diff --git a/gitg/gitg-ref-action-rename.vala b/gitg/gitg-ref-action-rename.vala
index ea16dcd0..d02b12e3 100644
--- a/gitg/gitg-ref-action-rename.vala
+++ b/gitg/gitg-ref-action-rename.vala
@@ -101,13 +101,29 @@ class RefActionRename : GitgExt.Action, GitgExt.RefAction, Object
 
 		try
 		{
+			var app = action_interface.application;
+			var repo = app.repository;
+			var signature = repo.get_signature_with_environment(app.environment);
+
 			if (branch != null)
 			{
-				new_ref = branch.move(new_text, Ggit.CreateFlags.NONE) as Gitg.Ref;
+				var msg = "rename: branch %s to %s".printf(branch.get_name(),
+				                                           new_text);
+
+				new_ref = branch.move(new_text,
+				                      Ggit.CreateFlags.NONE,
+				                      signature,
+				                      msg) as Gitg.Ref;
 			}
 			else
 			{
-				new_ref = reference.rename(new_text, false) as Gitg.Ref;
+				var msg = "rename: ref %s to %s".printf(reference.get_name(),
+				                                        new_text);
+
+				new_ref = reference.rename(new_text,
+				                           false,
+				                           signature,
+				                           msg) as Gitg.Ref;
 			}
 		}
 		catch (Error e)