diff --git a/src/main.rs b/src/main.rs
index 32cf7d6..fd2a846 100644
--- a/src/main.rs
+++ b/src/main.rs
@@ -156,7 +156,23 @@ fn add_and_commit(repo: &Repository, path: &Path, message: &str) -> Result<Oid,
     index.write()?;
     let oid = index.write_tree()?;
     let tree = repo.find_tree(oid)?;
-    let config = repo.config()?;
+    let config = {
+        let mut config = git2::Config::open_default()?;
+        if log::log_enabled!(log::Level::Trace) {
+            trace!("before reading local config");
+            config
+                .entries(None)?
+                .for_each(|entry| trace!("{:?} = {:?}", entry.name(), entry.value()))?;
+        }
+        config.add_file(&path.join(".git/config"), git2::ConfigLevel::Local, false)?;
+        if log::log_enabled!(log::Level::Trace) {
+            trace!("after reading local config");
+            config
+                .entries(None)?
+                .for_each(|entry| trace!("{:?} = {:?}", entry.name(), entry.value()))?;
+        }
+        config
+    };
     let signature = git2::Signature::now(
         config.get_entry("user.name")?.value().unwrap(),
         config.get_entry("user.email")?.value().unwrap(),
diff --git a/tests/cli.rs b/tests/cli.rs
index 5041385..658bc03 100644
--- a/tests/cli.rs
+++ b/tests/cli.rs
@@ -2,9 +2,10 @@ mod integrated_test {
     use std::{
         fs::{self, DirBuilder, File},
         io::{self, BufWriter, Write},
+        ops::Not,
     };
 
-    use anyhow::{Ok, Result};
+    use anyhow::{Context, Ok, Result};
     use assert_cmd::{assert::OutputAssertExt, Command};
     use git2::Repository;
     use log::trace;
@@ -40,6 +41,39 @@ mod integrated_test {
         Ok(())
     }
 
+    #[test]
+    fn git_init() -> Result<()> {
+        let temp_dir = assert_fs::TempDir::new()?;
+        setup_gitconfig(temp_dir.path())?;
+        let repo = git2::Repository::init(temp_dir.path())?;
+        eprintln!("{:?}", repo.path());
+        let git_status = std::process::Command::new("git")
+            .args(["status"])
+            .current_dir(temp_dir.path())
+            .spawn()
+            .context("git status")?
+            .wait()
+            .context("didn't complete")?;
+        eprintln!("{}", git_status);
+        let git_config = std::process::Command::new("git")
+            .args(["config", "--list"])
+            .current_dir(temp_dir.path())
+            .spawn()
+            .context("git status")?
+            .wait()
+            .context("didn't complete")?;
+        eprintln!("{}", git_config);
+        let git_config = std::process::Command::new("git")
+            .args(["config", "--list", "--local"])
+            .current_dir(temp_dir.path())
+            .spawn()
+            .context("git status")?
+            .wait()
+            .context("didn't complete")?;
+        eprintln!("{}", git_config);
+        Err(anyhow::anyhow!("finished (error for debug)"))
+    }
+
     #[test]
     fn single_device() -> Result<()> {
         let config_dir = assert_fs::TempDir::new()?;
@@ -257,7 +291,6 @@ mod integrated_test {
         //
         // devices: first, second
         let config_dir_2 = assert_fs::TempDir::new()?;
-        setup_gitconfig(&config_dir_2)?;
         let mut cmd2 = Command::cargo_bin("xdbm")?;
         cmd2.arg("-c")
             .arg(config_dir_2.path())