diff --git a/debian/changelog b/debian/changelog
index d54726a..00a721c 100644
--- a/debian/changelog
+++ b/debian/changelog
@@ -1,7 +1,8 @@
 ubuntu-dev-tools (0.149) UNRELEASED; urgency=low
 
   [ Marc Deslauriers ]
-   * mk-sbuild: allow specifying the schroot profile.
+  * mk-sbuild: allow specifying the schroot profile.
+  * ubuntutools/config.py: properly handle name being None.
 
   [ Loïc Minier ]
   * ubuntutools.config: decode developer names with the current locale's
@@ -15,7 +16,7 @@ ubuntu-dev-tools (0.149) UNRELEASED; urgency=low
     librarian (as opposed to the login page from a private PPA).
     (LP: #1106429)
 
- -- Evan Broder <evan@stripe.com>  Tue, 09 Jul 2013 17:49:21 -0700
+ -- Marc Deslauriers <marc.deslauriers@ubuntu.com>  Tue, 13 Aug 2013 17:00:26 -0400
 
 ubuntu-dev-tools (0.148) unstable; urgency=low
 
diff --git a/ubuntutools/config.py b/ubuntutools/config.py
index 911f7d0..6e11e4a 100644
--- a/ubuntutools/config.py
+++ b/ubuntutools/config.py
@@ -179,5 +179,6 @@ def ubu_email(name=None, email=None, export=True):
     encoding = locale.getdefaultlocale()[1]
     if not encoding:
         encoding = 'utf-8'
-    name = name.decode(encoding)
+    if name:
+        name = name.decode(encoding)
     return name, email