diff --git a/jupyterlab_git/git.py b/jupyterlab_git/git.py
index 095dd3c9c..2beb69af9 100644
--- a/jupyterlab_git/git.py
+++ b/jupyterlab_git/git.py
@@ -792,16 +792,27 @@ async def checkout_all(self, top_repo_path):
             return {"code": code, "command": " ".join(cmd), "message": error}
         return {"code": code}
 
+    async def reset_author(self, top_repo_path):
+        """
+        Reset committer identity in previous commit
+        """
+        cmd = ["git", "commit", "--amend", "--reset-author", "--no-edit"]
+        code, _, error = await execute(cmd, cwd=top_repo_path)
+
+        if code != 0:
+            return {"code": code, "command": " ".join(cmd), "message": error}
+        return {"code": code}
+
     async def commit(self, commit_msg, top_repo_path):
         """
         Execute git commit <filename> command & return the result.
         """
         cmd = ["git", "commit", "-m", commit_msg]
-        code, _, error = await execute(cmd, cwd=top_repo_path)
+        code, output, error = await execute(cmd, cwd=top_repo_path)
 
         if code != 0:
             return {"code": code, "command": " ".join(cmd), "message": error}
-        return {"code": code}
+        return {"code": code, "output": output}
 
     async def pull(self, curr_fb_path, auth=None, cancel_on_conflict=False):
         """
diff --git a/jupyterlab_git/handlers.py b/jupyterlab_git/handlers.py
index 8f3472379..644570010 100644
--- a/jupyterlab_git/handlers.py
+++ b/jupyterlab_git/handlers.py
@@ -375,6 +375,22 @@ async def post(self):
         self.finish(json.dumps(body))
 
 
+class GitResetAuthorHandler(GitHandler):
+    """
+    Handler for 'git commit --amend --reset-author --no-edit'.
+    """
+
+    @web.authenticated
+    async def post(self):
+        data = self.get_json_body()
+        top_repo_path = data["top_repo_path"]
+        body = await self.git.reset_author(top_repo_path)
+
+        if body["code"] != 0:
+            self.set_status(500)
+        self.finish(json.dumps(body))
+
+
 class GitCommitHandler(GitHandler):
     """
     Handler for 'git commit -m <message>'. Commits files.
@@ -711,6 +727,7 @@ def setup_handlers(web_app):
         ("/git/changed_files", GitChangedFilesHandler),
         ("/git/checkout", GitCheckoutHandler),
         ("/git/clone", GitCloneHandler),
+        ("/git/reset_author", GitResetAuthorHandler),
         ("/git/commit", GitCommitHandler),
         ("/git/config", GitConfigHandler),
         ("/git/delete_commit", GitDeleteCommitHandler),
diff --git a/src/components/GitPanel.tsx b/src/components/GitPanel.tsx
index e99173178..8d2c350be 100644
--- a/src/components/GitPanel.tsx
+++ b/src/components/GitPanel.tsx
@@ -6,7 +6,6 @@ import { PathExt } from '@jupyterlab/coreutils';
 import { FileBrowserModel } from '@jupyterlab/filebrowser';
 import { IRenderMimeRegistry } from '@jupyterlab/rendermime';
 import { ISettingRegistry } from '@jupyterlab/settingregistry';
-import { JSONObject } from '@lumino/coreutils';
 import { GitExtension } from '../model';
 import { sleep } from '../utils';
 import { Git, ILogMessage } from '../tokens';
@@ -28,6 +27,9 @@ import { SuspendModal } from './SuspendModal';
 import { Alert } from './Alert';
 import { CommandIDs } from '../commandsAndMenu';
 
+const MISSING_IDENTITY =
+  'Your name and email address were configured automatically';
+
 /**
  * Interface describing component properties.
  */
@@ -227,35 +229,20 @@ export class GitPanel extends React.Component<IGitPanelProps, IGitPanelState> {
    * @returns a promise which commits the files
    */
   commitStagedFiles = async (message: string): Promise<void> => {
-    let res: boolean;
+    let res: Response;
     if (!message) {
       return;
     }
-    try {
-      res = await this._hasIdentity(this.props.model.pathRepository);
-    } catch (err) {
-      this._log({
-        severity: 'error',
-        message: 'Failed to commit changes.'
-      });
-      console.error(err);
-      showErrorMessage('Fail to commit', err);
-      return;
-    }
-    if (!res) {
-      this._log({
-        severity: 'error',
-        message: 'Failed to commit changes.'
-      });
-      return;
-    }
     this._log({
       severity: 'info',
       message: 'Committing changes...'
     });
     this._suspend(true);
     try {
-      await Promise.all([sleep(1000), this.props.model.commit(message)]);
+      [, res] = await Promise.all<any, Response>([
+        sleep(1000),
+        this.props.model.commit(message)
+      ]);
     } catch (err) {
       this._suspend(false);
       this._log({
@@ -271,6 +258,10 @@ export class GitPanel extends React.Component<IGitPanelProps, IGitPanelState> {
       severity: 'success',
       message: 'Committed changes.'
     });
+    const { output } = await res.json();
+    if (output.indexOf(MISSING_IDENTITY) !== -1) {
+      await this._setIdentity(this.props.model.pathRepository);
+    }
   };
 
