diff --git a/.gitignore b/.gitignore
index 5744c47..76ef2d8 100644
--- a/.gitignore
+++ b/.gitignore
@@ -12,6 +12,14 @@ nimcache/
 /nimble
 /tests/nimscript/nimscript
 /tests/issue27/issue27
+src/nimblepkg/cli
+src/nimblepkg/packageinfo
+src/nimblepkg/packageparser
+src/nimblepkg/reversedeps
+src/nimblepkg/version
+tests/nimble-test/
+tests/packageStructure/validBinary/y
+tests/testCommand/testsFail/tests/t2
 
 # Windows executables
 *.exe
@@ -19,4 +27,5 @@ nimcache/
 
 # VCC compiler and linker artifacts
 *.ilk
-*.pdb
\ No newline at end of file
+*.pdb
+
diff --git a/src/nimble.nim b/src/nimble.nim
index 69086be..f62795b 100644
--- a/src/nimble.nim
+++ b/src/nimble.nim
@@ -724,20 +724,20 @@ proc init(options: Options) =
   display("Using", "$# for new package name" % [pkgName.escape()],
     priority = HighPriority)
 
-  # Ask for package author
+  # Determine author by running an external command
+  proc getAuthorWithCmd(cmd: string): string =
+    let (name, exitCode) = doCmdEx(cmd)
+    if exitCode == QuitSuccess and name.len > 0:
+      result = name.strip()
+      display("Using", "$# for new package author" % [result],
+        priority = HighPriority)
+
+  # Determine package author via git/hg or asking
   proc getAuthor(): string =
     if findExe("git") != "":
-      let (name, exitCode) = doCmdEx("git config --global user.name")
-      if exitCode == QuitSuccess and name.len > 0:
-        result = name.strip()
-        display("Using", "$# for new package author" % [result.escape()],
-          priority = HighPriority)
+      result = getAuthorWithCmd("git config --global user.name")
     elif findExe("hg") != "":
-      let (name, exitCode) = doCmdEx("hg config ui.username")
-      if exitCode == QuitSuccess and name.len > 0:
-        result = name.strip()
-        display("Using", "$# for new package author" % [result.escape()],
-          priority = HighPriority)
+      result = getAuthorWithCmd("hg config ui.username")
     if result.len == 0:
       result = promptCustom(options, "Your name?", "Anonymous")
   let pkgAuthor = getAuthor()
diff --git a/src/nimblepkg/init.nim b/src/nimblepkg/init.nim
index 085c616..2378b5f 100644
--- a/src/nimblepkg/init.nim
+++ b/src/nimblepkg/init.nim
@@ -175,7 +175,7 @@ $#
 
 requires "nim >= $#"
 """ % [
-      info.pkgVersion.escape(), info.pkgAuthor.escape(), info.pkgDesc.escape(),
+      info.pkgVersion.escape(), info.pkgAuthor, info.pkgDesc.escape(),
       info.pkgLicense.escape(), info.pkgSrcDir.escape(), nimbleFileOptions,
       pkgBackend, info.pkgNimDep
     ]