diff --git a/sys/lib/git/common.rc b/sys/lib/git/common.rc
index 1b8172f98..dd434265a 100644
--- a/sys/lib/git/common.rc
+++ b/sys/lib/git/common.rc
@@ -61,6 +61,7 @@ fn whoami{
 		name=$user
 	if(~ $email '')
 		email=$user@$sysname
+	status=''
 }
 
 # merge1 out ours base theirs