diff --git a/git-rebase--interactive.sh b/git-rebase--interactive.sh
index 6fd6d4e5f64bcab81fa64bf363db1b530a00a544..5e474e4a8584fc8ccfc7a638f9fb7a3e98f2c1e3 100644
--- a/git-rebase--interactive.sh
+++ b/git-rebase--interactive.sh
@@ -1141,9 +1141,6 @@ To continue rebase after editing, run:
 	;;
 esac
 
-git var GIT_COMMITTER_IDENT >/dev/null ||
-	die "$(gettext "You need to set your committer info first")"
-
 comment_for_reflog start
 
 if test ! -z "$switch_to"
diff --git a/t/t7517-per-repo-email.sh b/t/t7517-per-repo-email.sh
index 337e6e30c35fd6881eb20e9ec27ac81662c3a8e7..2a22fa7588d365c11b35cfdcee82dbef3f97ecaf 100755
--- a/t/t7517-per-repo-email.sh
+++ b/t/t7517-per-repo-email.sh
@@ -36,4 +36,51 @@ test_expect_success 'succeeds cloning if global email is not set' '
 	git clone . clone
 '
 
+test_expect_success 'set up rebase scenarios' '
+	# temporarily enable an actual ident for this setup
+	test_config user.email foo@example.com &&
+	test_commit new &&
+	git branch side-without-commit HEAD^ &&
+	git checkout -b side-with-commit HEAD^ &&
+	test_commit side
+'
+
+test_expect_success 'fast-forward rebase does not care about ident' '
+	git checkout -B tmp side-without-commit &&
+	git rebase master
+'
+
+test_expect_success 'non-fast-forward rebase refuses to write commits' '
+	test_when_finished "git rebase --abort || true" &&
+	git checkout -B tmp side-with-commit &&
+	test_must_fail git rebase master
+'
+
+test_expect_success 'fast-forward rebase does not care about ident (interactive)' '
+	git checkout -B tmp side-without-commit &&
+	git rebase -i master
+'
+
+test_expect_success 'non-fast-forward rebase refuses to write commits (interactive)' '
+	test_when_finished "git rebase --abort || true" &&
+	git checkout -B tmp side-with-commit &&
+	test_must_fail git rebase -i master
+'
+
+test_expect_success 'noop interactive rebase does not care about ident' '
+	git checkout -B tmp side-with-commit &&
+	git rebase -i HEAD^
+'
+
+test_expect_success 'fast-forward rebase does not care about ident (preserve)' '
+	git checkout -B tmp side-without-commit &&
+	git rebase -p master
+'
+
+test_expect_success 'non-fast-forward rebase refuses to write commits (preserve)' '
+	test_when_finished "git rebase --abort || true" &&
+	git checkout -B tmp side-with-commit &&
+	test_must_fail git rebase -p master
+'
+
 test_done