set_ident_var(&date, strbuf_detach(&date_buf, NULL));
        }
 
-       strbuf_addstr(author_ident, fmt_ident(name, email, date, IDENT_STRICT));
+       strbuf_addstr(author_ident, fmt_ident(name, email, WANT_AUTHOR_IDENT, date,
+                               IDENT_STRICT));
        assert_split_ident(&author, author_ident);
        export_one("GIT_AUTHOR_NAME", author.name_begin, author.name_end, 0);
        export_one("GIT_AUTHOR_EMAIL", author.mail_begin, author.mail_end, 0);