diff --git a/org.eclipse.jgit/src/org/eclipse/jgit/util/SystemReader.java b/org.eclipse.jgit/src/org/eclipse/jgit/util/SystemReader.java
index d554562a7..0f8c248f9 100644
--- a/org.eclipse.jgit/src/org/eclipse/jgit/util/SystemReader.java
+++ b/org.eclipse.jgit/src/org/eclipse/jgit/util/SystemReader.java
@@ -126,7 +126,7 @@ protected FileBasedConfig createSystemConfig(Config parent, FS fs) {
 					return new FileBasedConfig(parent, configFile, fs);
 				}
 			}
-			return new FileBasedConfig(null, fs) {
+			return new FileBasedConfig(parent, null, fs) {
 				@Override
 				public void load() {
 					// empty, do not load