diff --git a/org.eclipse.jgit.test/tst/org/eclipse/jgit/util/RawParseUtils_ParsePersonIdentTest.java b/org.eclipse.jgit.test/tst/org/eclipse/jgit/util/RawParseUtils_ParsePersonIdentTest.java
new file mode 100644
index 000000000..2981e31c1
--- /dev/null
+++ b/org.eclipse.jgit.test/tst/org/eclipse/jgit/util/RawParseUtils_ParsePersonIdentTest.java
@@ -0,0 +1,100 @@
+/*
+ * Copyright (C) 2010, Marc Strapetz <marc.strapetz@syntevo.com>
+ * and other copyright owners as documented in the project's IP log.
+ *
+ * This program and the accompanying materials are made available
+ * under the terms of the Eclipse Distribution License v1.0 which
+ * accompanies this distribution, is reproduced below, and is
+ * available at http://www.eclipse.org/org/documents/edl-v10.php
+ *
+ * All rights reserved.
+ *
+ * Redistribution and use in source and binary forms, with or
+ * without modification, are permitted provided that the following
+ * conditions are met:
+ *
+ * - Redistributions of source code must retain the above copyright
+ *   notice, this list of conditions and the following disclaimer.
+ *
+ * - Redistributions in binary form must reproduce the above
+ *   copyright notice, this list of conditions and the following
+ *   disclaimer in the documentation and/or other materials provided
+ *   with the distribution.
+ *
+ * - Neither the name of the Eclipse Foundation, Inc. nor the
+ *   names of its contributors may be used to endorse or promote
+ *   products derived from this software without specific prior
+ *   written permission.
+ *
+ * THIS SOFTWARE IS PROVIDED BY THE COPYRIGHT HOLDERS AND
+ * CONTRIBUTORS "AS IS" AND ANY EXPRESS OR IMPLIED WARRANTIES,
+ * INCLUDING, BUT NOT LIMITED TO, THE IMPLIED WARRANTIES
+ * OF MERCHANTABILITY AND FITNESS FOR A PARTICULAR PURPOSE
+ * ARE DISCLAIMED. IN NO EVENT SHALL THE COPYRIGHT OWNER OR
+ * CONTRIBUTORS BE LIABLE FOR ANY DIRECT, INDIRECT, INCIDENTAL,
+ * SPECIAL, EXEMPLARY, OR CONSEQUENTIAL DAMAGES (INCLUDING, BUT
+ * NOT LIMITED TO, PROCUREMENT OF SUBSTITUTE GOODS OR SERVICES;
+ * LOSS OF USE, DATA, OR PROFITS; OR BUSINESS INTERRUPTION) HOWEVER
+ * CAUSED AND ON ANY THEORY OF LIABILITY, WHETHER IN CONTRACT,
+ * STRICT LIABILITY, OR TORT (INCLUDING NEGLIGENCE OR OTHERWISE)
+ * ARISING IN ANY WAY OUT OF THE USE OF THIS SOFTWARE, EVEN IF
+ * ADVISED OF THE POSSIBILITY OF SUCH DAMAGE.
+ */
+
+package org.eclipse.jgit.util;
+
+import java.io.UnsupportedEncodingException;
+import java.util.Date;
+import java.util.TimeZone;
+
+import org.eclipse.jgit.lib.PersonIdent;
+
+import junit.framework.TestCase;
+
+public class RawParseUtils_ParsePersonIdentTest extends TestCase {
+
+	public void testParsePersonIdent_legalCases()
+			throws UnsupportedEncodingException {
+		final Date when = new Date(1234567890000l);
+		final TimeZone tz = TimeZone.getTimeZone("GMT-7");
+
+		assertPersonIdent("Me <me@example.com> 1234567890 -0700", 0,
+				new PersonIdent("Me", "me@example.com", when, tz));
+
+		assertPersonIdent(" Me <me@example.com> 1234567890 -0700", 1,
+				new PersonIdent("Me", "me@example.com", when, tz));
+
+		assertPersonIdent("Me <> 1234567890 -0700", 0, new PersonIdent("Me",
+				"", when, tz));
+
+		assertPersonIdent(" <me@example.com> 1234567890 -0700", 0,
+				new PersonIdent("", "me@example.com", when, tz));
+
+		assertPersonIdent(" <> 1234567890 -0700", 0, new PersonIdent("", "",
+				when, tz));
+	}
+
+	public void testParsePersonIdent_malformedCases()
+			throws UnsupportedEncodingException {
+		assertPersonIdent("Me me@example.com> 1234567890 -0700", 0, null);
+		assertPersonIdent("Me <me@example.com 1234567890 -0700", 0, null);
+
+		assertPersonIdent("<>", 0, null);
+		assertPersonIdent("<me@example.com>", 0, null);
+		assertPersonIdent(" <>", 0, null);
+		assertPersonIdent(" <me@example.com>", 0, null);
+		assertPersonIdent("Me <>", 0, null);
+		assertPersonIdent("Me <me@example.com>", 0, null);
+
+		assertPersonIdent("Me <me@example.com> 1234567890", 0, null);
+		assertPersonIdent("<me@example.com> 1234567890 -0700", 0, null);
+		assertPersonIdent("<> 1234567890 -0700", 0, null);
+	}
+
+	private void assertPersonIdent(String line, int nameB, PersonIdent expected)
+			throws UnsupportedEncodingException {
+		PersonIdent actual = RawParseUtils.parsePersonIdent(line
+				.getBytes("UTF-8"), nameB);
+		assertEquals(expected, actual);
+	}
+}
diff --git a/org.eclipse.jgit/src/org/eclipse/jgit/util/RawParseUtils.java b/org.eclipse.jgit/src/org/eclipse/jgit/util/RawParseUtils.java
index ca6188692..6259f7cbe 100644
--- a/org.eclipse.jgit/src/org/eclipse/jgit/util/RawParseUtils.java
+++ b/org.eclipse.jgit/src/org/eclipse/jgit/util/RawParseUtils.java
@@ -673,14 +673,26 @@ public static PersonIdent parsePersonIdent(final byte[] raw, final int nameB) {
 		final Charset cs = parseEncoding(raw);
 		final int emailB = nextLF(raw, nameB, '<');
 		final int emailE = nextLF(raw, emailB, '>');
+		if (emailB <= nameB + 1 || // No name
+			emailB >= raw.length || // No email start
+			raw[emailB] == '\n' ||
+			emailE >= raw.length - 1 || // No email end at all or no trailing date
+			raw[emailE] == '\n') {
+			return null;
+		}
 
 		final String name = decode(cs, raw, nameB, emailB - 2);
 		final String email = decode(cs, raw, emailB, emailE - 1);
 
 		final MutableInteger ptrout = new MutableInteger();
 		final long when = parseLongBase10(raw, emailE + 1, ptrout);
-		final int tz = parseTimeZoneOffset(raw, ptrout.value);
+		final int whenE = ptrout.value;
+		if (whenE >= raw.length || // No trailing timezone
+			raw[whenE] == '\n') {
+			return null;
+		}
 
+		final int tz = parseTimeZoneOffset(raw, whenE);
 		return new PersonIdent(name, email, when * 1000L, tz);
 	}