 Repository.prototype.defaultSignature = function() {
   var result = NodeGit.Signature.default(this);
 
-  if (!result.name()) {
+  if (!result || !result.name()) {
     result = NodeGit.Signature.now("unknown", "unknown@unknown.com");
   }
 
diff --git a/test/tests/signature.js b/test/tests/signature.js
index 9c7613986..6a369969f 100644
--- a/test/tests/signature.js
+++ b/test/tests/signature.js
@@ -45,17 +45,14 @@ describe("Signature", function() {
     assert.equal(when.offset(), -now.getTimezoneOffset());
   });
 
-  it("can get a default signature when no user name is set", function() {
+  it("can get a default signature when no user name is set", function(done) {
     var savedUserName;
     var savedUserEmail;
 
     var cleanUp = function() {
       return exec("git config --global user.name \"" + savedUserName + "\"")
       .then(function() {
-        return exec(
-          "git config --global user.email \"" +
-          savedUserEmail +
-          "\"");
+        exec("git config --global user.email \"" + savedUserEmail + "\"");
       });
     };
 
@@ -78,17 +75,15 @@ describe("Signature", function() {
     })
     .then(function(repo) {
       var sig = repo.defaultSignature();
-
       assert.equal(sig.name(), "unknown");
       assert.equal(sig.email(), "unknown@unknown.com");
-
-    })
-    .then(function() {
-      cleanUp();
     })
+    .then(cleanUp)
+    .then(done)
     .catch(function(e) {
       cleanUp()
       .then(function() {
+        done(e);
         return Promise.reject(e);
       });
     });