   /**
@@ -570,37 +561,36 @@ export class GitPanel extends React.Component<IGitPanelProps, IGitPanelState> {
    * @param path - repository path
    * @returns a promise which returns a success status
    */
-  private async _hasIdentity(path: string): Promise<boolean> {
+  private async _setIdentity(path: string): Promise<boolean> {
     // If the repository path changes, check the user identity
     if (path !== this._previousRepoPath) {
       try {
-        let res = await this.props.model.config();
-        if (res.ok) {
-          const options: JSONObject = (await res.json()).options;
-          const keys = Object.keys(options);
-
-          // If the user name or e-mail is unknown, ask the user to set it
-          if (keys.indexOf('user.name') < 0 || keys.indexOf('user.email') < 0) {
-            const result = await showDialog({
-              title: 'Who is committing?',
-              body: new GitAuthorForm()
-            });
-            if (!result.button.accept) {
-              console.log('User refuses to set identity.');
-              return false;
-            }
-            const identity = result.value;
-            res = await this.props.model.config({
-              'user.name': identity.name,
-              'user.email': identity.email
-            });
-            if (!res.ok) {
-              console.log(await res.text());
-              return false;
-            }
-          }
-          this._previousRepoPath = path;
+        const result = await showDialog({
+          title: 'Who is committing?',
+          body: new GitAuthorForm()
+        });
+        if (!result.button.accept) {
+          console.log('User refuses to set identity.');
+          return false;
+        }
+        const identity = result.value;
+        let res = await this.props.model.config({
+          'user.name': identity.name,
+          'user.email': identity.email
+        });
+        if (!res.ok) {
+          console.log(await res.text());
+          return false;
+        }
+        this._suspend(true);
+        res = await this.props.model.resetAuthor();
+        if (!res.ok) {
+          this._suspend(false);
+          console.log(await res.text());
+          return false;
         }
+        this._suspend(false);
+        this._previousRepoPath = path;
       } catch (error) {
         throw new Error('Failed to set your identity. ' + error.message);
       }
diff --git a/src/model.ts b/src/model.ts
index c09e0223f..8d66f5ae9 100644
--- a/src/model.ts
+++ b/src/model.ts
@@ -529,6 +529,40 @@ export class GitExtension implements IGitExtension {
     return data;
   }
 
+  async resetAuthor(): Promise<Response> {
+    await this.ready;
+    const path = this.pathRepository;
+
+    if (path === null) {
+      return Promise.resolve(
+        new Response(
+          JSON.stringify({
+            code: -1,
+            message: 'Not in a git repository.'
+          })
+        )
+      );
+    }
+
+    try {
+      const response = await httpGitRequest('/git/reset_author', 'POST', {
+        top_repo_path: path
+      });
+      if (!response.ok) {
+        return response.json().then((data: any) => {
+          throw new ServerConnection.ResponseError(response, data.message);
+        });
+      }
+
+      this.refreshStatus();
+      this._headChanged.emit();
+
+      return response;
+    } catch (err) {
+      throw new ServerConnection.NetworkError(err);
+    }
+  }
+
   /**
    * Commit all staged file changes.
    *
diff --git a/tests/test-components/GitPanel.spec.tsx b/tests/test-components/GitPanel.spec.tsx
index 66bb4dfb4..a498f476e 100644
--- a/tests/test-components/GitPanel.spec.tsx
+++ b/tests/test-components/GitPanel.spec.tsx
@@ -43,6 +43,9 @@ function MockRequest(url: string, method: string, request: any) {
       };
       response = new Response(JSON.stringify(obj));
       break;
+    case '/git/reset_author':
+      response = new Response();
+      break;
     default:
       obj = {
         message: `No mock implementation for ${url}.`
@@ -98,26 +101,13 @@ describe('GitPanel', () => {
     });
 
     it('should commit when commit message is provided', async () => {
-      const spy = jest.spyOn(GitModel.prototype, 'commit');
-
-      // Mock identity look up
-      const identity = jest
-        .spyOn(GitModel.prototype, 'config')
+      const spy = jest.spyOn(GitModel.prototype, 'commit')
         .mockResolvedValue(
-          new Response(
-            JSON.stringify({
-              options: {
-                'user.name': 'John Snow',
-                'user.email': 'john.snow@winteris.com'
-              }
-            }),
-            { status: 201 }
-          )
-        );
+          new Response(JSON.stringify({code: 200, output: ""})
+        ));
 
       const panel = new GitPanel(props);
       await panel.commitStagedFiles('Initial commit');
-      expect(identity).toHaveBeenCalledTimes(1);
       expect(spy).toHaveBeenCalledTimes(1);
       expect(spy).toHaveBeenCalledWith('Initial commit');
     });
@@ -130,61 +120,23 @@ describe('GitPanel', () => {
       spy.mockRestore();
     });
 
