diff --git a/lib/gitlab/satellite/action.rb b/lib/gitlab/satellite/action.rb
index 23f8185..0d7eecd 100644
--- a/lib/gitlab/satellite/action.rb
+++ b/lib/gitlab/satellite/action.rb
@@ -3,10 +3,11 @@ module Gitlab
     class Action
       DEFAULT_OPTIONS = { git_timeout: 30.seconds }
 
-      attr_accessor :options, :project
+      attr_accessor :options, :project, :user
 
-      def initialize(project, options = {})
+      def initialize(project, user, options = {})
         @project = project
+        @user = user
         @options = DEFAULT_OPTIONS.merge(options)
       end
 
@@ -42,6 +43,21 @@ module Gitlab
       def lock_file
         Rails.root.join("tmp", "#{project.path}.lock")
       end
+
+      # * Clears the satellite
+      # * Updates the satellite from Gitolite
+      # * Sets up Git variables for the user
+      #
+      # Note: use this within #in_locked_and_timed_satellite
+      def prepare_satellite!(repo)
+        project.satellite.clear
+
+        repo.git.reset(hard: true)
+        repo.git.fetch({}, :origin)
+
+        repo.git.config({}, "user.name", user.name)
+        repo.git.config({}, "user.email", user.email)
+      end
     end
   end
 end
diff --git a/lib/gitlab/satellite/merge_action.rb b/lib/gitlab/satellite/merge_action.rb
index 067a9ce..fc4cd75 100644
--- a/lib/gitlab/satellite/merge_action.rb
+++ b/lib/gitlab/satellite/merge_action.rb
@@ -1,12 +1,11 @@
 module Gitlab
   module Satellite
     class MergeAction < Action
-      attr_accessor :merge_request, :user
+      attr_accessor :merge_request
 
       def initialize(merge_request, user)
-        super merge_request.project
+        super merge_request.project, user
         @merge_request = merge_request
-        @user = user
       end
 
       def can_be_merged?
@@ -65,19 +64,6 @@ module Gitlab
         Gitlab::GitLogger.error(ex.message)
         false
       end
-
-      # * Clears the satellite
-      # * Updates the satellite from Gitolite
-      # * Sets up Git variables for the user
-      def prepare_satellite!(repo)
-        project.satellite.clear
-
-        repo.git.reset(hard: true)
-        repo.git.fetch({}, :origin)
-
-        repo.git.config({}, "user.name", user.name)
-        repo.git.config({}, "user.email", user.email)
-      end
     end
   end
 end
--
libgit2 0.21.2