diff --git a/ident.c b/ident.c
index 4bd80842bc..b2521ffc01 100644
--- a/ident.c
+++ b/ident.c
@@ -351,15 +351,15 @@ const char *fmt_ident(const char *name, const char *email,
 	if (want_name) {
 		int using_default = 0;
 		if (!name) {
+			if (strict && ident_use_config_only
+			    && !(ident_config_given & IDENT_NAME_GIVEN))
+				die("user.useConfigOnly set but no name given");
 			name = ident_default_name();
 			using_default = 1;
 			if (strict && default_name_is_bogus) {
 				fputs(env_hint, stderr);
 				die("unable to auto-detect name (got '%s')", name);
 			}
-			if (strict && ident_use_config_only
-			    && !(ident_config_given & IDENT_NAME_GIVEN))
-				die("user.useConfigOnly set but no name given");
 		}
 		if (!*name) {
 			struct passwd *pw;
@@ -374,14 +374,14 @@ const char *fmt_ident(const char *name, const char *email,
 	}
 
 	if (!email) {
+		if (strict && ident_use_config_only
+		    && !(ident_config_given & IDENT_MAIL_GIVEN))
+			die("user.useConfigOnly set but no mail given");
 		email = ident_default_email();
 		if (strict && default_email_is_bogus) {
 			fputs(env_hint, stderr);
 			die("unable to auto-detect email address (got '%s')", email);
 		}
-		if (strict && ident_use_config_only
-		    && !(ident_config_given & IDENT_MAIL_GIVEN))
-			die("user.useConfigOnly set but no mail given");
 	}
 
 	strbuf_reset(&ident);