-    it('should prompt for user identity if user.name is not set', async () => {
-      const spy = jest.spyOn(GitModel.prototype, 'commit');
-
-      // Mock identity look up
-      const identity = jest
-        .spyOn(GitModel.prototype, 'config')
-        .mockImplementation(options => {
-          let response: Response = null;
-          if (options === undefined) {
-            response = new Response(
-              JSON.stringify({
-                options: {
-                  'user.email': 'john.snow@winteris.com'
-                }
-              }),
-              { status: 201 }
-            );
-          } else {
-            response = new Response('', { status: 201 });
-          }
-          return Promise.resolve(response);
-        });
-      const mock = apputils as jest.Mocked<typeof apputils>;
-      mock.showDialog.mockResolvedValue({
-        button: {
-          accept: true,
-          caption: '',
-          className: '',
-          displayType: 'default',
-          iconClass: '',
-          iconLabel: '',
-          label: ''
-        },
-        value: {
-          name: 'John Snow',
-          email: 'john.snow@winteris.com'
-        }
-      });
-
-      const panel = new GitPanel(props);
-      await panel.commitStagedFiles('Initial commit');
-      expect(identity).toHaveBeenCalledTimes(2);
-      expect(identity.mock.calls[0]).toHaveLength(0);
-      expect(identity.mock.calls[1]).toEqual([
-        {
-          'user.name': 'John Snow',
-          'user.email': 'john.snow@winteris.com'
-        }
-      ]);
-      expect(spy).toHaveBeenCalledTimes(1);
-      expect(spy).toHaveBeenCalledWith('Initial commit');
-    });
-
-    it('should prompt for user identity if user.email is not set', async () => {
-      const spy = jest.spyOn(GitModel.prototype, 'commit');
+    it('should prompt for user identity when git advices to set committer identity', async () => {
+      const spy = jest.spyOn(GitModel.prototype, 'commit')
+        .mockResolvedValue(
+          new Response(
+            JSON.stringify(
+              {
+                code: 200,
+                output: `Your name and email address were configured automatically based
+                  on your username and hostname. Please check that they are accurate.
+                  You can suppress this message by setting them explicitly:
+
+                      git config --global user.name "Your Name"
+                      git config --global user.email you@example.com`
+              }
+            )
+          )
+        );
 
       // Mock identity look up
       const identity = jest
@@ -222,11 +174,12 @@ describe('GitPanel', () => {
         }
       });
 
+      const resetAuthorMock = jest.spyOn(GitModel.prototype, 'resetAuthor');
+
       const panel = new GitPanel(props);
       await panel.commitStagedFiles('Initial commit');
-      expect(identity).toHaveBeenCalledTimes(2);
-      expect(identity.mock.calls[0]).toHaveLength(0);
-      expect(identity.mock.calls[1]).toEqual([
+      expect(identity).toHaveBeenCalledTimes(1);
+      expect(identity.mock.calls[0]).toEqual([
         {
           'user.name': 'John Snow',
           'user.email': 'john.snow@winteris.com'
@@ -234,28 +187,31 @@ describe('GitPanel', () => {
       ]);
       expect(spy).toHaveBeenCalledTimes(1);
       expect(spy).toHaveBeenCalledWith('Initial commit');
+      expect(resetAuthorMock).toHaveBeenCalledTimes(1);
     });
 
-    it('should not commit if no user identity is set and the user rejects the dialog', async () => {
-      const spy = jest.spyOn(GitModel.prototype, 'commit');
+    it('should not reset author if no user identity is set and the user rejects the dialog', async () => {
+      const spy = jest.spyOn(GitModel.prototype, 'commit')
+        .mockResolvedValue(
+          new Response(
+            JSON.stringify(
+              {
+                code: 200,
+                output: `Your name and email address were configured automatically based
+                  on your username and hostname. Please check that they are accurate.
+                  You can suppress this message by setting them explicitly:
+
+                      git config --global user.name "Your Name"
+                      git config --global user.email you@example.com`
+              }
+            )
+          )
+        );
 
       // Mock identity look up
-      const identity = jest
-        .spyOn(GitModel.prototype, 'config')
-        .mockImplementation(options => {
-          let response: Response = null;
-          if (options === undefined) {
-            response = new Response(
-              JSON.stringify({
-                options: {}
-              }),
-              { status: 201 }
-            );
-          } else {
-            response = new Response('', { status: 201 });
-          }
-          return Promise.resolve(response);
-        });
+      const identity = jest.spyOn(GitModel.prototype, 'config')
+      const resetAuthorMock = jest.spyOn(GitModel.prototype, 'resetAuthor');
+
       const mock = apputils as jest.Mocked<typeof apputils>;
       mock.showDialog.mockResolvedValue({
         button: {
@@ -272,9 +228,9 @@ describe('GitPanel', () => {
 
       const panel = new GitPanel(props);
       await panel.commitStagedFiles('Initial commit');
-      expect(identity).toHaveBeenCalledTimes(1);
-      expect(identity).toHaveBeenCalledWith();
-      expect(spy).not.toHaveBeenCalled();
+      expect(spy).toHaveBeenCalledTimes(1);
+      expect(identity).toHaveBeenCalledTimes(0);
+      expect(resetAuthorMock).toHaveBeenCalledTimes(0);
     });
   });
 });