diff --git a/packages/create-app/src/createApp.ts b/packages/create-app/src/createApp.ts
index fd70a4c238..182e043565 100644
--- a/packages/create-app/src/createApp.ts
+++ b/packages/create-app/src/createApp.ts
@@ -38,34 +38,31 @@ export default async (opts: OptionValues): Promise<void> => {
   /* eslint-disable-next-line no-restricted-syntax */
   const paths = findPaths(__dirname);
 
-  const answers: Answers = await inquirer.prompt(
-    [
-      {
-        type: 'input',
-        name: 'name',
-        message: chalk.blue('Enter a name for the app [required]'),
-        validate: (value: any) => {
-          if (!value) {
-            return chalk.red('Please enter a name for the app');
-          } else if (!/^[a-z0-9]+(-[a-z0-9]+)*$/.test(value)) {
-            return chalk.red(
-              'App name must be lowercase and contain only letters, digits, and dashes.',
-            );
-          }
-          return true;
-        },
-        when: (a: Answers) => {
-          const envName = process.env.BACKSTAGE_APP_NAME;
-          if (envName) {
-            a.name = envName;
-            return false;
-          }
-          return true;
-        },
+  const answers: Answers = await inquirer.prompt([
+    {
+      type: 'input',
+      name: 'name',
+      message: chalk.blue('Enter a name for the app [required]'),
+      validate: (value: any) => {
+        if (!value) {
+          return chalk.red('Please enter a name for the app');
+        } else if (!/^[a-z0-9]+(-[a-z0-9]+)*$/.test(value)) {
+          return chalk.red(
+            'App name must be lowercase and contain only letters, digits, and dashes.',
+          );
+        }
+        return true;
       },
-    ],
-    { defaultBranch: 'master' },
-  );
+      when: (a: Answers) => {
+        const envName = process.env.BACKSTAGE_APP_NAME;
+        if (envName) {
+          a.name = envName;
+          return false;
+        }
+        return true;
+      },
+    },
+  ]);
 
   const templateDir = paths.resolveOwn('templates/default-app');
   const tempDir = resolvePath(os.tmpdir(), answers.name);
@@ -112,7 +109,7 @@ export default async (opts: OptionValues): Promise<void> => {
       await moveAppTask(tempDir, appDir, answers.name);
     }
 
-    if (gitConfig) {
+    if (gitConfig?.name && gitConfig?.email) {
       Task.section('Initializing git repository');
       await initGitRepository(appDir);
     }
diff --git a/packages/create-app/src/lib/tasks.test.ts b/packages/create-app/src/lib/tasks.test.ts
index b8d3202976..0144f9f575 100644
--- a/packages/create-app/src/lib/tasks.test.ts
+++ b/packages/create-app/src/lib/tasks.test.ts
@@ -17,7 +17,8 @@
 import fs from 'fs-extra';
 import mockFs from 'mock-fs';
 import child_process from 'child_process';
-import path from 'path';
+import path, { resolve as resolvePath } from 'path';
+import os from 'os';
 import {
   Task,
   buildAppTask,
@@ -100,6 +101,7 @@ describe('tasks', () => {
   const mockExec = child_process.exec as unknown as jest.MockedFunction<
     (
       command: string,
+      options: any,
       callback: (error: null, stdout: any, stderr: any) => void,
     ) => void
   >;
@@ -287,8 +289,10 @@ describe('tasks', () => {
   });
 
   describe('readGitConfig', () => {
+    const tmpDir = resolvePath(os.tmpdir(), 'git-temp-dir');
+
     it('should return git config if git package is installed and git credentials are set', async () => {
-      mockExec.mockImplementation((_command, callback) => {
+      mockExec.mockImplementation((_command, _options, callback) => {
         callback(null, { stdout: 'main' }, 'standard error');
       });
 
@@ -304,15 +308,22 @@ describe('tasks', () => {
       });
       expect(mockExec).toHaveBeenCalledWith(
         'git config user.name',
+        { cwd: tmpDir },
         expect.any(Function),
       );
       expect(mockExec).toHaveBeenCalledWith(
         'git config user.email',
+        { cwd: tmpDir },
+        expect.any(Function),
+      );
+      expect(mockExec).toHaveBeenCalledWith(
+        'git init',
+        { cwd: tmpDir },
         expect.any(Function),
       );
-      expect(mockExec).toHaveBeenCalledWith('git init', expect.any(Function));
       expect(mockExec).toHaveBeenCalledWith(
         'git commit --allow-empty -m "Initial commit"',
+        { cwd: tmpDir },
         expect.any(Function),
       );
     });
@@ -326,7 +337,7 @@ describe('tasks', () => {
     });
 
     it('should return false if git package is installed but git credentials are not set', async () => {
-      mockExec.mockImplementation((_command, callback) => {
+      mockExec.mockImplementation((_command, _options, callback) => {
         callback(null, { stdout: null }, 'standard error');
       });
 
@@ -337,10 +348,12 @@ describe('tasks', () => {
       expect(gitConfig).toBeUndefined();
       expect(mockExec).toHaveBeenCalledWith(
         'git config user.name',
+        { cwd: tmpDir },
         expect.any(Function),
       );
       expect(mockExec).toHaveBeenCalledWith(
         'git config user.email',
+        { cwd: tmpDir },
         expect.any(Function),
       );
     });
diff --git a/packages/create-app/src/lib/tasks.ts b/packages/create-app/src/lib/tasks.ts
index 6b40ecac63..5514b930fc 100644
--- a/packages/create-app/src/lib/tasks.ts
+++ b/packages/create-app/src/lib/tasks.ts
@@ -254,7 +254,7 @@ export async function readGitConfig(): Promise<GitConfig | undefined> {
   const tempDir = resolvePath(os.tmpdir(), 'git-temp-dir');
 
   const runCmd = (cmd: string) =>
-    exec(cmd).catch(error => {
+    exec(cmd, { cwd: tempDir }).catch(error => {
       process.stdout.write(error.stderr);
       process.stdout.write(error.stdout);
       throw new Error(`Could not execute command ${chalk.cyan(cmd)}`);
@@ -267,8 +267,6 @@ export async function readGitConfig(): Promise<GitConfig | undefined> {
   try {
     await fs.mkdir(tempDir);
 
-    process.chdir(tempDir);
-
     const [gitUsername, gitEmail] = await Promise.all([
       runCmd('git config user.name'),
       runCmd('git config user.email'),