diff --git a/cabal-install/src/Distribution/Client/Init/NonInteractive/Command.hs b/cabal-install/src/Distribution/Client/Init/NonInteractive/Command.hs
index 1e81728cdad3718230c1dfa646d1ed14d9ebeadf..bc317247dfe9dc6a0629ee5e076b04636f29f904 100644
--- a/cabal-install/src/Distribution/Client/Init/NonInteractive/Command.hs
+++ b/cabal-install/src/Distribution/Client/Init/NonInteractive/Command.hs
@@ -276,14 +276,14 @@ licenseHeuristics flags = getLicense flags $ guessLicense flags
 -- | The author's name. Prompt, or try to guess from an existing
 --   git repo.
 authorHeuristics :: Interactive m => InitFlags -> m String
-authorHeuristics flags = guessAuthorEmail >>=
-  maybe (getAuthor flags $ return "") (getAuthor flags . return)
+authorHeuristics flags = guessAuthorName >>=
+  maybe (getAuthor flags $ return "Unknown") (getAuthor flags . return)
 
 -- | The author's email. Prompt, or try to guess from an existing
 --   git repo.
 emailHeuristics :: Interactive m => InitFlags -> m String
-emailHeuristics flags = guessAuthorName >>=
-  maybe (getEmail flags $ return "") (getEmail flags . return)
+emailHeuristics flags = guessAuthorEmail >>=
+  maybe (getEmail flags $ return "Unknown") (getEmail flags . return)
 
 -- | Prompt for a homepage URL for the package.
 homepageHeuristics :: Interactive m => InitFlags -> m String