diff --git a/lib/newfol/filemanip.py b/lib/newfol/filemanip.py
index eeeb869..05746ed 100644
--- a/lib/newfol/filemanip.py
+++ b/lib/newfol/filemanip.py
@@ -7,7 +7,9 @@ import json
 import os
 import os.path
 import pickle
+import pwd
 import re
+import socket
 import subprocess
 import sys
 import uuid
@@ -113,10 +115,21 @@ class GitTransactionStore(TransactionStore):
     def _call_git(*args):
         with open(os.devnull, "r") as devnullr:
             with open(os.devnull, "w+") as devnullw:
-                cmdline = ["git"]
+                env = dict(os.environ)
+                for i in ('NAME', 'EMAIL', 'DATE'):
+                    for j in ('AUTHOR', 'COMMITTER'):
+                        try:
+                            del env['GIT_%s_%s' % (j, i)]
+                        except KeyError:
+                            pass
+                user = pwd.getpwuid(os.getuid())[0]
+                fqdn = socket.getfqdn()
+                cmdline = ["git", "-c", "user.name=newfol",
+                    "-c", "user.email=" + user + "@" + fqdn]
                 cmdline.extend(args)
-                return subprocess.call(cmdline, stdin=devnullr, stdout=devnullw,
-                    stderr=devnullw)
+                p = subprocess.Popen(cmdline, stdin=devnullr, stdout=devnullw,
+                    stderr=devnullw, env=env)
+                return p.wait()
     def prepare_open(self, filename, mode):
         (self._prefix, self._name) = os.path.split(filename)
         self._mode = mode
diff --git a/test/testdatabase.py b/test/testdatabase.py
index f2c6b4a..b834125 100755
--- a/test/testdatabase.py
+++ b/test/testdatabase.py
@@ -2,6 +2,11 @@
 
 from newfol.database import DatabaseVersion, Database, Schema
 from newfol.filemanip import Record
+import os
+import os.path
+import pwd
+import socket
+import tempfile
 import unittest
 
 class TestDatabaseVersion(unittest.TestCase):
@@ -41,5 +46,35 @@ class TestDatabaseAccessors(unittest.TestCase):
         self.assertEqual(obj.serialization(),
                 DatabaseVersion.preferred().serialization())
 
+class TestGitTransactions(unittest.TestCase):
+    def setUp(self):
+        self.ddir = tempfile.TemporaryDirectory()
+        fp = open(self.ddir.name + "/schema", "w")
+        fp.write("fmt:0:newfol schema file:\ntxn:git\n")
+        fp.close()
+        self.db = Database.load(self.ddir.name)
+    def test_has_git_dir(self):
+        self.db.store()
+        self.assertTrue(os.path.isdir(self.ddir.name + "/.git"))
+    def get_format_data(self, fmt):
+        cwd = os.getcwd()
+        data = None
+        try:
+            os.chdir(self.ddir.name)
+            fp = os.popen("git log --pretty=format:" + fmt + " -n1")
+            data = fp.read()
+            fp.close()
+        finally:
+            os.chdir(cwd)
+        return data
+    def test_correct_committer_name(self):
+        self.db.store()
+        self.assertEqual(self.get_format_data("%cn"), "newfol")
+    def test_correct_committer_email(self):
+        self.db.store()
+        user = pwd.getpwuid(os.getuid())[0]
+        fqdn = socket.getfqdn()
+        self.assertEqual(self.get_format_data("%ce"), user + "@" + fqdn)
+
 if __name__ == '__main__':
     unittest.main()
diff --git a/test/testfilemanip.py b/test/testfilemanip.py
index 8d5f104..e7a83ea 100755
--- a/test/testfilemanip.py
+++ b/test/testfilemanip.py
@@ -22,16 +22,34 @@ class TestRoundTripping(unittest.TestCase):
             else:
                 self.assertEqual(a.uuid, b.uuid)
                 self.assertEqual(a.table, b.table)
+    def check_serialized_data(self, fs, filename, recs):
+        fp = open(filename, "rb")
+        data = fp.read()
+        fp.close()
+        fs.store(recs)
+        fp = open(filename, "rb")
+        data2 = fp.read()
+        fp.close()
+        self.assertEqual(data, data2)
     def run_test(self, fmt, lossy=False):
         options = {"table-is-field-0": True}
-        fs = FileStorage(fmt, self.tempdir.name + "/" + fmt, options=options)
+        filename = self.tempdir.name + "/" + fmt
+        fs = FileStorage(fmt, filename, options=options)
         fs.store(self.data)
         m = fs.load()
         self.compare(self.data, m, lossy)
+        self.check_serialized_data(fs, filename, m)
     def test_csv(self):
         self.run_test("csv", True)
     def test_json(self):
         self.run_test("json")
+    def test_yaml(self):
+        options = {"table-is-field-0": True}
+        fmt = "yaml"
+        filename = self.tempdir.name + "/" + fmt
+        fs = FileStorage(fmt, filename, options=options)
+        fs.store(self.data)
+        self.check_serialized_data(fs, filename, self.data)
     def test_pickle(self):
         self.run_test("pickle")