diff --git a/pygit2/repository.py b/pygit2/repository.py
index b5e59e87..660ac4fa 100644
--- a/pygit2/repository.py
+++ b/pygit2/repository.py
@@ -81,7 +81,7 @@
 from .remotes import RemoteCollection
 from .submodules import SubmoduleCollection
 from .transaction import ReferenceTransaction
-from .utils import StrArray, to_bytes
+from .utils import StrArray, maybe_string, to_bytes
 
 if TYPE_CHECKING:
     from pygit2._libgit2.ffi import (
@@ -1278,7 +1278,7 @@ def stash(
         Example::
 
             >>> repo = pygit2.Repository('.')
-            >>> repo.stash(repo.default_signature(), 'WIP: stashing')
+            >>> repo.stash(repo.default_signature, 'WIP: stashing')
         """
 
         opts = ffi.new('git_stash_save_options *')
@@ -1347,7 +1347,7 @@ def stash_apply(
         Example::
 
             >>> repo = pygit2.Repository('.')
-            >>> repo.stash(repo.default_signature(), 'WIP: stashing')
+            >>> repo.stash(repo.default_signature, 'WIP: stashing')
             >>> repo.stash_apply(strategy=CheckoutStrategy.ALLOW_CONFLICTS)
         """
         with git_stash_apply_options(
@@ -1578,16 +1578,16 @@ def get_attr(
     # Identity for reference operations
     #
     @property
-    def ident(self):
+    def ident(self) -> tuple[Optional[str], Optional[str]]:
         cname = ffi.new('char **')
         cemail = ffi.new('char **')
 
         err = C.git_repository_ident(cname, cemail, self._repo)
         check_error(err)
 
-        return (ffi.string(cname).decode('utf-8'), ffi.string(cemail).decode('utf-8'))
+        return (maybe_string(cname[0]), maybe_string(cemail[0]))
 
-    def set_ident(self, name: str, email: str) -> None:
+    def set_ident(self, name: Optional[str], email: Optional[str]) -> None:
         """Set the identity to be used for reference operations.
 
         Updates to some references also append data to their
diff --git a/test/test_repository.py b/test/test_repository.py
index 68913ff5..446aaae7 100644
--- a/test/test_repository.py
+++ b/test/test_repository.py
@@ -641,6 +641,19 @@ def test_default_signature(testrepo: Repository) -> None:
     assert 'rjh@example.com' == sig.email
 
 
+def test_ident_get_set(testrepo: Repository) -> None:
+    # By default, reflog identity should be unset.
+    assert testrepo.ident == (None, None)
+
+    cname = 'C O Mitter'
+    cemail = 'committer@example.com'
+    testrepo.set_ident(cname, cemail)
+    assert testrepo.ident == (cname, cemail)
+
+    testrepo.set_ident(None, None)
+    assert testrepo.ident == (None, None)
+
+
 def test_new_repo(tmp_path: Path) -> None:
     repo = init_repository(tmp_path, False)