diff --git a/lnbits/core/crud.py b/lnbits/core/crud.py
index 01a01fccb..ded7665c2 100644
--- a/lnbits/core/crud.py
+++ b/lnbits/core/crud.py
@@ -585,11 +585,15 @@ async def update_admin_settings(data: EditableSetings):
     await db.execute(f"UPDATE settings SET editable_settings = ?", (json.dumps(data),))
 
 
-async def create_admin_settings():
-    account = await create_account()
-    settings.super_user = account.id
+async def init_admin_settings(super_user: str = None):
+    user = None
+    if super_user:
+        user = await get_account(super_user)
+    if not user:
+        account = await create_account()
+        super_user = account.id
 
     editable_settings = EditableSetings.from_dict(settings.dict())
 
     sql = f"INSERT INTO settings (super_user, editable_settings) VALUES (?, ?)"
-    await db.execute(sql, (settings.super_user, json.dumps(editable_settings.dict())))
+    await db.execute(sql, (super_user, json.dumps(editable_settings.dict())))
diff --git a/lnbits/core/services.py b/lnbits/core/services.py
index 69cd79193..ed898e730 100644
--- a/lnbits/core/services.py
+++ b/lnbits/core/services.py
@@ -33,12 +33,12 @@ from lnbits.wallets.base import PaymentResponse, PaymentStatus
 from . import db
 from .crud import (
     check_internal,
-    create_admin_settings,
     create_payment,
     delete_wallet_payment,
     get_super_settings,
     get_wallet,
     get_wallet_payment,
+    init_admin_settings,
     update_payment_details,
     update_payment_status,
 )
@@ -421,7 +421,7 @@ async def check_admin_settings():
             logger.warning(
                 "settings empty. inserting new settings and creating admin account"
             )
-            await create_admin_settings()
+            await init_admin_settings(settings.super_user)
             logger.warning("initialized settings from enviroment variables.")
             sets = await get_super_settings()