diff --git a/cypress/integration/editorial_workflow_spec_proxy_backend.js b/cypress/integration/editorial_workflow_spec_proxy_backend.js
index f6ab26ec..db4b1021 100644
--- a/cypress/integration/editorial_workflow_spec_proxy_backend.js
+++ b/cypress/integration/editorial_workflow_spec_proxy_backend.js
@@ -9,6 +9,7 @@ describe('Proxy Backend Editorial Workflow', () => {
 
   before(() => {
     specUtils.before(taskResult, { publish_mode: 'editorial_workflow' }, backend);
+    Cypress.config('defaultCommandTimeout', 5 * 1000);
   });
 
   after(() => {
diff --git a/cypress/integration/media_library_spec_proxy_backend.js b/cypress/integration/media_library_spec_proxy_backend.js
index c7c2ea76..6f2b6859 100644
--- a/cypress/integration/media_library_spec_proxy_backend.js
+++ b/cypress/integration/media_library_spec_proxy_backend.js
@@ -9,6 +9,7 @@ describe('Proxy Backend Media Library - REST API', () => {
 
   before(() => {
     specUtils.before(taskResult, { publish_mode: 'editorial_workflow' }, backend);
+    Cypress.config('defaultCommandTimeout', 5 * 1000);
   });
 
   after(() => {
diff --git a/cypress/integration/simple_workflow_spec_proxy_backend.js b/cypress/integration/simple_workflow_spec_proxy_backend.js
index 4046142d..3638a402 100644
--- a/cypress/integration/simple_workflow_spec_proxy_backend.js
+++ b/cypress/integration/simple_workflow_spec_proxy_backend.js
@@ -9,6 +9,7 @@ describe('Proxy Backend Simple Workflow', () => {
 
   before(() => {
     specUtils.before(taskResult, { publish_mode: 'simple' }, backend);
+    Cypress.config('defaultCommandTimeout', 5 * 1000);
   });
 
   after(() => {
diff --git a/cypress/utils/steps.js b/cypress/utils/steps.js
index ce38e383..7144d660 100644
--- a/cypress/utils/steps.js
+++ b/cypress/utils/steps.js
@@ -33,7 +33,7 @@ function assertNotification(message) {
   cy.get('.notif__container').within(() => {
     cy.contains(message);
     // eslint-disable-next-line cypress/no-unnecessary-waiting
-    cy.wait(100);
+    cy.wait(500);
     cy.contains(message).invoke('hide');
   });
 }
@@ -136,19 +136,21 @@ function assertOnCollectionsPage() {
 }
 
 function assertEntryDeleted(entry) {
-  const hasEntries = Cypress.$('a h2').length > 0;
-  if (hasEntries) {
-    if (Array.isArray(entry)) {
-      const titles = entry.map(e => e.title);
-      cy.get('a h2').each(el => {
-        expect(titles).not.to.include(el.text());
-      });
-    } else {
-      cy.get('a h2').each(el => {
-        expect(entry.title).not.to.equal(el.text());
-      });
+  cy.get('body').then($body => {
+    const entriesHeaders = $body.find('a h2');
+    if (entriesHeaders.length > 0) {
+      if (Array.isArray(entry)) {
+        const titles = entry.map(e => e.title);
+        cy.get('a h2').each(el => {
+          expect(titles).not.to.include(el.text());
+        });
+      } else {
+        cy.get('a h2').each(el => {
+          expect(entry.title).not.to.equal(el.text());
+        });
+      }
     }
-  }
+  });
 }
 
 function assertWorkflowStatus({ title }, status) {
diff --git a/packages/netlify-cms-proxy-server/src/middlewares/localGit/index.ts b/packages/netlify-cms-proxy-server/src/middlewares/localGit/index.ts
index 14553606..3514d451 100644
--- a/packages/netlify-cms-proxy-server/src/middlewares/localGit/index.ts
+++ b/packages/netlify-cms-proxy-server/src/middlewares/localGit/index.ts
@@ -214,6 +214,34 @@ const commitEntry = async (
   await commit(git, commitMessage, [entry.path, ...assets.map(a => a.path)]);
 };
 
+const rebase = async (git: simpleGit.SimpleGit, branch: string) => {
+  const gpgSign = await git.raw(['config', 'commit.gpgsign']);
+  try {
+    if (gpgSign === 'true') {
+      await git.addConfig('commit.gpgsign', 'false');
+    }
+    await git.rebase([branch, '--no-verify']);
+  } finally {
+    if (gpgSign === 'true') {
+      await git.addConfig('commit.gpgsign', gpgSign);
+    }
+  }
+};
+
+const merge = async (git: simpleGit.SimpleGit, from: string, to: string) => {
+  const gpgSign = await git.raw(['config', 'commit.gpgsign']);
+  try {
+    if (gpgSign === 'true') {
+      await git.addConfig('commit.gpgsign', 'false');
+    }
+    await git.mergeFromTo(from, to);
+  } finally {
+    if (gpgSign === 'true') {
+      await git.addConfig('commit.gpgsign', gpgSign);
+    }
+  }
+};
+
 const isBranchExists = async (git: simpleGit.SimpleGit, branch: string) => {
   const branchExists = await git.branchLocal().then(({ all }) => all.includes(branch));
   return branchExists;
@@ -357,7 +385,7 @@ export const localGitMiddleware = ({ repoPath }: Options) => {
               } else {
                 await git.checkoutLocalBranch(cmsBranch);
               }
-              await git.rebase([branch, '--no-gpg-sign', '--no-gpg-sign']);
+              await rebase(git, branch);
               const diff = await git.diffSummary([branch, cmsBranch]);
               const data = await getEntryDataFromDiff(
                 git,
@@ -398,7 +426,7 @@ export const localGitMiddleware = ({ repoPath }: Options) => {
           const { collection, slug } = body.params as PublishUnpublishedEntryParams;
           const contentKey = generateContentKey(collection, slug);
           const cmsBranch = branchFromContentKey(contentKey);
-          await git.mergeFromTo(cmsBranch, branch);
+          await merge(git, cmsBranch, branch);
           await git.deleteLocalBranch(cmsBranch);
           res.json({ message: `branch ${cmsBranch} merged to ${branch}` });
           break;