diff --git a/doc/installation.md b/doc/installation.md
index b04a324d..b1b954f1 100644
--- a/doc/installation.md
+++ b/doc/installation.md
@@ -244,6 +244,14 @@ and ensure you have followed all of the above steps carefully.
     # or sqlite
     sudo -u gitlab -H bundle install --without development test mysql postgres  --deployment
 
+#### Configure git client
+
+Gitlab needs to be able to commit and push changes to gitolite.
+Git requires a username and email in order to be able to do that.
+
+    sudo -u gitlab -H git config --global user.email "gitlab@localhost"
+    sudo -u gitlab -H git config --global user.name "Gitlab"
+
 #### Setup database
 
     sudo -u gitlab bundle exec rake gitlab:app:setup RAILS_ENV=production
diff --git a/lib/gitlab/backend/gitolite_config.rb b/lib/gitlab/backend/gitolite_config.rb
index d988164d..a54608eb 100644
--- a/lib/gitlab/backend/gitolite_config.rb
+++ b/lib/gitlab/backend/gitolite_config.rb
@@ -191,8 +191,8 @@ module Gitlab
 
     def push tmp_dir
       Dir.chdir(File.join(tmp_dir, "gitolite"))
-      system('git add -A')
-      system('git commit -am "GitLab"')
+      raise "Git add failed." unless system('git add -A')
+      raise "Git commit failed." unless system('git commit -am "GitLab"')
       if system('git push')
         Dir.chdir(Rails.root)
       else
diff --git a/lib/tasks/gitlab/status.rake b/lib/tasks/gitlab/status.rake
index 302f417c..ab2f41af 100644
--- a/lib/tasks/gitlab/status.rake
+++ b/lib/tasks/gitlab/status.rake
@@ -37,9 +37,10 @@ namespace :gitlab do
         return
       end
 
+      FileUtils.rm_rf("/tmp/gitolite_gitlab_test")
       begin
-        `git clone #{Gitlab.config.gitolite_admin_uri} /tmp/gitolite_gitlab_test`
-        FileUtils.rm_rf("/tmp/gitolite_gitlab_test")
+        `git clone -q #{Gitlab.config.gitolite_admin_uri} /tmp/gitolite_gitlab_test`
+        raise unless $?.success?
         print "Can clone gitolite-admin?............"
         puts "YES".green
       rescue
@@ -48,6 +49,21 @@ namespace :gitlab do
         return
       end
 
+      begin
+        Dir.chdir("/tmp/gitolite_gitlab_test") do
+          `touch blah && git add blah && git commit -qm blah -- blah`
+          raise unless $?.success?
+        end
+        print "Can git commit?............"
+        puts "YES".green
+      rescue
+        print "Can git commit?............"
+        puts "NO".red
+        return
+      ensure
+        FileUtils.rm_rf("/tmp/gitolite_gitlab_test")
+      end
+
       print "UMASK for .gitolite.rc is 0007? ............"
       if open("#{git_base_path}/../.gitolite.rc").grep(/UMASK([ \t]*)=([ \t>]*)0007/).any?
         puts "YES".green