diff --git a/test/test-init.sh b/test/test-init.sh
new file mode 100755
index 00000000..c66a34f5
--- /dev/null
+++ b/test/test-init.sh
@@ -0,0 +1,33 @@
+#!/bin/sh
+
+. "test/testlib.sh"
+
+begin_test "init again"
+(
+  set -e
+
+  [ "git-lfs smudge %f" = "$(git config filter.lfs.smudge)" ]
+  [ "git-lfs clean %f" = "$(git config filter.lfs.clean)" ]
+
+  git lfs init
+
+  [ "git-lfs smudge %f" = "$(git config filter.lfs.smudge)" ]
+  [ "git-lfs clean %f" = "$(git config filter.lfs.clean)" ]
+)
+end_test
+
+begin_test "init with old settings"
+(
+  set -e
+
+  git config --global filter.lfs.smudge "git lfs smudge %f"
+  git config --global filter.lfs.clean "git lfs clean %f"
+
+  git lfs init 2> init.log
+
+  grep "clean filter should be" init.log
+
+  [ "git lfs smudge %f" = "$(git config filter.lfs.smudge)" ]
+  [ "git lfs clean %f" = "$(git config filter.lfs.clean)" ]
+)
+end_test
diff --git a/test/testhelpers.sh b/test/testhelpers.sh
index 6fc3c935..712b3ee9 100644
--- a/test/testhelpers.sh
+++ b/test/testhelpers.sh
@@ -124,12 +124,16 @@ setup() {
   LFSTEST_URL="$LFS_URL_FILE" LFSTEST_DIR="$REMOTEDIR" lfstest-gitserver > "$REMOTEDIR/gitserver.log" 2>&1 &
 
   mkdir $HOME
-  git config -f "$HOME/.gitconfig" filter.lfs.required true
-  git config -f "$HOME/.gitconfig" filter.lfs.smudge "git lfs smudge %f"
-  git config -f "$HOME/.gitconfig" filter.lfs.clean "git lfs clean %f"
-  git config -f "$HOME/.gitconfig" credential.helper lfstest
-  git config -f "$HOME/.gitconfig" user.name "Git LFS Tests"
-  git config -f "$HOME/.gitconfig" user.email "git-lfs@example.com"
+  git lfs init
+  git config --global credential.helper lfstest
+  git config --global user.name "Git LFS Tests"
+  git config --global user.email "git-lfs@example.com"
+  grep "git-lfs clean" "$REMOTEDIR/home/.gitconfig" > /dev/null || {
+    echo "global git config should be set in $REMOTEDIR/home"
+    ls -al "$REMOTEDIR/home"
+    exit 1
+  }
+  cp "$HOME/.gitconfig" "$HOME/.gitconfig-backup"
 
   wait_for_file "$LFS_URL_FILE"
 }
diff --git a/test/testlib.sh b/test/testlib.sh
index 993636ac..021b6d6a 100644
--- a/test/testlib.sh
+++ b/test/testlib.sh
@@ -73,6 +73,9 @@ begin_test () {
     err="$TRASHDIR/err"
     exec 1>"$out" 2>"$err"
 
+    # reset global git config
+    cp "$HOME/.gitconfig-backup" "$HOME/.gitconfig"
+
     # allow the subshell to exit non-zero without exiting this process
     set -x +e
 }