diff --git a/git/refs/log.py b/git/refs/log.py
@@ -114,7 +114,7 @@ def from_line(cls, line):
        newhexsha = info[41:81]
        for hexsha in (oldhexsha, newhexsha):
            if not cls._re_hexsha_only.match(hexsha):
-                raise ValueError("Invalid hexsha: %s" % hexsha)
            # END if hexsha re doesn't match
        # END for each hexsha

@@ -274,11 +274,12 @@ def append_entry(cls, config_reader, filepath, oldbinsha, newbinsha, message):
            raise ValueError("Shas need to be given in binary format")
        # END handle sha type
        assure_directory_exists(filepath, is_file=True)
        committer = isinstance(config_reader, Actor) and config_reader or Actor.committer(config_reader)
        entry = RefLogEntry((
            bin_to_hex(oldbinsha).decode('ascii'),
            bin_to_hex(newbinsha).decode('ascii'),
-            committer, (int(time.time()), time.altzone), message
        ))

        lf = LockFile(filepath)

diff --git a/git/test/test_repo.py b/git/test/test_repo.py
@@ -775,12 +775,23 @@ def test_empty_repo(self, rw_dir):
        new_file_path = os.path.join(rw_dir, "new_file.ext")
        touch(new_file_path)
        r.index.add([new_file_path])
-        r.index.commit("initial commit")

        # Now a branch should be creatable
        nb = r.create_head('foo')
        assert nb.is_valid()

    def test_merge_base(self):
        repo = self.rorepo
        c1 = 'f6aa8d1'